In March 2010, AENEAS brought together 56 transport professionals for a training workshop on multi-modal marketing of mobility services for older people. As John Porter, a senior expert in market research explained, successful marketing campaigns depend on an understanding of how people construe and interpret decisions in their life. Practical experience drawn from Munich, Cologne and Belgium’s Flemish region illustrate the need for successful marketing campaigns to address mobility needs of older people and attract them to more sustainable means of transport.

For example, the Munich campaign Gscheid Mobil (Smartly Mobile) informs elderly individuals directly with a mobility information kit, which is posted in the name of the Lord Mayor. Twenty percent of recipients have requested further information or a telephone follow-up.

The provision of a multi-modal training approach (cycling, walking, public transport and travel information) complements the provision of information.

Cologne achieved good results with a peer-to-peer consulting scheme (its PatenTicket, or BuddyTicket) to promote public transport. Of 870 contacted people, 117 ‘patrons and godchildren’ joined the scheme directly.

Mobiel21 in Flanders took a similar approach with its ‘super granddad’ as a symbol of the Smart Mobile Seniors project.

Role-playing scenarios, small workshops and technical site visits have engaged participants as well, and have opened discussion about the viability of transferability of their own conditions.

The workshop report and information on case examples can be found at the AENEAS download centre.


Author: Bernd Decker