Request ID: FOI-4509-2324 Date published: 08 April 2024
You asked
I would like to know the total revenue spent on advertising the news that TFL are freezing fares - on all platforms - to include newspapers, digital advertising boards, radio and TV adverts and any promotional material related to the campaign not mentioned here.
Has this revenue come from an advertising budget and if so, how much was set aside?
If not out of scope can you breakdown the cost of each area of advertising - ie digital advertising in stations/radio and TV adverts, etc?
We answered
Our Ref: FOI-4509-2324 Thank you for your request received on11 March 2024 asking for information about the cost of advertising the 2024 fare freeze. Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we do hold the information you require. On 19 January 2024, The Mayor of London, announced a freeze on TfL single pay as you go fares until March 2025. On 5 February we launched our fares freeze campaign on radio, roadside digital poster sites and digital poster sites across our own network. From 3 March the campaign also went live in paid press, social media and on printed posters across own network. For our owned channels we do not pay to use this media. Paid spend on the campaign ended on 17 March. From 18 March, an inform message, letting customers know about the fares freeze will be displayed in print and digital across our own network. We regularly promotes public transport fares, including changes to fares policy and annual fares revisions. You asked: I would like to know the total revenue spent on advertising the news that TFL are freezing fares - on all platforms - to include newspapers, digital advertising boards, radio and TV adverts and any promotional material related to the campaign not mentioned here. Has this revenue come from an advertising budget and if so, how much was set aside? The total spent on paid media for this campaign came from the TfL advertising budget. If not out of scope can you breakdown the cost of each area of advertising - ie digital advertising in stations/radio and TV adverts, etc? Breakdown of spend for each channel:
Out of home posters (5 February to 17 March) - £169,909.87
Radio (5 February to 17 March) – £0. We have secured value with media owner Global and used £100,000 of our accrued value for this campaign
Press (3 March to 15 March) - £63,035.56
Paid social (3 March to 17 March) - £50,000.00
Total spent - £282,945.43 Total spent including value - £382,945.43 A Fares Freeze message was also referenced in a voiceover within a TV and video on demand advertisement and in local press advertisements, which predominately focussed on explaining the improvements we’ve made and are making to London’s transport network such as over 200 of our stations having step-free access, a new signalling system for faster journeys on the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines and new Piccadilly line trains from 2025. These advertisements appeared 9 February to 3 March ’24. The spend for this activity was:
TV (ITV and Channel 4): £207,872
Video on demand: £88,208
Local press titles: £16,415
If this is not the information you are looking for please do not hesitate to contact me. Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal. Yours sincerely Gemma Jacob Senior FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
