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Tag: redBus

  • Clicks and trips go hand in hand as travel ads chart new routes

    Clicks and trips go hand in hand as travel ads chart new routes

    MUMBAI: When it comes to travel, Indians aren’t just packing bags, they’re packing pixels. In a year when revenge tourism fuelled wanderlust and digital-first habits reshaped holiday planning, Excellent Publicity’s latest report captures a sector that’s going places literally and virtually. Based on over 30,000 campaigns and TAM Media insights, the 2024 Travel & Tourism Advertising Landscape offers a fascinating peek into how brands sold dreams of getaways to a nation ready to escape.

    Total ad spends in the sector rose by 28 per cent in 2024, with digital commanding a staggering 78 per cent of that pie. Video platforms like YouTube and Instagram accounted for over 62 per cent of these digital spends, thanks to their scroll-stopping visuals and seamless influencer integration. The age of the static banner, it seems, is on a one-way trip to oblivion.

    It’s not just metros that are dreaming big 35 per cent of digital ad impressions came from Tier II and III cities, marking a shift in aspiration and affordability. Goibibo, Redbus, and Yatra rode this wave with vernacular campaigns, cashback offers, and destination-led storytelling.

    Short-form videos emerged as the MVP of campaign visibility, with influencer-led Reels and Youtube Shorts growing 45 per cent year-on-year. Micro and mid-tier creators proved to be the hidden gems of the media mix, converting eyeballs into bookings with hacks, hauls, and heartfelt narratives.

    Despite digital’s dominance, traditional formats still held ground. Television retained a 12 per cent share, proving useful in prime-time slots and regional infotainment, especially for family-oriented travel brands. Print (3 per cent) was used for tactical bursts like seasonal guides, while OOH (6 per cent) stayed visible near airports and high-footfall spots. Radio, though a modest 1 per cent of the mix, was used smartly around long weekends and festive peaks.

    Ad activity spiked during April-June (summer holidays) and again from October to December (festive breaks and destination weddings). Destinations like Ladakh, Rishikesh, Udaipur, and Bali drew big bucks from brands focused on adventure, wellness, and cultural experiences.

    Top spenders included Makemytrip, Easemytrip, Club Mahindra, Agoda, Thomas Cook, and Air India together accounting for over 33 per cent of the total digital travel ad budget. Campaigns ranged from AR-powered itinerary planning to influencer-hosted travelogues and loyalty program launches.

    Emotional hooks also proved effective, with storytelling leaning into themes of nostalgia (“first trip post-COVID”) and purpose (“make memories, not plans”). There was a noticeable pivot to experiential travel, with brands showcasing offbeat stays, cultural immersions, and eco-conscious itineraries.

    “The media mix is evolving, but the message remains timeless: travel is emotional,” said Excellent Publicity co-founder & director, Vaishal Dalal. “The brands winning today are those combining data-led precision with creative ambition making the journey to booking feel as exciting as the journey itself.”

    As Gen Z and millennials continue to shape spending habits, travel brands will need to mix immersive formats, voice AI, sustainability and hyper-personalisation to stay relevant and stay booked. Because in 2024, even holidays needed good content.

  • redRail from redBus gets platform naming & brand promotional rights of New Delhi Railway Station

    redRail from redBus gets platform naming & brand promotional rights of New Delhi Railway Station

    Mumbai: redRail, the authorised IRCTC partner and rail ticketing app from redBus, is one of the few brands that have obtained platform naming rights, including other brand promotional rights, at platforms no. 8 and 9 of New Delhi Railway Station.

    The pilot programme launched by the railways is the first of its kind, allowing brands to utilise the vast stretch within platforms of the New Delhi railway station to promote themselves in innovative ways, such as naming a platform after the brand and putting up extensive displays with promotional content, among others.

    The unique engagement approach that offers a high-end experiential connection between brands and customers is poised to garner over 20 million eyeballs monthly, captive for a minimum of 30-45 minutes. This is achieved through the sheer volume of footfalls at New Delhi Railway Station, one of the busiest in the country, elevating brand connection a few notches.

    redRail has obtained the rights to various elements on platforms 8 and 9 at New Delhi Railway Station.

    Brand name on platform signage, platform colour scheme, wrapping or painting on seating benches, branding on the fence of the potted plants, branding on the 3D gantry – exit/entry of foot over bridges or escalators on the platform – and branding on pink cubicles for women seating on each platform and product display are among the key offerings.

    This initiative also comes against the backdrop of redRail successfully completing its first year of operations. To celebrate the anniversary with all rail travellers, the enterprise is rolling out special offers and a contest to make it memorable. The three main offers are free tickets, a coupon for 50 per cent off up to Rs 100 and a flat Rs 50 off for all customers. These offers can be availed of by participating in an exciting “Spin the Wheel” contest, where users spin a wheel on the redRail app between 3 to 17 November.

    Speaking on the new initiative from the Railways and redRail’s participation, redBus senior vice president & head of brand marketing Pallavi Chopra said, “New Delhi Railway Station caters to more than 400+ trains every day, with about five lakh passengers using the facility on a daily basis, allowing us to engage with an audience that matters. We are confident that with extensive brand visibility at the station, we will receive 30 minutes of confirmed attention from travellers. We greatly appreciate this novel approach from the Ministry of Railways, which would allow brands to engage with their audiences in powerful ways and is a win-win for both. We are also celebrating the first anniversary of redRail and are delighted to announce exciting offers on tickets for our travellers.”

  • redBus ignites the holiday spirit with the launch of the ‘Download Cash’ festival that provides new users with an instant INR 200 wallet cash

    redBus ignites the holiday spirit with the launch of the ‘Download Cash’ festival that provides new users with an instant INR 200 wallet cash

    Bengaluru: redBus, India’s largest bus ticketing platform, is bringing the holiday cheer early for countless bus travellers this year, by announcing its ‘Download Cash festival’ which is set to go live on December 18th.

    In keeping with the spirit of the year-end holiday season, redBus will offer its first time users an instant wallet cash of INR 200 as soon as they download the redBus app between 18th-31st December by applying the referral code ‘CASH200’. The new users can also get additional savings upto INR 150 by applying the code ‘FIRST’ while completing their first transaction.

    Furthermore, existing users can also join in on the excitement with an assured cashback of up to INR 100 for tickets booked between 21st-24th December.

    The ‘Download Cash festival’ will begin from December 18th and continue till December 31st, catering to the travel around Christmas and New Year. Through the sale, redBus is keen to encourage a number of first-time users to skip the long queues at the booking counters and select the seat of their own choice while booking their tickets on redBus. It also aims to encourage traditional train travellers, who haven’t been able to travel lately due to limited availability of trains, to book bus tickets online. Through this offer, the travellers can safely make their Christmas and year-end travel arrangements from the comfort of their homes.

    redBus has set the benchmark for safety in the bus travel industry with its Safety+ initiative, a certification for bus operators who follow the highest standards of excellence in safety and sanitisation.

    From ensuring a regular supply of hand sanitizers to thermal screening of passengers, Safety+ certified bus operators vigorously follow a detailed set of safety measures to ensure customers have a safe and hassle-free journey. With a slew of safety guidelines strictly enforced by Safety+ certified bus operators, redBus acts as a bridge that safely unites millions across India, enabling them to celebrate the year-end festivities with their families and loved ones.

  • Brands bid farewell to MS Dhoni for making India proud

    Brands bid farewell to MS Dhoni for making India proud

    NEW DELHI: Former Indian cricket team captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, bid adieu to international cricket on 15 August. He made the declaration through his Instagram post where he wrote, “Thanks. Thanks a lot for ur love and support throughout. From 19.29 hrs consider me as Retired.”

    Popularly known as captain cool and also one of the most successful cricket captains of India, he has led the team in many astonishing victories. Under his regime, India won three ICC trophies including the 2011 cricket world cup.

    The unexpected announcement left many people shocked and netizens poured in their tributes for Dhoni and saluted the legendary cricketer. In just a few hours, social media was abuzz with his name and #DhoniRetires was trending on top.

    The style of retirement was also very unique from the cricketer. Dhoni posted a video which highlighted some of the best moment he has experienced in his lifetime during the course of the game. It also featured other Indian cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul David and Virat Kohli.

    Dhoni was not only the world’s highest-paid cricketer but a popular choice in the advertising world as well. Over the years, he has worked with an array of brands. In his astonishing career, he worked with multiple brands like Cars24, Mastercard, Netmeds, Dreams11, redBus, Snickers, Indigo Paints and many more. With Pepsi, MS Dhoni had the longest association of 11 years; it started in 2005 and campaigns like ‘Oh yes Abhi’ and ‘Change the game’ garnered a lot of attention.

    Recently, he was featured in CARS24 360 degree marketing campaign, “Car bechni ho, toh CARS24” where Dhoni played dual characters of a seller and buyer.

    ITC Ltd also released a film for Sunfeast Yipee when the brand expanded into the new category of pasta products. The TVC showcases him tasting six delicious pasta variants, offering the convenience of instant preparation.

    The former captain had done many back to back TVC campaigns with Dream 11 and Snickers, with a new avatar each time.

    According to the Duff & Phelps Celebrity Brand Valuation study 2019, while Virat Kohli retained his position as the biggest celebrity brand in India for the third successive year, Dhoni was ranked at number nine.

    As per Forbes, in 2016, Dhoni’s net worth was around $31 million and brand endorsements comprised a large part of this value.

    According to the Adex survey of TAM Media Research, during the January to June period of 2010, while Dhoni, at his peak, endorsed brands for 24 companies on TV, Shah Rukh Khan and Tendulkar were seen promoting the products of 16 and 15 companies, respectively.

    During the period, ‘captain cool’ appeared for a host of brands, including Reebok, Aircel, Godrej, and TVS. In July 2010, he had signed a Rs 210 crore deal with Rhiti Sports Management and Mindscapes which till date is considered as one of the highest-paid deals.

    Brands from across verticals joined the bandwagon and poured good wishes for the cricketer, and launched creatives on social media. Amul rolled out a heartwarming video, a montage of his achievement in his 16 years long international career.

    Brands like Parle-G, Zomato, KFC, Google, Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, IndiGo and many other brands paid tribute to the legendary cricketer.

  • redBus campaign encourages people to carry on with #journeyfordreams

    redBus campaign encourages people to carry on with #journeyfordreams

    NEW DELHI: redBus announces the launch of a digital-led campaign #journeyfordreams that inspires people to persevere in their endeavours by undertaking their journeys with fortitude while redBus ensures the safety of their travel. The campaign is aimed at restoring optimism for bus travel as the nation traverses its path to normalcy.

    The nationwide lockdown has not only brought lives but also dreams and aspirations for the future to a grinding halt. As a brand that’s all about enabling journeys and connections, redBus seeks to reassure bus travellers that they can still move forward towards fulfilling their dreams during these tough times, as redBus strives to ensure their safety during the journey with its Safety+ programme.

    redBus had launched ‘Safety+’, which is a unique certification for bus operators who follow all the necessary safety and sanitization protocols. All operators and buses with a Safety+ tag next to their listing on the redBus app or desktop platform, have implemented strict measures outlined by redBus, to ensure the safety of the passengers.

    As part of the campaign, the company has launched an ad film that relies on the emotions associated with safety of near and dear ones, especially while undertaking inter-city bus travel during these times, in order to highlight the proposition. The ad-film is set to be promoted extensively on digital and social media, including, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, apart from e-mailers and other push notifications.

    Unlike the earlier campaigns of the brand that largely utilized humour as a means to attract and drive the message, such as the ones with MS Dhoni, this campaign relies on emotions to connect at a deeper level.

    redBus vice president brand, and head of marketing Pallavi Chopra said, “As an enabler of journeys, it has been our constant endeavour to help travellers reach their destinations in the safest and easiest way possible, especially in the present circumstances. The COVID-19 pandemic has not only disrupted the business of establishments, but also the dreams and aspirations of millions of individuals out there, who are longing to travel in pursuit of their goals. We thus envisaged a subject or scenario that resonated with households across the country in order to shape the campaign. The result is a very strong and emotional narrative around one of those important journeys in life, projected through the love and concern between a father and daughter, to drive home the message of #journeyfordreams.”

    McCann Worldgroup EVP south Dileep Ashoka said, “We have been in partnership with redBus for the last few years. Being in the businesses of facilitating life’s journeys, and being the custodian of the online bus ticketing category, we felt the imperative to comfort customers by making travel safe in these uncertain times. The story narrative seeks to demonstrate this in a manner that drives brand affinity.”

    Creative Credits:

    Agency: McCann Worldgroup – Bengaluru

    Creative Director: Sambit Mohanty

    Production House: Another Idea

    Director: Puneet Prakash

    DOP: Pratik Deora

  • redBus resumes intra-state bookings with 80+ private bus operators in Gujarat

    redBus resumes intra-state bookings with 80+ private bus operators in Gujarat

    redBus, India’s leading online bus ticketing platform announces resumption of the services of 80+ private bus operators on its platform in Gujarat, thus opening up around 5000+ intra-state routes connecting cities such as Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot and Bhuj.

    The resumption of intra-state bus travel will effectively end the long and anxious wait for thousands of travellers who were looking to travel during the past few months amidst the lockdown. About 630+ private buses will now ply on these routes with a daily capacity of 14000+ seats, expecting a high demand for travel to big cities as thousands of people hope to return to work at the earliest.  

    In order to help travellers tide over the confusion of opening up of specific bus routes, redBus recently introduced the concept of pre-registration on its platform. This helps users to keep track of the opening up of their desired bus routes by giving some basic information such as phone number and email id along with the route. The users are then subsequently notified when the buses become available on redBuson their desired routes. As of 10thJune, around 5.5 lakh customers across India had already availed the pre-registration feature.

    redBus has also launched, ‘Safety+’, a unique certification for bus operators who meet the highest standards of safety and sanitisation. The redBus ticketing platform indicates operators with this certification with a Safety+ tag next to the bus listing, enabling users to opt for such operators or buses.

    The buses listed under ‘Safety+’ will ensure the following:

    redBus has also listed out a set of passenger guidelines encouraging passengers to travel responsibly for a safe and hassle-free journey. These guidelines seek to ensure safety of bus travel. Some of the measures listed in the passenger guidelines are illustrated below:

  • redBus partners with Hiranandani POWAI RUN 2020 to offer shuttle services to runners of the year’s first marathon

    redBus partners with Hiranandani POWAI RUN 2020 to offer shuttle services to runners of the year’s first marathon

    Mumbai: redBus, the world’s largest online bus ticketing platform, has associated with Hiranandani Powai Run-2020, one of Mumbai’s leading marathons that attract thousands of participants each year from all age groups. The event is scheduled to be held on Sunday, 5th January 2020, at Hiranandani Gardens in Powai, Mumbai.

    Hiranandani Powai Run has been witnessing tremendous participation each year from runners across the country, who take great enthusiasm for the event, as they sprint along the beautiful Powai Lake, making it exciting and memorable. The upcoming 9th edition allows participants to choose either, 4 Km, 10 Km or 21 Km for the run in order to suit various endurance levels and brings with it the convenience of pick-up and drop facility to the venue from redBus.

    redBus has identified 4 prominent pick-up points – Bandra, Andheri, Vashi and Dadar, from where runners can board busses at 3:45 AM, for the run that begins at 05:00 AM. The facility is being offered to participants of the 10 KM and 21 KM run, with drop being offered from the finish line to the start line. The bus fare for the pick-up and drop is Rupees 375. Participants can log on to https://www.redbus.in/powairun to book tickets, the window to which closes at 02 PM on 4th January.

  • MS Dhoni, redBus urge people to take control of their bus journeys

    MS Dhoni, redBus urge people to take control of their bus journeys

    MUMBAI: redBus has launched a large scale, 360-degree integrated marketing campaign, featuring its brand ambassador, MS Dhoni, highlighting the conveniences and advantages of using the redBus platform, as opposed to traditional methods of bus ticketing. It emphatically urges people to avoid being puppets of unorganised ticketing methods and take control over their journeys with redBus.

    As part of the campaign, redBus has launched a 30-second TVC, which is the first in the series of two commercials, with the second video set to go live on 7 December. The films emerge from the core idea of highlighting the plight of travellers who are at the mercy of offline bus ticket booking system. They often have no control over the choice of bus, seat or ticket pricing. The films dramatise this lack of control by portraying the offline consumer as a puppet controlled by greater forces. The messaging deals with two major pain-points faced by offline ticket purchasers – limited range of options and arbitrary prices. redBus comes to the rescue on both occasions with Dhoni carrying the brand’s message of ‘taking control’ of one’s bus journey with the help of the redBus app, with his sporty elegance.

    The campaign will be aired on all leading national and regional TV channels, including digital and social media.

    redBus CEO Prakash Sangam said, “We have strengthened our footprint across the country, especially in West and North India, with MS Dhoni anchoring our campaigns. The online bus ticketing segment is still underpenetrated with tremendous potential to grow and our objective is to attract a large cohort of offline ticket purchasers to experience the convenience of booking on redBus and thereby drive growth.”

    On the occasion of the launch, redBus VP and head of marketing Pallavi Chopra said, “The objective of this campaign is to attract a large segment of offline ticket purchasers who are deprived of choice and best ticket prices, to try redBus and enjoy a hassle-free travelling experience. We have put up a strong narrative to emphasise this message, with Dhoni delivering it emphatically to a PAN-India audience. The films are both, educating and entertaining and sure to command strong attention from our audience.”

    McCann South EVP Dileep Ashoka said, “redBus, India’s No. 1 online bus ticketing app, has already managed to get a large share of the early adopters on board with previous campaigns. The objective of the current communication is to target the laggards in the category- those who are habituated to booking through traditional methods, despite all the pitfalls. The use of the puppet as a visual device, a catchy rap and Dhoni’s mass appeal is aimed at driving home the message to a wider demographic in the most disruptive way possible and shake offline consumers from their current state of inertia.”

    redBus launched its first brand campaign with Dhoni in May this year, where the cricketing legend was cast in an unusual avatar of a hockey player. The films associated with this campaign, emphasised on aspects such as choice of leg room and best discounts offered on the redBus platform and was well received across India. The campaign also helped deliver growth in the west and north markets for redBus.

  • Introducing redBus.in Windows 8 App

    Introducing redBus.in Windows 8 App

    MUMBAI: Booking Bus Ticket online just got a lot easier on your Win 8 device! redBus.in, India’s largest online bus ticketing company, has launched app on the Windows 8 store. This new app brings redBus.in’s signature bus booking experience to both Windows 8 PC and Tablets in a unique titled Modern UI that is immersive and engaging. The app can be downloaded for free today, from Windows Store (http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-gb/app/redbus-in/5b4cfb9e-e7a4-460d-8dd7-622ac65693f8)

    The app comes with a sleek new design and allows you buy ticket across 1200 operators across 10,000+ routes.

    The redBus.in team has kept the design of app refreshingly different from its website and all previously launched mobile apps by introducing a new design paradigm that’s optimized for touch. 

    Said Alok Goel, Chief Operating Officer redBus.in, “Windows 8 platform is gaining rapid traction in India and hence strategically important to us. As largest bus ticketing company, we want to provide best in class experience to every platform that our users choose. This app is a significant addition to our solid app offerings.”

    Speaking on the launch of the app on Windows Store, Amrish Goyal, Director – Windows Business Group, Microsoft Corporation India Pvt. Ltd. said, “We are very happy to add the redBus.in app on the Windows Store. The Windows Store is growing by leaps and bounds, and we are sure consumers will love using the latest rich and engaging Windows apps.”