Riding the wave: How brands are innovating brand engagement with free ride days

In today’s competitive marketing landscape, brands must find creative ways to connect authentically with consumers while standing out in a crowded space. Recently, the adoption of free ride day packages on Hong Kong’s iconic trams and bustling KMB bus routes represents a smart, community-focused tactic that merges brand visibility with experiential marketing, backed by the expertise of CODY out of home, an OOH specialist established since 1997.

A thoughtful investment in brand presence

Public transit advertising is not just about plastering logos on moving vehicles; it’s about integrating your brand into the fabric of daily life. Trams and buses offer prolonged, mobile exposure to a diverse audience, from busy commuters to curious tourists. By sponsoring free ride days, brands tap into this dynamic platform with a package that does more than advertise—it invites participation.

CODY out of home, the exclusive advertising concession agent for Hong Kong Tramways and KMB buses, brings a multifaceted approach to transit advertising, offering clients more than 140 tramcars across three distinct showpiece formats, alongside extensive bus advertising solutions. By sponsoring free ride days through CODY, these brands tap into a dynamic platform that invites participation and enhances consumer goodwill.

“By extending brand impressions beyond traditional static ads to real-life experiences, brands deepen consumer associations with goodwill and reliability. This also sparks organic word-of-mouth and social sharing, as riders appreciate and talk about their free travel experience, creating meaningful engagement that transcends conventional advertising.”said Hilda Cheung, marketing director of CODY OOH.

Strategic angles driving commitment

The free ride day is a strategic tool that delivers multiple benefits through well-planned angles. By offering free rides, brands position themselves as thoughtful contributors to the urban experience, cultivating positive emotional connections with the public.

The sustained brand visibility garnered through transit advertising on trams and buses guarantees repeated views and interaction as the vehicles navigate busy city routes, maximising recall.

Additionally, choosing to promote public transit aligns the brand with CSR values, resonating with conscientious consumers and reinforcing their modern corporate responsibility. When paired with complementary advertising across store campaigns and digital touchpoints, this initiative becomes a cohesive, multichannel campaign that reaches audiences wherever they look.

Encouraging riders to share their free ride day experiences via social media—through hashtags or photo contests—further amplifies the campaign’s reach organically, adding a contemporary, interactive dimension.

More than a free ride

For brands, the free ride day on trams and buses is a multi-layered marketing play combining visibility, social responsibility, and audience engagement. It’s a holistic approach that turns ordinary transit into an extraordinary brand experience, delivering value to both riders and the brands themselves. By embracing this tactic, they lead by example and ride the future of interactive, meaningful marketing campaigns.

With CODY out of home’s exclusive transit media rights and innovative outdoor advertising solutions, the free ride day transforms everyday transit into an extraordinary brand encounter. This strategy not only delivers impactful brand presence but also creates a meaningful experience for riders, turning awareness into conversation and loyalty.

This article is sponsored by CODY OOH.