1. Project: How Simple Express Met Young Travelers
Category: CONSUMER RELATIONS
Summary
Lux Express, a Baltic’s leading passengers carrying company, during March and April
2010 based on its existing routes launched a first low-cost bus line in the Baltic States
– Simple Express. The largest challenge was to attract a new target audience – youth
and significantly increase the number of carried passengers. The launch was
designed in three directions: with low investments get wide coverage via media;
engage primary target audience in campaign to turn them into active supporters and
messengers, and to build long term relations with primary audience by gathering them
in one social media platform. The execution was innovative and in line with the brand
conception. The objectives of the campaign were achieved. The increase of the
carried passengers in route Riga-Tallinn in 2010 was 27% comparing to 2009. During
the campaign Simple Express built sustainable relationship with the most active
student organizations from three major universities in Riga. Simple Express has
created active social media community with more than 10 000 fans that are engaged
in low cost bus lines development and proactively shares information with their friends
about traveling in Baltic States.
Situation
At the end of 2007 company decided to close long distance routes to Western Europe
and concentrate on Baltic market. In 2009 company had succeeded with this strategy
that and developed Lux Express concept. For further company development an
increase of the market share was necessary and attracting new target audience was
the only chance. Economic situation and existing stereotypes about travelling with a
bus (that it is uncomfortable, slow, out of date) were serious obstacles for achieving
this goal. Despite it at the beginning of 2010 company decided to launch first low cost
bus line Simple Express in Baltics.
Objectives

2. As the primary target audience youth aged 15 to 28 years who live in Riga or near it
was defined. In strategy development phase the target audience was analyzed: their
traveling habits, issues, preferred media channels and events, values. One of the
tasks during the campaign was to show and strengthen Simple Express brand
emotions: simple, open, youthful, adventurer and boisterous.
The main objectives of the campaign were:
· In 2010 in existing Riga-Tallinn route increase the number of carried
passengers by 10% comparing to 2009.
· To build sustainable relationship with 3 student organizations from major
universities.
· Create a social community that is engaged in low cost bus lines development
and proactively shares information about traveling in Baltics.
Strategy
Simple Express launch strategy can be described by three steps: attention,
engagement and long term relationship building. All three stages smoothly moved
from one to another in some cases overlapping:
1. Use guerrilla methods to get attention for low cost bus line using media
(internet and television for the best reach of primary target audience) as a core
channel.
2. The engagement of the primary target audience by organizing untraditional
event. As the crucial criteria of success evaluation was to ensure that in the event the
most active students would participate who can spread the message further. Informal
agreements should have been made with student organizations on further
collaboration.
3. The last stage of the strategy was to build a long term relationships with
primary audience by gathering them in one social media platform – Facebook – being
suitable for all 3 Baltic countries.
Execution
· On night from 7th to 8th March a Simple Express snow bus was built in the
center of Riga.
· Taking into account public agenda on the 22th March Simple Express
announced that company would donate 0,10 lats from every sold ticket to the state
budget to repay the international loan from EC and IMF.

3. · During April 10 000 “Simple Express Kama Sutra” postcards were distributed in
62 popular youth places (pubs, cinemas, hostels etc.).
· With the contest “Spring Squeezing” the campaign moved to the second stage
– student engagement. The major universities in Riga were invited to make a record –
how many students can squeeze in one Simple Express bus.
· In the beginning of the campaign a Facebook page was made, where fans
were invited to share their traveling experience and were engaged in decision making
process thus building long term relationships with customers.
Documented Results
Output:
· Wide online coverage – 57 publications, 17,5% on top news portals (delfi.lv,
tvnet.lv, apollo.lv).
· 315 participants participated at “Spring Squeezing” contest, including the most
active students. The event was covered by all major television evening news (LNT,
TV3, PBK, PRO100), LNT broadcast “Tautas Balss”, LETA video that was
republished by several internet portals.
· Simple Express Facebook page was launched on 9 February 2010, in May
there were 5494 fans, but at the end of December the number was doubled reaching
more than 10 000 fans from all three Baltic States and Poland.
Outcome:
· In 2010 in route Riga-Tallinn there was a 27% rise of carried passengers
compared to 2009. According to the statistics 70 % from the customers were youth
aged 18 to 29 years.
· Collaboration with students and universities continued successfully, e.g.,
Simple Express organized bus pulling competitions at the University of Latvia sports
games and received other collaboration proposals.
Simple Express Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/simpleexpress
http://www2.la.lv/lat/latvijas_avize/fotogalerij
Photos of Simple Express snow bus
as/?gallery=2030
Snow bus in LNT evening news (starting
http://www.tvnet.lv/online_tv/2624
from 23:06 minute)
Squeezing contest in LNT broadcast
“Tautas Balss” (starting from 3:20 http://www.tvnet.lv/online_tv/3645
minute)

4. Squeezing contest in PBK evening news
http://www.1tv.lv/2010/04/23/
(starting from 13:00 minute)
Squeezing contest in TV3 evening news
http://www.tv3play.lv/play/228639/
(starting from 20:50 minute)
Squeezing contest in news agency
http://tv.delfi.lv/video/IZZgDm8d/
“LETA” video
Squeezing contest in LNT evening news
http://www.tvnet.lv/online_tv/3610
(starting from 22:27 minute)
TV3 story about the Simple Express
http://www.tv3play.lv/play/234666/
donation (starting from 12:40)
Story about the Iceland volcano dust,
moments from Squeezing contest in http://www.ltvzinas.lv/?n=video&id=1538
LTV1 evening broadcast “Panorāma”
http://www.diena.lv/lat/tautas_balss/lasitaju_
Photos of bus pulling contest at the
galerijas/interesanti/latvijas-universitates-
sports games of the University of Latvia
studenti-sacensas-autobusa-vilksana