Luas trams to carry exterior ads
Luas trams are to carry exterior advertising for the first time in a pilot project, it emerged today.
The Railway Procurement Agency has signed a two-month deal with Vodafone to have the firm’s commercial logo and livery emblazoned on two vehicles in the fleet.
It is believed that Vodafone executives want increased exposure on Dublin’s streets and suburbs during the peak shopping period around Christmas and the New Year.
According to the Central Statistics Office, households on the Luas lines have a potential weekly consumer spend of €4.3bn.
The two Luas trams with the exterior advertising will run on the Red and Green Lines respectively.
The RPA would not disclose how much the two-month marketing deal is worth.
“That is commercially sensitive information,” said RPA spokesman Tom Manning. “The arrangement will be reviewed at the end of the two month period,” he added.
The pilot advertising project is managed by French-based outdoor advertising specialists JCDecaux, who already advertise on columns at Luas stops.
Up to 100,000 journeys are taken every day on the trams but this increases significantly in November and December.
Other transport vehicles in the capital currently carry exterior advertising such as buses, taxis, rickshaws and eco-cabs.
Mr Manning added: “It is certainly a new departure for Luas but display of commercial livery on the exterior of the trams is in line with similar tram systems in other countries.”
