MasonsMedia

Media built to move with Ottawa’s transit rollout

OC Transpo

The opening of O-Train Lines 2 and 4 marked a major step in connecting more of Ottawa by transit. But with a phased rollout came a communications challenge: residents needed to know when service would begin, how to use the new lines, and what to expect as operations expanded.

Media StrategyMedia Planning & BuyingAudience StrategyMedia Reporting & Optimization

Results

An adaptive media strategy helped connect riders across Ottawa with the information they needed.
Impressions delivered
M+
Rider-info site visits
K+
French landing-page traffic since launch
+ %

Challenge

The launch of Lines 2 and 4 was a moving target. Service would roll out in phases, from five to six to seven days per week, while the opening date remained subject to change. Parallel bus service added another layer for riders to navigate.

Media needed to work across each milestone without suggesting full service was available before it was. At the same time, residents needed clear, timely information to understand the changes and plan their trips with confidence.

Insight

Citywide awareness was only part of the job. Relevance meant getting more specific. A broad campaign could introduce the new lines, but the information riders needed depended on where they lived, how they travelled, and how the rollout affected their commute.

That gave media two connected jobs: make the expansion visible across Ottawa, then get the right information to the right riders at the right time.

Solution

Working with our sister agencies, Acart and Giants & Gentlemen, we built a multimedia plan that balanced citywide reach with targeted activity in Ottawa South and communities along the new lines. Broad-reach placements introduced the expanded network, while digital and social delivered more detailed information about routes, connections, and operating days.

The “Connections Move You” creative platform provided a consistent foundation across the campaign as our media strategy adapted to evolving launch details. Media and messaging shifted with each phase, from building awareness of better connections to providing practical updates on five-, six-, and seven-day service and parallel bus operations.
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