THE HOLIDAY TROLLEY
Including:
Advertising Campaign
Art Direction
Collage
Typography
Client:
SLO Transit
Designers:
Allison McClain
Photographers:
Eric Hatch
Overview —
The Old Trolley is a classic cable-car style trolley that offers rides in the heart of downtown San Luis Obispo, CA. During the holiday season, the trolley's charming lights and quaint interior contribute to the wondrous and soft atmosphere created in the city.
We were tasked with creating a campaign that would send this message and help promote activity downtown. This campaign will take effect in Winter 2020.
The Goal: Clarify the purpose of the trolley and promote the exploration of downtown San Luis Obispo.
My Role —
- Co-Art Director
- Digital Collagist
As the co-art director, I was responsible for creating multiple concepts and variations, directing the photoshoot, and providing a shot list of the building exteriors and angles needed for the project. I also was also in charge of crafting the collage and providing consultation for all typography.
Challenges —
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Potential Trolley riders were choosing walking over taking the Trolley.
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The experience of riding the trolley needed to be emphasized over the destination.
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Users needed to be convinced that taking the trolley would make their day better.
The trolley needed to connect with its users
Development —
We began by brainstorming different concepts and variations of possible solutions. We rationalized that the trolley should be noticed first in order to clearly state what the ad would be about. We also figured that by personifying the trolley, we could create a unique relationship between the poster and the viewer. By having an already established connection, a passive viewer would be more inclined to ride the trolley next time pass it downtown. We abstain from using any people and instead personified the trolley. This emphasized it's appeal, charm, and novelty.
Main Areas of Focus
1. The Holiday Experience
2. Exploring Downtown
3. The Novelty of the Trolley
Sketching Exploration —
Our sketches allowed us to quickly ideate different solutions to the aforementioned challenges. Other directions included a campaign centering around the arrival of the trolley to pick up a family, creating a trolley-esque snow-globe, and a family's journey riding the trolley. The final direction was a collage of the trolley, downtown, and holiday elements.
Why this concept?
This concept simulated a unique one-on-one experience between the trolley and the viewer. This idea best suited our goal of promoting a connection between the trolley and the feeling of adventure.
Visuals —
Our three focal areas guided our choice of elements and composition. The trolley is the first aspect a viewer notices, followed by the exterior buildings, then the dynamic elements that add character to the whole composition.
Illustrated by Emma Hoban.
1. The Holiday Experience: Friendly
illustrations and seasonal colors associate the trolley with wintertime.
2. Exploring Downtown: Historical and iconic scenes from downtown not only indicate the trolley's route but also add a sense of exploration.
3. The Novelty of the Trolley: A dynamic view of the trolley shows off its charming features.
Each poster is a unique experience for the viewer
Variations —
Each Poster represents a different view and charm of the trolley. We wanted to show off the trolley's personality and create a relationship between it and the viewer.
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A "peek-a-boo" style gives the trolley a sense of curiosity and adventure, showing off all the fun of downtown through its windows.
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An inside look mimics the initial experience of boarding the trolley.
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The final full view is dynamic and fluid. This is a magical ride pulling up to you that carries wonder and fun, so come aboard!
Applications —
San Luis Obispo is a relatively small community filled with college students, families, retired individuals, and more. To approach this wide audience we needed to promote the Holiday Trolley on an array of platforms.
8.5 x 5.5 Postcard
Versatility is a great strength
