Trivia: Worst branding elements used for a public transport service

[adrock1976]

The West Midlands PTE in the 1980s came up with a not so imaginative name for branding the local services as Midline.

The livery today is not pleasing on the eye as can be seen from some paraphernalia on the Malvern Industrial Archeology Circle (see http://www.miac.org.uk/midline.html), and an image of a Class 310 that I have found on the Wikipedia page (see https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/...ery#/media/File:Train_310103_(8958229680).jpg)

 

[Wokingham]

WAGN and that stereotype mexican man chasing trains for a southern ad.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Mar 2022 ==

I'd disagree here. The National Bus / Express logo is probably only second to the BR double arrow as the most known public transport branding ever in Britain.

Agree

 

[GatwickDepress]

Thank you, @GatwickDepress . I'm not sure that any article 'disproves' what I or anyone else happen to think.

The 'no go' tag used to be applied to the small Vauxhall Nova car, a brand name that for some strange reason was only used in the UK and not in Vauxhall's extensive Spanish-speaking market. Everywhere else the model was known as the Corsa; the name used for UK models as well after a relatively few years. I wonder why.

I'm afraid the facts don't care much for what you might think. Nova meaning 'no go' is absolute urban legend nonsense - you might be interested to know that the Chevrolet Nova sold very well in Spanish-speaking markets and Nova was one of the most popular brands of petrol in Mexico at the time. The Vauxhall Nova was known as the Corsa everywhere but the UK for entirely unrelated reasons.

 

[dk1]

National Express ‘dot to dot’ was another disaster. Just as they lost ‘Gatwick Express’ they wanted to cling on to as much airport trade as possible no matter how pathetic the offering was.

 

[MarkWi72]

Back in the 1970s we had "This is the Age of the Train ". It could be viewed in two ways, especially as many trains at the time were quite elderly!

Let's not forget who narrated some of these adverts too...................

 

[Gloster]

I'd disagree here. The National Bus / Express logo is probably only second to the BR double arrow as the most known public transport branding ever in Britain.

I would have thought that the London Transport symbol is better known, if you allow slight variations. And, no, I am not being London-centric.

 

[Mikey C]

It was Vauxhall who chose to change the name of the Corsa for the UK market to Nova, as they thought Corsa sounded too much like "Coarser"

 

[507020]

I would have thought that the London Transport symbol is better known, if you allow slight variations. And, no, I am not being London-centric.

Even people who’ve never been to London recognise the roundel of the London Underground and it predates the BR double arrow by several decades.

 

[physics34]

'We're getting there' didnt particularly install confidence...suggesting things needed improving.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Mar 2022 ==

Also think the current GX offering isnt great.
Non-english speaking airport passengers will have no idea what GX means, let along your average punter. An aircraft logo couldve been incorporated.

 

[BeijingDave]

I'd disagree here. The National Bus / Express logo is probably only second to the BR double arrow as the most known public transport branding ever in Britain.

British Airways probably tops them both for well known branding if you consider air 'public transport' (it is by most definitions).

Globally recognised and has only progressively (rather than radically) changed since 1974 (apart from the dodgy tailfins for a few years).

Their branding and advertising has won countless awards.

 

[Voo]

I’ve always thought that ‘Nova’ from TransPennine is an epic fail, given that it translates as ‘No go’ in some common languages.

In addition, a nova, as in a star, is one that starts brightly but fades and burns out with time, so not exactly an inspiring choice for a new train.

 

[dk1]

In addition, a nova, as in a star, is one that starts brightly but fades and burns out with time, so not exactly an inspiring choice for a new train.

Just reminds me of the Vauxhall car. I know them as Hitachi, CAF or Loco-hauled.

 

[Mag_seven]

Railtrack with all those "Sorry is not enough" posters after the gauge corner cracking debacle.

 

[Class800]

Actually isn't the term Nova seen as meaning "New" in most Latin based languages?

First groups Transforming travel was a daft slogan

New in Spanish is nuevo
New in Italian is nuovo
New in Portuguese is novo

All can end in 'a' instead of 'o' if the noun is feminine.

But in Spanish 'no va' means 'does not go'

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Mar 2022 ==

I'm afraid the facts don't care much for what you might think. Nova meaning 'no go' is absolute urban legend nonsense - you might be interested to know that the Chevrolet Nova sold very well in Spanish-speaking markets and Nova was one of the most popular brands of petrol in Mexico at the time. The Vauxhall Nova was known as the Corsa everywhere but the UK for entirely unrelated reasons.

I cannot speak to people's perceptions in the countries, but 'no va' is the Spanish for 'he/she/it does not go'

 

[mrcheek]

This

 

[Gloster]

But the trouble is the perception of that odious blank is based on what we know now. At the time he had managed to worm his way into the public consciousness as one of the most trusted and admired people in Britain. What better person to front a publicity campaign, even if Sir Peter Parker (apparently) and others had doubts about him?

 

[mrcheek]

But the trouble is the perception of that odious blank is based on what we know now. At the time he had managed to worm his way into the public consciousness as one of the most trusted and admired people in Britain. What better person to front a publicity campaign, even if Sir Peter Parker (apparently) and others had doubts about him?

a fair point, since to most people then he was an entertainer, who did loads for charity.

Its just that the wording of this poster is especially unfortunate. It might have been forgotten had it not appeared in an episode of "To the Manor Born", filmed at Maiden Newton station

 

[Taunton]

One of the worst branding moments has surely been after the SWT > SWR transition, going all out to eliminate the so well done red/blue/white/yellow liveries, one of the most distinctive schemes ever (all credit to Ray Stenning) with plain boring black. Especially as it seemed to coincide with a comparable decline in operating standards as well.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Thank you, @GatwickDepress . I'm not sure that any article 'disproves' what I or anyone else happen to think.

The 'no go' tag used to be applied to the small Vauxhall Nova car, a brand name that for some strange reason was only used in the UK and not in Vauxhall's extensive Spanish-speaking market. Everywhere else the model was known as the Corsa; the name used for UK models as well after a relatively few years. I wonder why.

AIUI the reason for GM keeping split Vauxhall and Opel branding and sub brands was that it was effective in deterring people saving money by importing.

 

[Lampshade]

Southeastern’s “make a connection” circa 2008, it implied none of their services went directly where you wanted to go.

 

[py_megapixel]

AIUI the reason for GM keeping split Vauxhall and Opel branding and sub brands was that it was effective in deterring people saving money by importing.

There's still a not-insignificant number of Opels on British roads though, and there were even more if you go back a few years. In particular, I seem to notice Zafiras and Vivaros from the early 2000s carrying the Opel brand - possibly because people buying vans and people-carriers are more likely to be value-seeking customers who don't care so much about the badge on the front, though that's just a theory.

I think a lot of these were actually right-hand-drive despite carrying the brand used on the continent, which feels a bit odd.

 

[Taunton]

There's still a not-insignificant number of Opels on British roads though, and there were even more if you go back a few years. In particular, I seem to notice Zafiras and Vivaros from the early 2000s carrying the Opel brand - possibly because people buying vans and people-carriers are more likely to be value-seeking customers who don't care so much about the badge on the front, though that's just a theory.

I think a lot of these were actually right-hand-drive despite carrying the brand used on the continent, which feels a bit odd.

The GM cars sold in the Irish Republic (though not in Northern Ireland), and their dealers, are all branded Opel as well, though of course right hand drive.

 

[py_megapixel]

The GM cars sold in the Irish Republic (though not in Northern Ireland), and their dealers, are all branded Opel as well, though of course right hand drive.

That is presumably where they came from then... I assumed that the Vauxhall brand was used in RoI.

 

[Taunton]

That is presumably where they came from then... I assumed that the Vauxhall brand was used in RoI.

There were Opels in the Irish Republic for a long time when unknown in Britain - I remember plenty of them there in the mid-1960s (as well B121 class locos with old carriage stock on the Mallow-Tralee line), when most other cars there were UK brands. Morris had an assembly plant in Dublin. This was when Opels were distinctively different types to Vauxhall, different model names, separate dealers, and all built in Germany, when the Vauxhalls were all from the UK.

 

[DelW]

One of the worst branding moments has surely been after the SWT > SWR transition, going all out to eliminate the so well done red/blue/white/yellow liveries, one of the most distinctive schemes ever (all credit to Ray Stenning) with plain boring black. Especially as it seemed to coincide with a comparable decline in operating standards as well.

While I agree with your viewpoint, I don't think that SWR can be said to have been "going all out" to eliminate the Stagecoach era liveries, considering that there are still quite a few units running around in faded SWT colours, a mere 4 & 1/2 years after the change of franchise.

 

[BeijingDave]

How about anything involving Jimmy Savile?

 

[norbitonflyer]

While I agree with your viewpoint, I don't think that SWR can be said to have been "going all out" to eliminate the Stagecoach era liveries, considering that there are still quite a few units running around in faded SWT colours, a mere 4 & 1/2 years after the change of franchise.

Most of them are 455s and 458s, none of which have been reliveried because neither class was expected to still be in service by now.

 

[mrcheek]

How about anything involving Jimmy Savile?

see my post above. I didnt want to mention him by name

 

[Doctor Fegg]

Some of the Midland Red ‘Market Analysis Project’ sub-brands:

MidlandRed.net - History - Market Analysis Project ("MAP" Schemes)

“Viable Network Project”, later renamed to “Market Analysis Project” (MAP Project) carried out by Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited (MROC), Birmingham, under the control of the National Bus Company, between 1977 and 1981.

www.midlandred.net

Tellus? Wendaway? Wandaward?!!

 

[DelW]

Most of them are 455s and 458s, none of which have been reliveried because neither class was expected to still be in service by now.

I still see quite a few dirty-white 444s and faded-blue 450s on the Direct as well.