Metro rolled out a new campaign Thursday to explain its massive $5 billion construction budget to the everyday rider.
“Metro Forward” rolled out a website, a Twitter account and Facebook page but also will feature new signs at work sites that explain not just that an escalator is out of service but also why. (See attached photos for draft versions of said signs.)
Each day, Metro spokesman Dan Stessel said, the agency plans to post a blog-like entry explaining a new aspect of the work.
The campaign is trying to explain the agency’s rebuilding effort that will cause shutdowns most weekends at stations and has at times left one in five escalators out of service. Metro’s new communications team style has been tapping into social media more, using its Twitter accounts to interact with riders instead of just sending out alerts.
Stessel said the Metro Forward effort was covered by the agency’s marketing budget and Twitter and Facebook are free. But he did say the agency hired a consultant to come up with the branding. Cost? He is tracking down the price tag on the new campaign for us. So stay tuned for updates.
