MBTA's new PSA campaign, which features GIF imagery, aims to promote rider etiquette and safety awareness in a new, engaging way. Photo: Outfront Media Inc.
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MBTA's new PSA campaign, which features GIF imagery, aims to promote rider etiquette and safety awareness in a new, engaging way. Photo: Outfront Media Inc.
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.
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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.
The region’s fixed-route system finished out the year with a total of 373.5 million rides. Adding 12.3 million rides over 2024 represents an increase that is equal to the annual transit ridership of Kansas City.
The service is a flexible, reservation-based transit service designed to close the first- and last-mile gaps and connect riders to employment for just $5 per day.
The upgraded system, which went live earlier this month, supports METRO’s METRONow vision to enhance the customer experience, improve service reliability, and strengthen long-term regional mobility.
The agreement provides competitive wages and reflects strong labor-management collaboration, positive working relationships, and a shared commitment to building a world-class transit system for the community, said RTA CEO Lona Edwards Hankins.
The priorities are outlined in the 2026 Board and CEO Initiatives and Action Plan, which serves as a roadmap to guide the agency’s work throughout the year and ensure continued progress and accountability on voter-approved transportation investments and essential mobility services.
