UK regional bus operator, First Bus, has launched a multichannel campaign to encourage people to rediscover the joy of the bus this summer.

Debuting with a 40-second film, the ‘Catch The Summer’ campaign presents a feel-good world drenched in colour and energy designed to inspire a stress-free summer. The campaign invites people to ‘Plan, Tap, and Ride’ their way through the school holidays with the First Bus App.

The hero film opens with a girl boarding a bus while her planned route is displayed on the First Bus App on her phone. By tapping on and off the bus using the app, the doors swing open to reveal a charming town square where she meets friends for ice cream. Subsequent scenes showcase more fun time summer scenarios that the First Bus app unlocks, from frisbee contests and beach days to pool parties and sizzling barbecues in the summer rain.

The campaign was created by MadeBrave, with media planning and buying by The7stars. It is running across broadcast video-on-demand (Sky, ITV and Channel 4), Reach, Meta, YouTube, Snapchat and Reach.  

It forms part of First Bus’s broader ambition to reframe buses as an attractive and fun way to get around, and with multiple benefits; taking the bus is cheaper, faster and more sustainable.

“We set out with the ambition of building a campaign that would capture the imagination of people across the UK towards bus and the doors it can open for parents and kids alike during the summer months,” said John MacLean, Head of Campaign Strategy for First Bus. “With our new ‘Catch the Summer’ campaign, MadeBrave has allowed us to continue to push the boundaries of what people would normally expect from a bus operator with a fun, vibrant and playful approach.

“Whether people are thinking of going to the park with friends for a barbecue, heading to the beach with family or simply grabbing an ice cream on a hot day, we hope this campaign will bring joy to their faces and inspire many to choose the bus as their go-to mode of transport this summer.”