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A year in a Routemaster for LD Lines

Sussex-based marcomms agency Sans Frontiere Marketing has adopted a quirky approach to promoting its French travel client by using a 1962 London Routemaster Bus to go on an epic journey around England and France for a full 12 months. It has turned into one of the biggest face to face promotions in for the travel industry in the UK.
Sans Frontiere created the ‘LD Lines Bus’ to assist with a year-long promotional campaign for the leading cross-Channel ferry company.
Over two million people in total climbed on board LD Lines Bus at one of the 150 locations in England and France on its 2010 marketing tour to promote the company, its crossings and its special offers. 
LD Lines marketing manager, Jonathan Claquin stated “The bus has been an integral part of our brand-awareness campaign throughout 2010 and made sure that people all around the country were able to learn who LD Lines are and also to reposition the brand in peoples minds as another option for crossing the English Channel”.
The bus is an original 1962 London Routemaster and has a colourful history. In previous guises it was used by companies such as Alton Towers, Chicago Rock Cafe and, most notably by, BBC Radio One's Chris Moyles, who had the bus converted into his mobile studio when he broadcast live from his hometown of Leeds. 
The key factor to the success of this bus campaign was to use the Routemaster to build brand awareness rather than as a dedicated sales tool. Entertainment on tour has included singing, dancing and face painting. However, bookings were taken when the public requested the ability to be able to book on the bus, which was an added bonus for LD Lines.
John Mason, head of events and experiential manager at Sans Frontiere Marketing Communications, said: "LD Lines have been overwhelmed by the excitement that this bus has generated for their company. Frontiere is now opening up the bus for new clients to use for their promotional activity and marketing."

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