City of Boston Launches New "Get Your Pass In Gear"

Aug. 21, 2024

Today, the City of Boston announced a new marketing campaign called “Get Your Pass In Gear” to encourage Bostonians to access fun, safe, and convenient transportation through Boston Bikes Pass, which provides free and discounted membership for Boston’s innovative public bike-share program, Boston Bluebikes. The program provides $5 annual membership for income eligible Boston residents, and $60 annual membership for Boston residents who are new to the Bluebikes system.

Mayor Michelle Wu said:

“Boston residents deserve access to sustainable, affordable transit, and we want to make sure Boston residents know about the Boston Bikes Pass that can help them get around the city by removing financial barriers. I encourage our residents to take advantage of these new rates to commute, connect, and explore Boston, and I’m thankful to our city team and partners such as Blue Cross Blue Shield who have made the Boston Bikes Pass possible.”

 

To ensure the Boston Bikes Pass achieves broad awareness and adoption with Boston residents, the Streets Cabinet tapped the design and advertising expertise of the City of Boston’s Creative Team, including Chief Creative Officer Ellen Foord and Senior Visual Design Lead Dan Hlivka.

Foord said:

“Every program, product, and service we offer to Boston residents deserves the same caliber of creative strategy as any consumer campaign in the market. From design to messaging to photography to media, our responsibility is to develop a campaign that has the ability to break through the clutter in an attention economy. Anything less, and we’re letting down folks whose daily lives would be better and easier with the Boston Bikes Pass.”

 

The City of Boston selected Gupta Media, the Boston-based integrated creative and media agency, as its creative partner developing and implementing the “Get Your Pass In Gear” campaign. In flight across the city during the summer months, the campaign will emphasize digital and social engagement and aim to increase usage among eligible riders, as well as reaching potential Bluebikes members where they work, live, and play: outdoors. The campaign includes placements on billboards in prominent high-volume commuter locations, as well as digital placements in and around public transportation.

Gogi Gupta, founder of Gupta Media said:

"As longtime supporters of the Boston Bluebikes program, we’re proud to partner with Mayor Wu and the Department of Transportation on a program that makes Boston a stronger, healthier, and more sustainable place to live and work."

 

Boston residents who have not had an annual Bluebikes membership in the last three years are eligible for the $60/year membership, compared to the regular rate of $129 per year. Boston residents who qualify for MassHealth, SNAP, or meet income guidelines can get an even more reduced rate at $5 per year, compared to regular income-eligible rate of $50 per year. Any Boston resident 16-years or older who meets income guidelines is eligible for the $5 annual pass, whether or not they have had a Bluebikes annual membership in the past.  

Gupta Media Executive Creative Director Jen Perry said:

“With this new, fun, and memorable tagline, we hope to draw more attention to this amazing transportation benefit and encourage more Boston residents to incorporate Bluebikes into their commute. The Boston Bikes Pass is an incredible benefit for Boston residents. We decided to grab the attention of our fellow Bostonians with fun, irreverent language that challenges them to get their Bikes Pass ‘in gear’ and start taking advantage of all the city has to offer.”

 

Jascha Franklin-Hodge, Chief of Streets said:

"Bluebikes is an important part of our public transit system that provides reliable, affordable biking options for riders of all levels. We are especially grateful for the generous support of BlueCross/Blue Shield of Massachusetts whose title sponsorship has paved the way for Bluebikes' tremendous success."