MBTA launches PSA campaign using full-motion GIFs

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) launched a new public service announcement campaign, which use GIFs to display key messaging to riders in a friendly and easy to understand way.

Using GIPHY, the world’s first and largest GIF search engine, Outfront Media, the developer of the campaign, will be integrating full-motion GIFs on its ON Smart Media Liveboard technology in Boston’s commuter rail system. These PSAs aim to promote rider etiquette and safety awareness in a new, engaging way.

This deployment follows news that Outfront Media was awarded advertising rights by the MBTA in January 2017. This gives the media company rights to publish advertising within properties spanning subways and bus sides to display dynamic wayfinding and other information to passengers, in addition to news and other engaging content.

Launching in Copley Station and subsequently rolling out on all Liveboard displays installed throughout MBTA, the campaign is set to run throughout the rest of 2017 and 2018.

Leveraging GIPHY’s massive database of GIFs, Outfront deploys the PSAs programmatically through an on-screen Android application via the GIPHY API.
For the MBTA this is one way to earn rider’s attention as they promote these important messages.