June 2013

MRT Brand Plan 2013 -17 (1st Draft)

Marketing A World-Class
Infrastructure
Parag Sapre, Strategist & Planner • Rubindar Singh, Brand Director • Anuradha Kaliappan, Copywriter

I
I MRT
MRT

Strictly confidential & for limited distribution only. Do not distribute without prior consent.

Copyright © 2013 BULB Communique Sdn. Bhd. All rights reserved.

 “A developed country is not a place where the poor have cars. It’s where the rich use public transportations.”
Gustavo Petro, Mayor of Bogota Colombia

A world-class transport infrastructure is something that goes beyond the concrete structure and the obvious
benefit it confers. It is a symbol and source of pride. It is a hallmark of a city having arrived. It stands as a
symbol of the city’s aspirations.

The Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit is the crowning glory of a city on the cusp of greatness. For this reason
alone, its entire communication needs to be about delivering on an aspiration. Kuala Lumpur is poised to take
its place among the great cities of the world. And MRT is a great part of that aspiration.

As a public utility megaproject that will transform the Greater KL metropolis’ transit landscape as well as the
lifestyle of its people forever, the KVMRT has the potential to ensure that Malaysians feel they have equity in
it. This will serve as a source of pride and invoke ownership in the minds of people who will then want to see
its success, because the KVMRT success will be Malaysia’s success.

2 | Marketing A World-Class Infrastructure

 MRT Brand Plan 2013 -17 (1st Draft)

Marketing A World-Class
Infrastructure
Parag Sapre, Strategist & Planner • Rubindar Singh, Brand Director • Anuradha Kaliappan, Copywriter

1. INTRODUCTION 4
World-Class Infrastructure In The Making

2. OVERVIEW 5
A Bird’s Eye Perspective

3. ‘WORK-IN-PROGRESS’ PHASE 8
Ground Perspectives & Issues

4. RECOMMENDATIONS 11
Planning For Future Commuters

5. ENGAGING A WIRELESS POPULATION 18

Why Going Digital Is Imperative

REFERENCES 21

Disclaimer

This publication contains general information, and any person who uses any information contained herein do so at his own risk. None of the au-
thors of this paper, BULB COMMUNIQUE SDN BHD and its member firms, affiliates or employees are, by means of this publication, rendering
accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice or services. This publication is not a substitute for such profes-
sional advice or services, nor should it be used as a basis for any decision or action that may affect your finances or your business. Before making
any decision or taking any action that may affect your finances or your business, you should consult a qualified professional adviser. None of the
authors of this paper, BULB COMMUNIQUE SDN BHD and its member firms, its and their affiliates or employees shall be responsible for any loss
whatsoever sustained by any person who relies on this publication.

Product or company names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.

3
 1 Introduction
World-Class Infrastructure In The Making
T he Klang Valley Mass Rapid
Transit (MRT) project is one
of the largest, most ambitious and
prestigious projects in the history
of Malaysia’s infrastructure devel-
opment. Proposed in the Economic
Transformation Program (ETP),
this landmark project is consid-
ered a key milestone in the coun-
try’s march towards ‘developed
nation’ status by the year 2020.
Apart from the economic bene-
fits offered such as job creation,
significant improvements are
expected in transit connectivity.
The integration of Klang Valley’s
major transport modes, as well as
reduced travel time and costs for
Klang valley commuters. It is also
expected to reduce traffic con-
gestions and automobile-caused
pollution. In short, MRT is meant
to become a sustainable alternative
to private vehicles, and the future
Klang Valley commuter’s preferred
mode of transport.
These positive projections how-
ever, depend on comprehensive,
thoughtful planning and effective
implementation of the project
blueprint, while keeping costs
within budget. In a mega infra-
structure project like the MRT
project, the slightest miscalcula-
tion can result in planning recon-
siderations (e.g. public sentiments
leading to line realignments), im-
plementation hiccups and delays
(e.g. land acquisition issues) and
costs spiraling out of control (e.g.
a combination of realignment and
land acquisition).
A rather telling example of how
4 | Marketing A World-Class Infrastructure
land acquisition issues could
negatively affect project cost was
the case of the Guthrie Corridor
the awareness and acceptance of
public transport system as part of
urban lifestyle.
Expressway in the early 2000s. A
project that had an initial price tag This white paper aims to offer
of RM700 million hit a snag when insights in achieving this paradigm
the proposed highway alignment shift among Klang Valley commut-
passed through smallholdings held ers while keeping MRT’s project
by private landowners. The land timelines, resources and existing
acquisition efforts necessary sent MarComm efforts in view - with
the cost spiraling to RM1.3 billion ultimate aim of achieving project-
by project completion and cost ed ridership for MRT when it goes
Guthrie Berhad dearly. into operation.
Challenges affecting public infra- We hope to do this by gradual-
structure planning and building ly gaining public buy-in until it
have been extensively examined reaches a point where the MRT
and chronicled by transport / tran- becomes a preferred choice in
sit experts in numerous reports public transport, or at least, as a
throughout public transportation ‘top-of-mind-recall’ choice when
history. Many studies have been consumers need an alternative to
carried out and reports written private transport.
on such topics as effective city
planning, technologies, project
processes and management,
economies as well as best practices
and methods directed at keeping
the projects on track and within
budget.
However there exists a gap here.
Few parties, if any, have come
from the marketing and commu-
nications (MarComm) perspective
in successfully putting in place a
world-class transport infrastruc-
ture. Even scarcer are reports on
how MarComm efforts can be
planned even before the public
transportation projects are opera-
tional.
It is an approach that requires a
collective paradigm shift among
commuters and this is a critical
missing move in efforts to increase
 2 Overview A Bird’s Eye Perspective

I n approaching this subject, it is imperative that we have a holistic view of how transit projects progress
over a period of time even before they become part of the commuter’s daily life.

After extensively studying global transit case studies and tracking the progress of MRT in Klang Valley, the
authors of this report have put together the following phase-wise development cycle.

This is meant to offer a broad perspective of the project cycle, needs and gaps as well as proposed marketing
and communication solutions.

Image 1: Breakdown according to project phase

PHASES
Image 1 highlights four key phases
of transit development projects
and key considerations for Mar-
Comm planning.
1. Buy-in
This is an awareness phase of the
project where projects ideas are
proposed, blueprints are created,
stakeholder consensus, approvals
and mandates are sought, public
awareness is ensured and project
contracts are awarded.
(SPAD) as its supervising agency.
However, from the MarComm
communication perspective, the
activity started from the public
announcements and on-ground
engagements and ended officially
with the closing of ‘I need MRT
because…’ (INMRT) campaign.
For the purpose of this document,
the phase details are captured in
brief to help develop understand-
ing of the preceding MarComm
developments and build learning
for the upcoming phases.
progress, and thereby keeping the
public engagement active. These
efforts will go far in building
support among those who eager-
ly await the completion of this
project and instilling loyalty that
translates into sustained ridership
upon the project’s completion.
At the time of writing of this
document, the WIP phase is in
progress and is estimated to last at
least until July 2017, when the first
line of MRT is opened to public.
This document’s scope is primarily
focused on the WIP phase.

For the MRT, the phase began with

the mention of the project as a Na-
tional Key Result Area (NKRA) in
the ETP and ended with setting up
of MRT Corporation (MRT Corp)
as the developer and asset owner
of the MRT project, and Surahan-
jaya Pengangkutan Awam Darat
2. Work-in-progress (WIP)
In this phase most of the work on
ground progresses according to
schedule, and MarComm activities
are geared towards updating the
affected public about the project
3. Pre-launch
Overlapping the tail end of the
WIP phase, is the pre-launch
phase. This phase is expected to
have excitement of the launch;
with MarComm efforts geared up

5
 towards launch communications;
‘MRT is here’ and ‘MRT is for me’
messages along with a few user ed-
ucation messages (e.g. line aware-
ness, journey planning tips). The
phase is expected to last one year
prior to MRT line 1 launch.
4. Post-launch
This phase begins after the launch
of MRT line 1 when most of the
construction activities are com-
plete or in the last stages of com-
pletion.
MarComm efforts in this phase are
expected to be driven by need to
grow and maintain initial rider-
ship, develop loyalty, introduce
new programmes (e.g. launch
of integrated ticketing system
or lines), implement best usage
policies for commuters, and instill
a sense of pride among the Klang
Valley population and the nation
as a whole.
KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR
MARCOMM PLANNING
The diagram also helps bring
forward some of the key consider-
ations that can significantly affect
the MarComm approach to the
project.
1. MRT In Its Final Form Is
Not Visible
The MRT project will not be ready
until June 2017. Until then, there
is no finished product.
This has some bearing on commu-
nications because the public (the
recipient of the project benefit)
does not see finished structure, it
has no immediate utility for them
and in addition, the work associ-
ated with it brings them disrup-
tion and discomfort. In effect this
means:
6 | Marketing A World-Class Infrastructure
a. There exist gaps between the
reality of MRT today and what
the commuters imagine.
Commuters will find it hard to
comprehend the real impact of the
MRT through pictures and maps.
The gap is bound to exist until
commuters start seeing the real
concrete structure in front of them.
b. There are doubts about the
project’s progress, benefits and
transparency.
People carry certain impressions
about the project based upon their
understanding of the project, usu-
ally derived from various sources
- official and unofficial. Some in-
sights may have been derived from
their personal understanding of
politics, socio-economic structure
and many other factors.
However the perceived negative
impact is amplified in people’s
minds if the information made
available to them about the ‘pro-
ject in totality’ or ‘project progress’
is insufficient or minimal.
Conversely, the immediate nega-
tive impact might overshadow the
future benefits, in their minds.
c. There is a tendency for project
owners to depend on original pro-
ject blueprints/maps/diagrams.
These documents are not meant
for public communications, as they
are not easily digested by the man
in the street, and this might lead
to further misunderstanding about
the project and its benefits.
2. Project Owner’s Role
Changes Throughout Project
Phases
It changes from ‘Proposer’ to ‘Pro-
ject Manager’ to ‘Service Operator’
as the project progresses towards
completion.
There will be differences in ap-
proach at these different stages.
This will dictate:
a. How MRT Corp reads the com-
muter needs
b. Its openness to initiatives (pro-
activeness)
c. Its commitment to communi-
cation
This can have impact on the
communication as the role of the
organisation-in-charge at different
points in the project.
3. Commuter’s Perception Of
The Project Changes As The
Project Progresses
Perception will change as the
development progresses (e.g. from
acceptance issues, inconvenience
issues, ‘I want to be part of it’, ‘I
love’ or ‘hate it’).
4. Communication Channels
How and where the public reacts
to the issues arising from the pro-
ject implementation can determine
the medium by which they need to
be engaged.
NOTABLE COMMUNICATION
EFFORTS, SO FAR
Since inception, MRT Corp has
carried out some public relations
and communication efforts to raise
brand as well as project awareness
among the people.
Official Events and Visits
Launch of project, Prime Minis-
ter’s visit and other official cere-
monies.
Community Engagement
Discussions with communities
affected due to land acquisition,
construction and other issues.
Location Awareness
Info centres, kiosks and centres
aimed at raising awareness about
the rail line and related informa-
tion.
Public Participation
The Logo contest and the INMRT
contest were both aimed at invit-
ing crowd participation and in the
process, elevated awareness about
the MRT brand.
Internal Communications
Internal newsletters, email up-
dates and announcements, and
posters were created both to in-
form and align the MRT staff with
the project.
External Communications
The MRT construction hoardings
became a medium through which
MRT delivered relevant messages
to pedestrians, motorists and other
city dwellers within sight. Commu-
nication also included recruitment
advertisements and road closure/
diversion notices.
Brand Management
A basic corporate identity manual
was created to solidify the MRT
brand for uniform and sustained
brand communications.
It should be noted that this list
is by no means exhaustive, and
serves only to illustrate the se-
quence and type of communica-
tions activities carried out until
today.
LESSONS FROM THIS PHASE
As can be seen from the sequence
above, most of the communication
efforts were aimed at managing
prevailing sentiments, sharing
information and announcements
of one kind or another.
Efforts to raise public awareness
and engage local communities
were very laudable and may
have even won over some critics.
However, there remains a need
to continuously keep the positive
conversation going.
The digital campaign ‘INMRT’,
despite a notable increase in public
participation, also suffered the fate
of being standalone effort. Dur-
ing post-campaign analysis it was
observed that there was a failure to
leverage on the participant data-
base to continuously engage an
already supportive public.
For the benefit of this document,
some of the observations on the
efficacy of these efforts are detailed
below. These observations, along
with greater understanding of the
project so far, provide the basis for
our upcoming recommendations.
1. Building Community
Community building starts at in-
ception for a large scale, high-im-
pact project like the MRT. It is
surely obvious that the MRT is
a public transport utility and is
meant for the masses.
However, for ensured ridership
and faster return on investment,
the MRT Corp needs to engage
the public (future commuters) in
a sustained manner even before
the project is completed and the
service operational.
This subject is expanded and dis-
cussed at length in the Recommen-
dations section (page 12)
2. Old Data Is No Data
A failure to use the data gathered
in a timely manner means the data
itself loses relevance. Continuous
engagement is vital in keeping data
fresh and relevant to communica-
tion purposes of MRT. It should
be observed that data-gathering is
an expensive and time-consuming
exercise. Failure to leverage there-
fore, comes with its own price.
3. Trust
One-way official communica-
tion often generates little uptake
among the disinterested public,
while interactive communications
tend to lead to greater attentive-
ness and positive response (e.g.
traffic announcements in newspa-
pers vs real time traffic alerts on
community-based traffic applica-
tions such as Waze)
4. Let People Drive The Con-
versation
In a presentation on CMO.com (a
portal for chief marketing officers),
Paige Arnof-Fenn of Mavens &
Moguls said,
“I think experiences and expe-
riential marketing will over-
take and transcend tradition-
al products and services in
2020.”
In the same presentation, another
writer also observed that “We’re
already moving from ‘selling
things’ to ‘serving customers’
needs.”
The writers of this report concur
with these observations. Today’s
consumer is more sophisticated,
intelligent, savvy and connected.
They need meaningful engagement
that delivers on their needs. Expe-
riential marketing goes further in
driving brand presence than bold
and brash gambits. A brand that
listens and welcomes consumer
input betrays a collaborative mind-
set that defines the 21st century
communications.
The INMRT Contest was a good
example of inviting people to share
their opinions and aspirations
about the MRT brand, in terms
that are friendly and collaborative.
When people are more involved
with a brand, they tend to remem-
ber it longer. MRT in this instance
was a conspicuous listener, and
this fact contributed to the success
of the contest.
7
 3 Work-in-Progress Phase (WIP)
Ground Perspectives & Issues

T he WIP phase is expected to last at least 4 years (2013-mid 2016) for Line 1. This is where the construc-
tion work takes place, along with its attendant problems and inconveniences. This is also the period
where the public feels the impact of the project at ground level for the first time.

At this point, the project management company as well as its key partners need to be mindful and address
issues that arise in a proactive way.

Image 2: A graphical forecast of changing communication scope throughout WIP phase

8 | Marketing A World-Class Infrastructure

OVERVIEW
Inconvenience caused to traffic,
displacement and issues that
plague local communities can
quickly escalate into national con-
versation, often in a negative way.
In a changing communication
climate, a mega-project such as the
MRT could draw flak for reasons
beyond its control.
Carefully planned and sustained
engagement over time can also
pave the way for positive accept-
ance among present audience as
well as future ones, as the con-
struction on Line 2 of the MRT
begins later in 2013.
Communications throughout this
phase will gradually change from
sentiment management to ad-
dressing the car-centric culture.
Also, currently the project-wide
communications are prominent.
However, as the structures and
stations start to take shape, sta-
tion-specific communications will
increase as efforts to engage local
communities intensify.
1. PERCEPTION AND
SENTIMENT MANAGEMENT
Public perception of similar pro-
jects in the past has not been quite
favourable. For instance, both the
Light Rail Transit (LRT) lines in
operation in Klang Valley were
eventually acquired and are today
sustained by the government,
lending support to the assumption
that rail projects are doomed to
fail. Whether the public was right
in assuming so is irrelevant, but
what matters is that their negative
perception will be detrimental to
the project’s success.
Lack of accurate, timely infor-
mation may lead to a lot of spec-
ulation and that too, negative
speculation. Such thinking is not
beneficial either to the project
stakeholders, and addressing them
after the fact can also be counter-
productive. For instance, inform-
ing public with hard facts after
they have already formed a nega-
tive impression of the MRT might
only aggravate matters because of
the inherent bias.
2. CAR-CENTRIC CULTURE
Winning over and sustaining rid-
ership must be a prime objective
of every transit operator. MRT is
no exception. The measure of its
success lies in public’s acceptance
of MRT as a preferred choice in
public transport, or as a top alter-
native to private transport. The
key hurdle in achieving this is the
entrenched car-culture among the
Klang Valley residents.
Before we address this issue it is
imperative that the realities of the
current situation is examined.
For a real effect on the transport
landscape, as well as ensure future
ridership of the MRT, the personal
transport segment must be tackled
from now. These are people who
have already made high-involve-
ment purchases that once made,
are not easily disposed of. Even the
advent of MRT as a transit option
might not make them part with
their personal vehicles since let’s
face it, MRT in its very inception
and intention is not meant to
replace personal transport, but to
complement it. Why?
Personal transport has benefits
for the individual that a public
facility can never provide. It offers
control, freedom, comfort, con-
venience and most importantly,
point-to-point transport on a level
that a public utility like MRT can
never hope to match.
Professor Steven Dutch of the Uni-
versity of Wisconsin interestingly
observed in his article Why People
Don’t Use Mass Transit that there
are certain groups of people for
whom the MRT is not a conveni-
ence since it is often not a point to
point transport:
• Those with goods/cargo to
carry
• Families traveling together
• The disabled
Another noteworthy consideration
is that there are other parties vying
for the attention of this segment.
The automobile manufacturers,
with billions of ringgit at their dis-
posal, have been and will continue
to put their best marketing efforts
forward to gain new customers
and to entrench loyalty towards
personal vehicles.
Telling Numbers *(1USD=3.15MYR)
~MYR 66 billion
Advertising dollars spent globally
by major auto companies in 2009
~MYR 10 billion
Advertising dollars spent globally
by General Motors in 2009
~MYR 1 billion
Advertising dollars spent by auto
industry in 2011 in Malaysia
+120 kms
Length of proposed highways in
Klang Valley
640,000 units
Expected number of total car sales
in Malaysia by year 2013
Image 3: The car-centric culture in per-
spective
The leading car brands in the re-
gion spend a total of MYR 1 billion
annually to compete for market
share, and they show no signs of
slowing down. The statistics below
illustrates how entrench they are
9
 Image 4: Past & projected future car population in Malaysia (source: www.motortrader.com.my)
in the game of creating and sus-
taining consumer loyalty.
However, in the Klang Valley
context, driving may not always be
the best option due to the almost
exponential increase in population
(and in turn, private car popula-
tion) in the past 20 years. Traffic
congestion has become a fact of
daily life for many, but while it has
not approached the nightmarish
levels experienced in Bangkok for
instance, it might be getting there
in the years to come.
3. INTEGRATION
Pulling Crowd
MRT is the latest addition (a
major one) in a bigger plan for
public transport integration in the
country alongside the LRT, ERL,
Monorail and the bus service, but
this may not mean anything to the
commuter until he can see, under-
stand and use the information to
make his transit decisions.
Building infrastructure is nec-
essary, but equally important is
10 | Marketing A World-Class Infrastructure
communicating the availability of imperative if MRT is to be seen as
such infrastructure to the commut- a key driver in Greater Kuala Lum-
ers. Why would a person who is pur’s integrated public transport
used to getting from point to point landscape. It is important to take
in his car move to public transport the leadership stance from now.
when the information necessary
for the desired switch is not even
communicated to him?
MRT’s ridership will not happen
by default. So, putting in efforts at
drawing commuters is not out-
reach. It is plain necessary. This
is where communications play a
great part. For instance, leverag-
ing on the Klang Valley crowd’s
penchant for shopping might not
be a bad idea. Malls are valuable
catchment areas, and putting info
kiosks and directional signage in
them help commuters to make the
MRT part of their shopping trip.
In the same way, branding and
signage presence in other transit
operators’ areas also help push
MRT as part of a transport solu-
tion in the urban citizen’s minds.
Linkups and partnerships with
the other partners in the public
transport landscape especially
in the communications aspect, is
 4 Recommendations
Planning For Future Commuters

T he Fast Company’s Francine Hardaway observed after the LeWeb Conference 2013 that today’s collabora-
tive mindset is going to change the way marketers do their business like never before. Today’s generation
wants greater transparency from the purveyors of services, and a sense of meaning in their consumption
choices. They want to participate and collaborate in ways that see a reversal of 50-year trends.

Essentially, transparency, relevance and brand presence are poised to play a bigger role in defining
positive brand mindshare in the coming years.

1. PLAN WITH 2020 IN MIND
“If I had asked people what they
wanted, they would have said
faster horses.” - Henry Ford
Ford didn’t ask. Instead he used a
combination of imagination, en-
gineering and business acumen to
manufacture the first automobile
that middle class Americans could
afford to buy. The rest they say is
history.
Foresight and imagination are of-
ten the building blocks of a vision.
As a premier purveyor of mass
transit solution, MRT Corp has
the potential to be a key driver in
turning that dream into reality.
All this will happen in Greater
Kuala Lumpur, the pulse of the
nation and most probably the first
indication that Malaysia has real-
ised its Vision 2020.
It can’t do it alone though. It has
to have the participation of the
people.
Engagement is the name of the
game. Sustained public relations ef-
forts are critical. Not one-way press
releases. Not just announcements,
updates and reactive statements.
Not addressing an issue after it has
cropped up. It requires genuine,
interactive engagement as well as
anticipatory and proactive meas-
ures.
MRT Corp has done a slew of PR
efforts since inception, but to gen-
erate buy-in throughout this WIP,
they have to intensify, and step up
the engagement efforts.
Create and sustain the idea that
MRT Corp is a developer and oper-
ator with a difference. One that has
a philosophy steeped in a vision, a
vision for a greater Kuala Lumpur.
This idea has a transformational
quality. Cultivate it.
2. DEVELOP COMMUNITIES
Why Community?
Community building is essential
for MRT Corp to build ridership
and loyalty. The face of advertising
and marketing has evolved over
the years from linear to liquid. To-
day’s brand is no longer just about
pride in being an authority brand.
From authority to community
A key observation was made by
panelists at the Harvard Business
School’s Global Business Summit
2008 on Global Branding and
Advertising:
“A shift is taking place from
‘authority’ brands to ‘commu-
nity’ brands. Previously, the
goal of every brand was to build
authority.
But today people don’t trust
authority in government,
religion, or brands; they trust
other people - other members of
a community. Thus, there has
been a shift from authority to
community.”
American Express, for years a
quintessential authority brand,
provides an example. Amex real-
ised that its authority positioning
had become outdated. In response,
the company created the ‘Members
Project.’

11
 Using digital media, this initiative
enabled card members to create,
rate, and collaborate on charitable
projects. The winning idea got
up to $5 million of funding from
American Express. Amex had to
relinquish some authority and
allow voting and online posting
of ideas by the community. While
the reach of the programme could
have been improved, this effort
had significantly changed the
brand image. How?
Enrich the human experience.
People interact with other people
in a variety of ways and on many
levels. Jeffrey Rayport in his
article Harvard Business Review
(March 2013) defines four spheres
of human experience and goes on
to say that each sphere depends on
providing relevance and value.
• Public space: where we move
from one place to another
in the physical and virtual
worlds.
• Social sphere: where we
interact with and relate to one
another
• Tribal Sphere: where we
affiliate with groups in order to
express our identity
• Psychological Sphere: where
we connect language with spe-
cific thoughts and feelings.
When creating ads or any mar-
keting communications, think of
the desired ends as well as how
humans behave, react and interact
with each other.
Singapore MRT’s ground engage-
ment is excellent today primarily
because it took early cognisance
of a changing society that is vocal
about what it wants. SMRT does
not see itself as just a rail service
operator, but as part of an inte-
grated transport solution. Hence,
its website even includes news
about new buses that plies certain
neighbourhood routes.
12 | Marketing A World-Class Infrastructure
Transport For London (TfL) goes
even further in integrating all its
messages. In fact it uses Twitter
hashtagging to great efficacy and
success.
All its news, anecdotal informa-
tion and announcements are
announced on dedicated Twitter
channels (e.g. @circleline for
Circle Line, @TfLOfficial for news
and information about London’s
transport system) that enables
the Tweeters to communicate and
share experiences, updates and
chatter among Londoners who use
public transport.
Image 5: Screenshot depicting Transport
For London’s (TfL) rail line-centric en-
gagement (Twitter)
Much of the chatter traffic, such as
#TfL, is user-generated, therefore
it adds both the human experi-
ence context and provides a fertile
ground for crowd-sourcing.
In the Greater Kuala Lumpur con-
text, the wired and mobile com-
munities can form the crowd basis
for the creation of a station-centric
community.
For example, #MRTBangsar
or #MRTBukitBintang can be a
Twitter context indicating that this
is the hub of ‘happening’ activity
for the ‘Bukit Bandaraya/Bangsar/
Brickfields’ and ‘Bukit Bintang’
vicinity respectively. It provides
a tool for the communities to
connect, communicate and do
business.
The integration of a community
portal and mobile applications
will further add depth to this
engagement and act as a national
benchmark for wireless communi-
ty engagement.
At the centre of it all MRT is an
infrastructure, but human experi-
ence elevates it to something quite
aspirational, indicative of a thriv-
ing urban society that has arrived.
MRT Corp has the capacity to be a
key driver in that transformation.
3. CREATE & HARNESS
CONSUMER DATA HUB
New York, San Francisco, Am-
sterdam, Seattle, London, Co-
penhagen, Tokyo and Stockholm.
All these are smart cities with the
following things in common. Its
authorities gather, analyse and dis-
seminate information to its public.
Appropriate and useful informa-
tion are readily communicated to
the public.
Strasbourg is one of eight French
cities that uses Near Field Com-
munications (NFC) to deliver
real-time, location-specific in-
formation at bus stops to users’
mobile devices whenever they are
within range. If the place is touris-
tic, then information even includes
operation hours for certain build-
ings along side standard transit
info such as bus travel times,and
routes.
As Kuala Lumpur moves closer
towards becoming a smart global
city, there will be a lot of need for
these level of information and
communication.
Setting up a proper database man-
agement system that can integrate,
normalise, clean, validate, enhance
and make data meaningful will
help to harness the information
and feedback gotten through
myriad engagement platforms
including:
• Social media conversa-
tions (Facebook comments,
Twitter trends, picture sharing
etc)
• Marketing Campaigns
• Passenger direct feedback
(via email, website and hotline
• Commuter details from
data collection mechanism
(forms/contests etc)
Such data (often real-time) is a
gold mine of information that can
offer crucial numbers, insights
(both demographic and psycho-
graphic) and movement patterns
that in turn helps with:
• Building of ridership profile
• Capacity planning
• Future marketing plans
• Community engagement
These measures are equally critical
in ensuring success of further com-
munications solutions mentioned
in this whitepaper.
4. ADOPT THE BRANDING
FRAMEWORK
EMBARQ, a non-profit initiative
of the World Resources Institute
has outlined a series of recommen-
dations necessary for the creation
of sustainable transport systems
around the world.
The authors, backed by years of
research and careful weighing of
case studies, have recommended
some of its precepts while keeping
in mind local realities and context.
They are included here, custom-
ised to reflect the Greater Kuala
Lumpur perspectives and needs.
These recommendations come in
at various points in the project.
They are geared towards fulfilling
a particular need and are context
rather than category-specific.
1. Brand and Identity
Define Raison D’etre for
MRT Corp
MRT was born as a child of the
government’s Economic Pro-
gramme (ETP). However, a
consumer-centric business view
will suggest that the real reason
MRT exists is because people want
and need such an infrastructure
in a rapidly changing landscape of
Klang Valley.
This need was resoundingly ech-
oed by thousands of people during
the crowd-sourcing campaigns
(Logo contest & INMRT contest)
that MRT organised in the early
stages of the project. People have
voiced their support and it is now
MRT’s turn to reflect it in its Brand
values.
For example, MRT may want to
pick up the strongest reasons
submitted by INMRT participants
(e.g. “I need MRT because it will
help me save 20 minutes of my
day” or “ I believe it’s going to
be the most reliable transport in
GKL”) and convert them into per-
manent posters at MRT’s offices,
locations or at customer touch
points as a small ‘we heard you’
gesture to people who have shown
support and advocated benefits
of MRT. This will also remind
the staff and project stakeholders
MRT’s ultimate raison d’etre.
Reflect Raison D’etre in All Com-
munication Touchpoints.
This could mean anything from
press releases to billboards to sig-
nage. Consistent communication,
as years of experience has shown,
is the cornerstone of effective
branding.
Some brands have become synon-
ymous with the product, such as
Colgate for toothpaste, Maggi for
instant noodles and Milo for choc-
olate malt drink. These brands of
course have the advantage of her-
itage value because they have been
around for decades and withstood
the test of time. MRT Corp too can
achieve it over time if it follows the
precepts required.
A proper use of Corporate Identity
via standard precepts underlined
in a CI manual will work further
towards delivering a standard,
consistent message from MRT at
all times. At a certain point this
message becomes embedded in
audience’s consciousness and it
helps solidify a desired image of
the MRT Corp.
Connect with the public in a
meaningful way.
The stronger the benefits, the more
reasons there will be for commut-
ers and businesses of associating
with MRT. One way to address
this, would be to position and
embed MRT among them as ‘a way
of life’.
In some parts of the world, the lo-
cal bus or train becomes an anchor
in wayfinding efforts. In Mumbai
for example, directions are often
given based on the nearest transit
stations (E.g. Q: How do I go to
Regal Cinema? A: Take bus num-
ber 2, get down at Fort and it’s a
short walk on the left).
And there lies the clue.
13
 Initiated Not initiated

1. Brand & Identity

MRT Service logo
MRT CI manual & brand book
Brand association with traffic apps, lifestyle magazines, stores
Community portal
Rebranding of info-centers / kiosks

2. Internal Comms
Office space branding
‘Thank You’ (an internal campaign)
Employee newsletter
Photo journal / book
Progress report

3. User Education
Site or infocentre visit programmes
Newsletter to subscribed users
Flyers, posters, hoardings
Blog
Traffic broadcast on Radio (using CCTV)
Info-truck (re-activation)

4. User Information Systems

Wayfinding systems
Commuter-centric maps

5. Marketing Campaigns
Festive ads
Documentaries
Train naming
Station branding (integrated with community portal)
Contests, events

6. PR & External Campaign

Reactive
Proactive
Documentation
Ceremonies

7. User Feedback System

Integrated call centers
SMS Services
Social media listening & analysis
Periodical surveys
Online feedback systems (Email, website, social media etc)

8. Online Engagement
Station based # tag
Line based @ tags
Passenger friendly website
Facebook/ Twitter/ Instagram, Tumblr, Flickr/ YouTube
Mobile application

Image 6: List of proposed activities for WIP phase and their status

14 | Marketing A World-Class Infrastructure

MRT has an early bird opportunity
to start building associations with
local businesses, places of interest,
landmarks and transit hubs. These
associations can be reflected to
commuters using tools by partner-
ing established community-based
apps such as Waze, and delivering
real time MRT-specific updates to
the commuters.
Image 7: Waze application screen capture
showing commuter participation in real
time transit updates
E.g. A real time update that says
‘MRT construction ahead, left exit
on Jalan Damansara is closed,
please take left at Jalan Medang
Tanduk’.
In the coming years co-branding
will be way of life. A tie-up/part-
nership with travel magazines
such as Lonely Planet or Time-
Out KL can be ideal in building a
strong association with city life.
Many of these suggestions are
illustrated in greater detail in the
paper’s recommended Mobile Ap-
plication. The overarching aim is
to achieve a mindset that thinks ‘If
it’s in Klang Valley, I can get there
via MRT’.
Hire experts to do the job.
A key challenge in achieving
desired ridership is persuading
private vehicle (car) users to adopt
MRT as a complement. As the
previous chapter illustrates, the
private vehicle culture in Great-
er Kuala Lumpur Area is deeply
entrenched, and statistics show
that car ownership numbers are
surging beyond the metropolis’
ability to cope. The desired shift in
mindset from car-centric to “MRT
gives me a better transit choice”
are hard to achieve in this climate.
Even in public transit-oriented
cities like New York, the proposal
to turn the tourist hub that’s Times
Square into a pedestrian-only area
was faced with fierce resistance
and that too from the local retail-
ers.
Singapore, despite its integrat-
ed and widely networked public
transport anchored by the efficient
SMRT, has also found efforts
to limit private car population
challenging without addition-
al enforcement policies. Such
deep-rooted cultures are difficult
to address.
Garnering and sustaining rid-
ership requires a game plan or
well-thought-out strategy. This
is where MarComm has a role to
play. MarComm agencies, specifi-
cally those with a Business Trans-
formation focus are well resourced
to achieve this. Their early involve-
ment is highly recommended. This
way, MRT can focus on the infra-
structure and operations more
efficiently.
2. Internal Communication
Live and breathe the brand ideals.
The most effective potential
marketers of your brand are your
people.
The MRT employees, from the en-
gineer on the ground to the office
receptionist, are its brand ambas-
sadors. This is a brand that offers
a service for the public and most of
them will face potential commut-
ers most of the time. It is impor-
tant that employees ‘get’ what your
brand stands for, and are invested
and aligned with those values.
Private companies in these kinds
of setups usually pay great atten-
tion to the aspect of employee
participation and investment. A
corporate giant, FedEx, includes a
primer on its global brand during
employee induction process while
another American transport entity,
Southwest Airlines, regularly
features its own employees in the
company commercials instead of
hiring outside talents.
It must be stressed though that
such involved internal engagement
is not just common practice in the
private.
Here is a telling story from the
District of Colombia, USA.
“The streetcar (tram) project
used to be a four-letter word in
DC when I took over. After sell-
ing my vision to small groups
across the agency, we created
our Action Agenda, a two-year
vision document that aligned
the entire agency, to promote
and communicate the goals
of the streetcar project and
everything else to nearly 1,000
staff members of the agency.
Once that vision was accepted
within our agency, we took it to
external stakeholders and used
it to gain their support.” - Gabe
Klein, former director, District
Department of Transportation
MRT has been proactive on
various fronts on these aspect. In
fact, its initiative to print quarterly
newsletters and an annual project
progress book are laudable. How-
ever, there is lot that can be done,
not only to align the staff but also
to keep up the morale.
15
 “I need MRT because it will 189 cities in the world have MRT is a
help me reach my office on MRT. It’s high time KL has National Key Results Area
time, every time.” one. project under the ETP ...
Office
entrance Participant Z
lobby

Raison D’etre Global Relevance National Relevance

INMRT Success: TBM is one of the most Sungai Buloh to Kajang in

23,000 participants unique & advanced 88 mins....
133,000 votes tunnel boring machines
+8,000 entries ever used…..
…..

Department’s Contribution Corporation’s Innovation Local Relevance

“We at Marketing Meet Mr. Hadei.

Department study the
marketing forces and Our exemplary staff who
design campaigns to has contributed to the
address the consumer success ... Department
needs”

Department’s Profile Staff Recognition

Image 8: A thematic idea for internal branding posters that drives home messages of MRT’s reason for being and its values

16 | Marketing A World-Class Infrastructure

Office space branding is one of
such proposed initiatives. A simple
exercise of visual branding with
well planned sequence of series of
posters (see image 8) can not only
brighten up the environment but
can also build relevance to staff’s
efforts. In additions, success sto-
ries of the departments (e.g. data
from INMRT) can instill pride and
recognition for the departments.
Offline campaign such as a ‘Thank
You’ campaign, after achieving a
milestone, can further help show-
case MRT’s appreciation towards
its staff and family.
Initiate, sustain and increase
internal ‘buy-in’ by instituting
communications protocols.
In addition to one-way update
measures such as employee
newsletters, project reports, photo
journals and events, MRT Corp
can solicit ideas internally. Place
emphasis on ‘communicating up’
by encouraging project feedback
and observations.
After all good ideas can come from
anywhere and on-site staff could
often offer invaluable opinions and
perspectives that could add value
to the overall narrative.
3. Get Started Early
Educate potential users earlier in
the game.
The MRT is a project that can
transform the entire Klang Valley
transportation landscape in the
near future. It is only pragmatic
and practical to educate future
commuters so that they are fa-
miliar with the MRT brand and
its utility, from now on. The MRT
info kiosk is a step in the right
direction. However, it needs to
be expanded to include the infor-
mation relevant to commuters as
the project progresses closer to
completion.
Anticipate user queries
They usually are related to pas-
senger convenience and individual
needs. The fundamental questions
are:
• Where does it start and how
far does it go?
• How does it address my point-
to-point connectivity issues?
• How will it be better than my
current transit choice?
• How do I benefit (as a parent,
student, office worker, busi-
nessman etc)?
Are the MRT info-kiosks and cen-
tres answering these fundamental
questions? If not, they should be
updated and expanded to provide
these answers, which will help
future commuters understand the
system better.
Make the MRT system familiar
When commuters understand the
MRT project and have their basic
questions answered, then they can
plan better for the future.
Image 9: Screen capture of the City Maps
application showing retail shops around
New York City area
For some, the decision to rent
or purchase homes can hinge on
transport connectivity. For others,
ease of use might even lead them
to dispense with a personal vehicle
purchase, or defer it to the future.
These are major shifts in lifestyle
and time is needed to effect that
change.
This would also apply to the
business sector, from retailers
to property developers, who can
leverage on the information to
make sound investments and key
business decisions for the future.
Local roadshows and events are
recommended.
4. Systemise Information
Corporate Identity:
A Wayfinding Angle
When a commuter comes to a bus
stop and he is greeted with route
maps, bus arrival time and fre-
quency, he has more information
than before. He has more choices
now. He can plan his journey more
clearly. And most importantly,
when he understands better, he
is more likely to use the MRT-bus
combo to get to his destination.
Ease of comprehension translates
to ease of use, and proper use of
directional signs, icons and in-
formation interfaces helps people
get familiar with the MRT transit
system better. The use of icons
and standard fonts was also used
to great success in such public
facilities like the Dallas airport,
Washington DC and London Un-
derground.
Legible London is Transport for
London’s (TfL) excellent answer to
a need to simplify and standardise
information for all commuters. TfL
collaborated with local authorities,
landowners and business owners
to expand this wayfinding system
throughout the metropolis.
A noteworthy aspect of TfL’s
success is that it used Corporate
17
 Identity elements effectively.
Fonts, icons and colours together
act as heuristic aids to wayfinding
around the city of London.
In the virtual world, wayfinding
can be an even more involving
process. The New York city maps
shows that using commerce hot-
spots as both landmarks and aid
to wayfinding gives added value
and relevance to the user, instead
of just plain Google maps. In the
MRT context, it also paves the way
for future collaboration between
MRT Corp and local businesses in
a way that is mutually profitable.
Taking the MRT brand to the
catchment areas.
MRT is poised to be the transit
solution that changes the city
dweller’s way of life. However,
the government’s fine intentions
notwithstanding, passenger traffic
will not happen automatically. The
past few pages have underscored
the need to engage.
Branding can be used to great
effect at places where Klang Valley
people converge. There are many
malls located within 5 kilometre
radius of the MRT lines. Lever-
aging on the Malaysian shopping
crowd can help with the familiari-
sation process.
Setting up wayfinding systems as
well as expanding info centres and
kiosks at these locations can help
with future catchment and insin-
uate the MRT into the shopper’s
way of life.
MRT will also pique the interest
of commuters who are already
using other forms of urban rail like
LRT and Monorail. Collaboration
with existing operators will ease
commuters into the idea of MRT
and also help push MRT as part of
a transport solution in the urban
citizenry’s minds.
18 | Marketing A World-Class Infrastructure
5. Marketing communications
These includes standard brand-
ing and communications work.
These are the launch ads, branding
posters and usual public relations
work that are more or less man-
datory, if only to start the start the
recall process going. This includes
‘above-the-line’ and ‘below-the-
line’ efforts.
There are many festive holidays
in Malaysia and they represent an
opportunity to send positive brand
messages. As has been creatively
demonstrated by leading brands
like Petronas and DiGi, strong
branding ads that are high on
ideals and values connect with the
audience. They instill and rein-
force a positive image of a brand
in people’s minds. The fact that
Malaysians regularly share their
favourite festive ads is an indicator
of branding commercials’ popu-
larity.
Image 10: LA Metro’s successful ‘Oppo-
sites’ campaign
Crowdsourcing can be used to
welcome participation in the MRT
brand-building as well as to create
content. It could be footage for
an MRT-related documentary, or
it could be efforts such as 2012’s
INMRT campaign, a station nam-
ing or branding initiative that
involves local communities.
Experiential marketing goes
further in driving brand presence
than bold and brash gambits.
Both crowdsourcing and experi-
ential marketing are interesting,
involving gambits that can easily
be used to entice uptake of mo-
bile applications, and the App,
once introduced into consumer
consciousness, will only grow and
the permutations of its uses are
amply illustrated elsewhere in this
document.
6. User Feedback System
When it comes to public transport,
commuters often decide based on
5 key factors.
• Frequency of service
• Safety and hygiene
• Cost and savings
• Reliability
• Operation hours
If these factors are adequately ad-
dressed, then MRT Corp is starting
at the right place. However, this
list is by no means exhaustive,
since these are internationally
defined common insights. There
are key local insights that can add
more resonance to MRT Corp’s
communications. A user feedback
system achieves this by feedback
from the end user: the public.
MRT did this this rather admirably
by having regular social media up-
dates, call centres, email feedback,
polls, facilitating comments on its
websites and ground level engage-
ment.
In addition, MRT has also invest-
ed in social media listening tools.
What is missing now is greater
interactivity in online engage-
ments with the public. Instead of
just giving updates, take in the
public feedback and address their
concerns. This will create a trans-
parent, caring image of MRT and
make the public more receptive to
communications from MRT in the
coming days.
The present Malaysian public is
more informed, aware and ready
for action, and so, getting into the
consultative mindset early is vital
ensure future support, ridership
and loyalty.
7. Control The Narrative
Public relations’ role in managing
perceptions cannot be under-
stated. Failure to communicate
clearly has grave repercussions, as
reflected in the Delhi experience
illustrated below:
 
In Delhi, India, the first phase
of the city’s BRT was plagued
with operational and commu-
nications problems from the
start itself. In the absence of
strong communication from
the city, the media seized on
the shortcomings and skew-
ered the BRT, focusing par-
ticularly on the problems the
new system caused for car
drivers. Although many of the
operational issues have since
been remedied, the negative
press has contributed to doubts
about the viability of BRT,
which has significantly slowed
system expansion in Delhi.
 
Media engagement
Here we come to the part that
requires proactive engagement
with the media. While the media
generally responds better to bad/
negative news, there is a way to
help the MRT gain positive trac-
tion with the media. Bear in mind
that having an open-door policy
with media and public allows for
easy feedback and approachability.
 
The more ease media workers feel
about contacting the MRT, the
easier it becomes to spread mes-
sages allied to MRT Corp’s inter-
est. Being accessible to the media
is crucial. In fact having weekly
update meetings with the media
makes it easier to build relation-
ships with media influencers. This
is a good example to follow.
 
Different angles to the story
The MRT project takes place in
Klang Valley’s thriving hub. From
start to finish of the construction,
and especially when it commences
operations, it has  impact on the
surroundings and can affect lives
as well as livelihoods. Therefore,
there is a wealth of angles to posi-
tion the MRT as far as positive me-
dia coverage is concerned. It could
be a business story, or a health
and safety issue or local news,
or even event coverage. Consider
them and anticipate these arising
angles to enable better control of
the overall narrative of the MRT
project.
Public engagement
MRT as an urban-suburban rail
service is poised to change the lives
of people living around it. Individ-
uals as well as businessmen and
investors are watching its progress
with keen interest. Engaging these
groups as MRT has been doing in
recent times is a sound move as
MRT’s potential in raising real es-
tate values has not gone unnoticed.
Its role as a development catalyst
puts MRT in a powerful position to
shape the narrative positively.
 
Educational tours
More eyeballs on the project pro-
gress would give the media greater
understanding and that would
translate to a more informed pub-
lic. Construction tours are not un-
heard of. Use these opportunities
to spread the message of engineer-
ing innovation and occupational
safety best practices.
 
Handling criticisms
A project of this scale is almost
certainly sure to attract its share
of criticisms and experience has
shown that MRT has been a politi-
cal hot potato from the very begin-
ning. Much ire has been directed
towards the government and the
manner in which the MRT project
was started.
 
Much of this has nothing to do
with project implementation and
is often out of project manager’s
control, but it helps to be seen to
be proactive on handling these
criticisms. One measure is trans-
parency and the other is readiness
to answer queries in neutral man-
ner. Both go a long way towards
defusing tensions and restoring
the MRT reputation as a solid and
reliable brand.
8. Online Engagement
The EMBARQ report has endorsed
the online world as a integral part
of a transport infrastructure devel-
oper’s public engagement efforts.
Social media is increasingly where
most modern Internet users are.
Possibly more than a billion people
in the planet use social media like
Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare,
Instagram and the likes as a
virtual hangout. MRT is already
engaging its public via Facebook.
Perhaps in the future it can also
consider expanding to younger
age-centric and newer media like
Tumblr and Pinterest as its market
demographic do frequent these
virtual hangouts. Here is an inter-
esting anecdote about the virtues
of social media engagement -
“Success in social media hardly
guarantees offline profits, but
Vitrue’s Reggie Bradford points
out an interesting result of all
that social media chatter: The
word ‘Starbucks’ is now
mentioned on social media
10 times more often than
the word ‘coffee.’ In other
words, the brand has, in
many ways, eclipsed its
own product. They are now
the Kleenex of the category,”
Bradford says. – from Star-
bucks’ Own Good Idea (market-
ingpower.com)
As convergence in technologies
brings information closer and
closer to the individual, the mobile
phone becomes a crucial tool of
engagement. The following chapter
explains in greater detail about the
hows and whys of mobile engage-
ment.
19
 5 Engaging A Wireless Population
Why Going Digital Is Imperative

T here were 17,723,000 Internet users in Malaysia (representing 60.7% of the population) at mid-year 2012,
according to Internet World Stats. 54.4% of them are located in the central part of Peninsular Malaysia, an
area where the MRT will affect their lives directly or indirectly. These are staggering numbers and they boldly
underscore the importance of engaging the online population.

WHY MOBILE APPS?
The youth segment is embracing
smartphones like never before.
Growth in digital applications that
serve this segment too has fueled
the rise in smartphone usage.
Digital News Asia co-founder
Karamjit Singh wrote in a recent
article:
“I was on the LRT on Sunday
and observed passengers
around me during my 25-min
journey each way. I would say
that three to four of 10 phone
owners were smartphone
users. I realised it had become
very easy to do such a casual
survey as many people seem
to carry their phones in their
hands now.”
According to a Nielsen Company
Mobile Survey, almost 20% of the
20-24 age group use the Internet
via their smartphones while over
half of Malaysians aged between
20-34 own phones with at least 3G
capabilities.
Furthermore, trends indicate that
users spend on average, 82% of
their mobile minutes with mobile
applications (Apps) and just 18%
with web browsers.
In this climate, digital engagement
is no longer a choice. It is a vital
tool of outreach. MRT Corp could
leverage on technological conver-
gence in ways that adds value to
the consumer experience.
In fact, in a survey conducted by
the consulting firm Accenture in
American cities, over 4,500 transit
users in nine major cities over-
whelmingly said that they expect
such technological advances as pa-
perless ticketing, communication
about delays through social media,
and the ability to pay for travel
using a smartphone app.
In the cities polled, 80% of rid-
ers said they’d be willing to pay
more per ride for a journey that’s
completely paperless. And over
75% of them said they’d pay more
if they could use their smartphone
for ticketing.In fact, a great deal
of riders assumed such technology
would be available as soon as 2014.
In the local context, the INMRT
contest was one aspect of online
engagement that was laudable. So
are the regular updates and pic-
tures that are featured on MRT’s
Facebook page. The next step is
creating Apps that offers benefits
for both users and MRT Corp.
BENEFITS TO MRT
Apart from providing users benefit
of convenience (time, updates &
information on MRT), opportunity
to be part of the MRT community,
the application development itself
will offer many benefits to MRT.
Control story & cost
Developing an App helps MRT in
its efforts to control media costs as
well as the narrative, and presents
yet another medium (besides its
Facebook and Twitter presence)
in which positive MRT-centric
engagements are highlighted and
disseminated.
Develop brand
It helps to build and sustain the
image of an accountable, respon-
sive and accessible organisation.

20 | Marketing A World-Class Infrastructure

Image 11: A sample design concept of proposed mobile application
Develop supporting
community
An App allows MRT to bring
together the community of indi-
viduals already anticipating and
supportive of MRT together under
one umbrella.
Build profitable association
An App can help generate interest
among local businesses, and with
increased usage, provide a real rea-
son for them to realise the greater
market reach and profit potential
they enjoy by being associated with
the MRT brand.
Advertising opportunity
As the App usage rises, so does its
value as an advertising medium,
and this promises potential reve-
nue for MRT itself.
Generation of real-time
user data
The real time user data generated
by this App can be utilised for dif-
ferent purposes, including traffic
management, capacity planning,
service introduction, ridership
planning etc.
FEATURES
This App should offer among
others, MRT-related updates and
some value added services like
traffic reports and tips. It should
also act as a directory where users
get information about all the MRT
stations on the present line as well
as a journey-planning tool that
scores big on utility to the user.
Greater value could be derived
from integration with MRT’s exist-
ing social media presence.
Another potential for crowdsourc-
ing is present here and MRT can
harness its strength and let the
wireless community’s tendency to
share make the App an even richer
experience for everyone using it.
In fact, each MRT station has a
potential to be a community hub of
its own, with its own unique:
• Custom auto-updates (On
traffic, stations, notices etc)
• Directory services (Res-
taurants, shopping centres,
classifieds around the defined
station’s periphery)
21
 • Hangouts / social sharing
(Commuter updates from the
road, events sharing, contests
etc)
• Marketing campaigns (e.g.
best deals around stations)
• Paid advertising (e.g. paid
listing, banner advertising)
• Commuter specific appli-
cations (e.g. journey planner, in transit projects. Down south,
train arrival reminders)
All these unique features can be
part of MRT’s digital offerings.
LONG TERM PERSPECTIVE
In the long term, the App can
evolve in following directions:
• As a contest participation
platform
• As a source of updates and
public feedback
• As an information & travel
planning tool
• As an alternative payment
mode
• As a loyalty management tool
• As an advertising medium
WHY ACT NOW?
Why is it important to begin cre-
ating this particular community
engagement tool now, when the
infrastructure itself isn’t ready?
Building mobile applications
takes time
Creating a mobile app is similar
to a software product develop-
ment lifecycle (SDLC) where the
app needs to be conceptualised,
planned, developed, tested on
operating platforms, managed and
scaled. Creating a quality app that
serves the aim could take between
6-12 months (including approval
from platform operators such as
Apple).
22 | Marketing A World-Class Infrastructure
Building a community takes
time
Communities do not just happen
overnight even in the real world.
Building a community is an ac-
tivity that needs thorough under-
standing of the area demographic,
psychographic, social structures,
“tribal” rules and customs/norms.
Data is currency
Data is already playing a big role
Singapore’s transport planners
are already leveraging on collected
data to better understand com-
muter needs and plan for them.
Data is similarly crucial to a transit
system like our own MRT and the
earlier one starts with data collec-
tion, the better it will be for future
planning.
Owning your narrative is
critical
The earlier MRT controls the en-
gagement, the less likely that an-
other party hijacks the narrative.
Delay alienates community
And meanwhile, delay also means
losing potential touch points with
the public, whose support is key.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
A multitude of recommendations
have been made within these pages
and most have been made from the
communications standpoint. They
are backed by many observations
and case studies from around the
world.
A concerted effort at communicat-
ing right does bear result, but the
authors of this report would like to
assert that must not be a one-off
event or exercise. Experience has
shown that branding takes time to
show results and must start right.
Early adoption of sound market-
ing practices will go a long way
towards buying mindshare for the
MRT brand.
MOVING FORWARD INTO THE
FUTURE
In concluding this whitepaper, the
authors would also like to reiterate
the fact that we live in times where
openness and sharing has become
a byword among the socially con-
scious public. From participatory
governance to the open source
movement, this trend has become
palpable in most modern societies.
Harness this openness.
MRT could take real leadership
stance by welcoming input from
the technology community in an
open data initiative. There are two
factors that will already work for
MRT in this initiative, the predom-
inantly young tech community and
their collaborative mindset.
Open data initiatives have been
used to great effect in creating new
solutions, and are implemented
even at governmental levels, from
Canada to Kenya.
2020 is a mere seven years away.
That year has been burned into the
Malaysian consciousness as the
time our nation is projected to ar-
rive as a developed nation. Greater
Kuala Lumpur’s infrastructure and
lifestyle advances will be the key
indicator of that arrival. There is a
potential here, today, to drive that
aspiration of gracious, modern
city living. The key to the ignition
though, is in MRT Corp’s hands.
REFERENCES

1. National Land Public Transport Masterplan (Final draft – 27 Sep 2012)

2. From here to there – A creative guide to making public transport the way to go by Eric Weber, Ethan Arpi, Aileen Carrigan (EMBARQ
2011)

3. Why people don’t use mass transit by Steven Dutch (https://www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/PSEUDOSC/MassTransit.HTM)

4. New Media Trend Watch - (http://www.newmediatrendwatch.com/markets-by-country/11-long-haul/55-malaysia)

5. Getting Brand Communities Right: Best Practice by Susan Fournier and Lara Lee

6. Global Branding and Advertising - Summit Report 2008 at the Harvard Business School’s Centennial Business Summit

7. For Mobile Devices, think Apps not Ads by Sunil Gupta (HBR March 2013 issue)

8. Advertising’s New Medium: Human Experience by Jeffrey F. Rayport (HBR March 2013 issue)

9. Digital-age transportation: The future of urban mobility (Deloitte University Press).

10. Intelligent transport: How cities can improve mobility by Jamie Houghton, John Reiners and Colin Lim (IBM Institute for Business Value)

11. The tale of three cities – Urban rail concessions in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Manila - (Halcrow Group Limited) - 2 December 2004

12. Well-planned land transport network can boost Greater KL area by Sharidan Ali, The Star. (http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?-
file=/2013/5/18/business/13121616&sec=business)

13. Interesting insights into smartphone behavior by Karamjit Singh, Digital News Asia - May 15, 2012

14. Starbuck’s own good idea: How the coffee giant became one of the largest brands in social media by Douglas Quenqua

15. Commuters Would Pay More for Better Public Transit Tech, Study Says by Keith Barrym - May 30, 2013

16. Legible London - (http://www.tfl.gov.uk/microsites/legible-london)

17. Malaysian Auto Market Report for 2012 - Motor Trader - 23 Jan 2013 - (http://www.motortrader.com.my/news/malaysian-auto-mar-
ket-report-for-2012)

18. Cities in Focus | Los Angeles - (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dNMGDVBtQc)

19. Lembaga Lebuhraya Malaysia (LLM) - (http://www.llm.gov.my)

20. 10 Most Impressive Smart Cities On Earth - (http://freshome.com/2013/02/07/10-most-impressive-smart-cities-on-earth)

23
ABOUT BULB COMMUNIQUE (FORMERLY EURO RSCG MINDA)

BULB is a communications-based business transformation company that is part of

Havas Worldwide (formerly Euro RSCG Worldwide), a leading integrated marketing
communications agency with a network of 11,000 employees in 120 cities and 75 countries.

Based in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, BULB has 35 dedicated staff well-placed to develop brand
strategy & planning, product & project management, PR, media, social media planning &
management, IT solutions and content & design solutions and has established
Centre of Excellence (CoE) for transit industry related projects.

Its clientele includes MRT Corp, SPAD, TNB, POS Malaysia, AADK, KOB1M and
Victoria Invest among others.

For more information, contact Khaidi Kamaruddin (khaidi@bulb.my).

BULB Communique Sdn Bhd

F-39-11, Level 11, The Crest, 3 Two Square, No2, Jalan 19-1, 46300, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Darul Ehsan, Malaysia