It might not be the only way that an operator presents itself but for the non-user, livery is at least initially the most important. In one design, it gives a visual representation of the business and its brand. It sets the tone.
One of the two latest liveries to find their way into our streets this month is at Plymouth City Bus. Former Wilts & Dorset man Andrew Wickham’s certainly taken his time in deciding upon new clothes. It’s been over a year since he and Go Ahead took over. But he wanted to get things right. At least the website and bus network’s recently received a makeover. One of these is of considerable importance to the business.
The new livery is streets ahead of Plymouth’s current incarnation which, though modern, has too much white against red. It makes the red look stark. Very visible, certainly, but also too brash.
The new design is still visible but cleverer. In line with the current vogue, the livery fails to follow the vehicle’s lines. It therefore gives the impression of a more thrusting and enterprising organisation, something that Go Ahead would wish to foster and indeed exploit.
Mind you, it’s questionable whether there needs to be so much vinyl on the lower panels between the axles, just where you might expect there to be scuffs and damage.
I like the design nonetheless. The bit with which I am least comfortable is the use of two closely related reds, either side of the welcome white swoop. The rear is almost a russet. It’s an orangey red that’s very warm in nature. The front is more oxblood or claret and is much colder. They seem to be slightly juxtaposed. They remind me of a slightly mismatched lounge suit or wallpaper from different batches.
Plymouth City Bus of old has seen quite a number livery incarnations. The best was its 1982 livery when it increased the amount of cream. In 2007, we said of the 1982 livery that it literally & metaphorically redrew the boundaries of design. The new design doesn’t do anything so revolutionary. In many a sense, it’s Stenning through and through. But it does modernise the image to the extent that passengers and non-passengers will look at City Bus and they just might believe things are changing for the better.
i More images of the new livery including shots like the one above from Brian George on Plymothian Transit
Thursday, 17 February 2011
New Clothes
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22 comments:
Is there ANY evidence that livery makes a difference to the bottom line, the profitability of the company? Is there ANY evidence that a swirly, twirly, technologically complex website (which probably doesn't work on some browsers, anyway) improves passenger usage?
Or are these changes introduced simply because we HAVE to be "one up" on all the other bus groups?
Henry Ford managed quite a good business with offering any colour provided that it was black. Now here was a BRAND - and we still remember it today!
One of these is of considerable importance to the business.
Hmm, which one though?
Why not both ...
If you can't see the word Plymouth on the logo, it could be anyone's livery - more specifically, it could be Southampton Citybus circa late 90s. Heigh-ho, one more step to homogenisation.
Hate it.
I quite like it, though I also think there's a case for a "quietly competent"[1] livery, such as a more traditional one - particularly as everyone seems to be going for a Stenning job at present!
Reminds me of Oxford if anything.
[1] This is a term I like to associate with public transport operations. Just do the job, and do it well, day in and day out. No need to be too brash, but also no need to avoid innovation. This is roughly how the ever-successful supermarkets do it!
Anonymous 08:54 said "If you can't see the word Plymouth on the logo, it could be anyone's livery"
This is a criticism of the new scheme that I've seen raised by a number of people, but the Plymouth part of the Plymouth Citybus name has always been subservient on their liveries. Compared to the last livery the Plymouth part of the name is much more visible in the new scheme.
Liveries are always going to be divisive, personally I feel this presents a much more modern image for the company than the old scheme which was a little bland.
fatbusbloke's question about whether a livery makes any difference to a companies profitability is an interesting one. In Plymouth, as is often the case, the new livery is not something that is happening in isolation. As well as a new livery, there's a new website, increasing use of social media, more ticket promotions, vehicle investment (albeit csscades from sister companies) and network review/revisions.
What each of these elements contribute individually is always hard to quantify, but as a suite of measures they can have a significant effect on a companies rider-ship and local perception.
Of course Plymouth isn't the only ex-municipal bus company to launch a new image recently. Rotala are also trialling a new livery for Preston Bus
http://east-lancs.fotopic.net/p68997416.html
Personally I feel that this one seems a little 'rushed' compared with the Plymouth livery - but I'm sure others will feel differently.
It looks pretty much like every other Go-Ahead Group livery. Inoffensive in a lovely swirly way, but really nothing more than that. Ever Go bus group seems to have something pretty similar- it looks just like the buses in Brighton or Oxford or Durham or wherever.
Does that mean that Go Ahead are slowly working to a Group Standard livery then, even if the operating company name remains local?
A corporate style with local colours (like the Stagecoach livery variants, for instance) is a nice idea and can be used to good effect to give both a local and national identity. But I think they just look similar because they're all from the same design house...
Fatbusbloke yesterday compared and contrasted buses with Tesco. Look at any high street or brand and see how they keep changing and evolving. And a new Mondeo doesn't look much like Henry's Model T, either.
Maybe Go-Ahead is moving to a standard livery, though comparing Plymouth Citybus, Southern Vectis, Metrobus and Go North East suggests they're being pretty sutble about it.
Yet another "Swoosh" livery. I wonder if a certain Ray Stenning had a hand in it...
Looks good though.
@ Neil:
It's hard to tell how much of it is Go Ahead and how much of it is Ray Stenning. There's certainly more than a passing resemblance to both Go North East's "Red Arrows" route branding (http://www.nebpgne.fpic.co.uk/p65739375.html) and their corporate livery for non-route-branded buses (http://www.nebpgne.fpic.co.uk/p55767420.html).
like many i think the stenning designs have had their day.go north east now has so many brands its confusing.a bit over cooked.i personally hate the coach standard livery.there is room for variety.
re last comment i meant stage coach livery.must check before posting.sorry
re last comment i meant stage coach livery.must check before posting.sorry
The new website is clearly based on a GoVia template (see Southern, Southeastern & London Midland).
The new livery clearly has hints of Oxford and, to a lesser extent, Brighton. Low-set vinyls hint at a wish to get repairs done qickly, to keep the image up. Hope they can keep to that.
"like many i think the stenning designs have had their day.go north east now has so many brands its confusing."
How many of the Go North East liveries are Stenning designs? I don't think it's that many is it? The Red Arrows livery seems to be, but many seem cluttered and untidy - which doesn't match with typical Stenning designs.
If anything Go North East seem to be moving away from fancy liveries. Most repaints seem to be plain red. Even the branded ones in different colours are often just a single plain colour now.
As for comments about it being just a corporate group standard livery - I just dont see it. There are similar liveries within GAH but nothing standard across the group, and even if it was - its much better than having a really standard fleet wide livery like Stagecoach, First, or even worse Arriva.
Th new Plymouth City Bus livery is a little similar to Warrington Brough Transport's!
Leaf Green or Poppy red, Horizontal white stripe below the windows. Simple.
"http://east-lancs.fotopic.net/p68997416.html
Personally I feel that this one seems a little 'rushed' compared with the Plymouth livery - but I'm sure others will feel differently."
That's just plain ugly. I would say bring back the Preston crest instead of the cheap looking "PB" thing.
Or were Preston Bus told not to use the crest once they were no longer Council-run?
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