I received an email today from the communications team at Auckland Transport, advising that there is to be a media conference tomorrow at 2pm to announce something to do with the “next phase of integrated ticketing”. Unfortunately I can’t make the media briefing tomorrow – though I’ll blog about it once I know for sure what has been announced.
It got me thinking a little bit about what what they might be announcing the “next phase of integrated ticketing” to be. I have been critical of Auckland Transport (and ARTA before them) being ultra-secretive about progress on integrated ticketing, leading me to worry about whether much was actually happening and whether key issues – like whether we will switch to a zone based system to allow free transfers, and how the Thales card will work with the Snapper Card – had actually been resolved. Perhaps tomorrow’s announcement might shed some light on these issues?
Well, I thought about all that – but in the end it’s all fairly complex technical stuff. Hardly likely to be the kind of thing that Auckland Transport would make a big hooplah about and invite a bunch of media to. So I thought about other things tomorrow’s briefing might be about, which reminded me of a thread on the Campaign for Better Transport forum a few weeks ago – started by a contributor saying this:
I have heard from a good source that the integrated smart-card in Auckland is going to be called the “Hop Card”. It seems very, um, underwhelming and lame I think. What do others think?
A lot of things get thrown around on the CBT forums, so I didn’t really know whether there was much validity in what was said – until an official from Auckland Transport made a reply that effectively confirmed that they are looking at naming the future smart-card the “Hop Card”. He said this:
We note with interest your discussion on the proposed branding for Auckland’s new integrated ticket. At this stage Hop is a work in progress and the brand is still to be fully developed. When that happens you will be amongst the first to know.
Rob Pitney
Customer Communications Manager
Auckland Transport
So I reckon tomorrow’s announcement will be the “unveiling” of the Hop Card. If so, I think it’s disappointing on two counts:
- The name is pretty lame and underwhelming. It doesn’t continue international trends of naming the card after nautical themes, it doesn’t have anything to do with Auckland, it’s just a bit boring.
- I think that the name should be decided upon by a public competition, like what Vancouver’s doing. Not only will this result in good discussion of options for the name and hopefully something a bit more interesting than “Hop”, it would also get people interested and involved in the idea of a smart-card – perhaps even a little bit excited. That should help its eventual launch.
I guess we’ll have to wait and see if I’m right. In a way I hope I’m not right, with perhaps the best scenario being that Auckland Transport are announcing a competition for the naming of the future smart-card: with the prize being a year’s free public transport if your preferred name is chosen.
Processing...
I scanned the post subject line, deciphered it as “Cop Hard”, and wondered why you were writing about the latest Bruce Willis film.
It’s just a bad bad name. Please PLEASE let them see sense.
I can’t stress how awful this proposed name is; it’s almost bad enough to put me off getting one, when they finally eventuate. And I hate to think what the design will be: the thing about these cards is that they should be pretty innocuous – rather like ATM cards – and marketing departments have to keep well away from imposing whatever spurious ‘trend’ they think might ‘sell’ the idea to the public. Half the success of the Oyster card is that the name is, as you say, in keeping with the international trend of vaguely maritime names and the design, in restrained blue tones, is quite acceptable. We need basic functionality, not gimmicks, please.
I’m with you, the name is ordinary – but your post is confusing….
You hate the name, presumably because it does nothing to promote the product, but then want marketing depts to keep well away from “imposing whatever spurious ‘trend’ they think might ‘sell’ the idea to the public”.
You wanted functionality (e.g. something simple)?, not a gimmick (e.g. a nautical theme?)….. Sounds like you got what you wanted?
Horrible name, can only hope it’s a smoke screen, it’s infantile, would almost certainly come with a cartoon frog…. arrrrg
Also Michael Barnet in the Granny today, errr? already got a business case mate. But the idea of stations being developed privately is not a bad one. That Aotea Station is the jewel in the crown. Destined to become busier than Britomart and will wake up that entire area…. help Elliot Street become what it should be before the rodgering it got at the hands of the developers of Mid City and the National Bank buildings.
As to the subsidy issue, got any answers to that Admin? Surely with the lift in ridership the cost per journey has fallen? Or has Joyce’s new charges reversed that?
Hopefully they’ll post my letter to the editor in response to Barnett.
Effectively I said that of course Auckland has high rail subsidies, we run diesel trains and have a 1950s ticketing system. Both are being sorted out.
@admin
“…have a 1950s ticketing system.”
So does Wellington.
Indeed, imagine how much more cost-effective both rail services would be with a modern ticketing system.
Did you point out that 1.6 billion wasn’t spent on electrification? i.e. DART doesn’t = electrification.
I only had 200 words. Others can feel free to respond too: http://dynamic.nzherald.co.nz/feedback/letters/index.cfm?
He’s published another article attacking the Airport Line. Of course he fails to mention that there will be other stations along the line that will also feed patronage into the system.
Yeah, my position on doing the tunnel as a PPP is pretty hostile, but I’m not averse to using the rights to turn stations into shopping complexes as a way of getting money. It’s a double win, in that not only is the funding not coming from the public purse there’s also ready-made development in the new station precincts to act as a wider economic stimulus.
each time the frequency increases the subsidy per passenger will jump a fair bit immediately, however will soon go back down over time. The subsidy will drop a fair bit once electrification comes in, and will drop a fair bit again with the CBD loop tunnel. This of course only takes into account operational costs. However the electrification will pay for itself over a 30 or so year time period.
How does that work? Who pay sit to whom and how is it calculated?
Assuming no increase in payments to KR for use of the corridor, the lower operating costs of the electrics compared to diesel will pay for the electrification.
admin: “I think that the name should be decided upon by a public competition, like what Vancouver’s doing.”
New logo for Auckland Council, anyone?
Shocker…
That is all…
Who cares what it’s called so long as it works?
Branding matters. If people think the brand is arse, and “hop” is pretty abysmal, they’ll be less inclined to buy into it. Since we need this to be a success, a quality brand at launch is important.
Of course, given the very av logo for Megatropolis I’m not holding my breath on it getting any better than “hop” with a logo that’s either a cartoon frog or a stylised (think international toilet symbols) human hopping on one leg.
The name is a bit “hop-less”. LOL.
Terrible name. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! More stupid marketing from Maxx I suppose. I really wish that Maxx would spend their money used on their marketing that treats people as idiots (like the fashion show one “Green is the new black” when advertising the LINK bus) on improving services instead.
Marketing is important, it’s just that they do it so badly. It could be so good, look at what they do in LA, profiled on Streetfilms, link on an earlier post on this site. Basically it isn’t integrated or simple enough, and therefore lacks power and cut through….. not helped by the splintered nature of the bus system in AK, and the constant attack from vested and established interests at a powerful level, see Barnett in today’s paper
Hope card? As in hope it isn’t just an expensive stored value card.
I see little difference between “Hop” and (for example) “Oyster” as is used in the UK. If anything, Hop is more relevant to the product. All smacks of “cultural cringe” to me. Why do I think if roles were reversed the UK Hop card would be wonderful, and Auckland’s Oyster rubbish…..
Still, I think the public competition would have been great marketing for the product.
We’re all familiar with the crap branding that goes with transport in Auckland, and the “cultural cringe” as you put it is, as much as anything, the fact that “Hop” is a break from the tradition from other locations of aquatic themes: Snapper, Oyster, Octopus, etc. If they had to go with something along the “hop” path, why not “Frog”? It’s in keeping with tradition, and the logo could be done in the same green as the background for the Megatropolis pohutukawa flower logo.
“Hop” is just so boring!
“Frog”…I like it.
What’s with the aquatic themes elsewhere anyway?
No idea.
Maybe “Axolotl”? Semi-aquatic, and if you annoy it it’ll chew your fingers off 😀
Let’s hope it’s not going to be named ‘hop’. How about Dolphin Card?
I’m not sure, the Hop Card does at least have relevance to the product they are selling, and thinking of advertising etc, could be more useful than naming it after some aquatic theme, I mean most of the travelling done by the cards are for use on land, maybe overwater from time to time.
I agree we need a better name, maybe something more representing Auckland. But Hop is marketable.
I agree on its relevance to the product. In saying that, AKT is reporting that various names are being run through “focus groups”:
http://www.aucklandtrains.co.nz/2010/12/16/integrated-ticketing-for-rwc2011/
I myself liked, the “Skink”. But the more I think about “Hop” (and assuming there is a frog in its marketing), I think its OK.
I like the name. Hop on, hop off. Simple, easy, short. Great if you’ve only got one leg.
Or if you have two legs, but they are tied together! 😉