(26 Jan 2021, 10:02 am)Dan wrote I had nothing to respond to any of the other points that you raised. The section of your response that I quoted inferred further reasoning for your opinion that this branding strategy is flawed (in that there is no 'big pink' bus in Washington, because the one that is big and pink, is only 30% pink). Your reasoning was actually flawed itself.
Whilst I still maintain that the original comment has been taken too literally, some of the points Andreos1 in particular has raised are interesting, and are less subjective. Though I haven't responded to them either, on the basis that I had nothing further to contribute to the debate (and gone are the days where we'd have hours upon hours of differing opinions with no 'proper' debate), it would be interesting to see whether he'd be willing to anonymously ask some of these questions to Martijn as part of Go North East's live Q&A session planned for Global Community Engagement Day:
https://newsroom.gonortheast.co.uk/news/...ary-419678
I may do.
But knowing that points are read and some discussed internally is enough for me.
I don't really have the desire to ask the same question or raise the same points in more than one setting at this stage.
Someone mentioned that my name was mentioned (on one of the live events that you and MG did) in relation to the retro liveries for the Levante's and I'd not submitted a question then either. So maybe this issue will get a mention anyway.
In summary: There is a strategy which is apparently two years old and involves painting some vehicles in a colour scheme which aligns to a specific area. Some vehicles are painted entirely in that colour, some have a nod to it in their rear and some at the front.
Some don't have any links to the area and will maintain the corporate identity.
Some will have separate branded liveries.
Some will have the express livery and in the main, it won't tie in with the colour scheme of the area.
Then there's the 'special' liveries as seen on the likes of the 53/54 or Q3.
There's perfectly usable tables being replaced.
Best practice is being ignored on blind displays.
My thoughts are that the focus should be on improving the network and the routes on offer, improving links to key destinations and seeing natural growth - rather than spending time, effort and whatever else on painting schemes, table replacement projects, seeking out likes on social media and hunting for a load of back-patting from colleagues with other operators.
A scheme to roll-out links to local areas (could) tie in with the zonal system and to be fully effective, needs to be embedded across the whole fleet. Not just a couple of vehicles from each depot.
Ownership and responsibility seems to be taken with regard to all of the titavating which goes on, but I'm yet to see any actual ownership taken with regard to network and route improvements. I just see finger pointing alongside accusing looks and comments directed in the way of LA's.
I would have thought that all of these online engagement events (which I'm a fan of in principle) would have seen similar sorts of feedback. Unless it's the 'wrong type' of audience and those points aren't being raised.