Attitudes

 to  Sustainable  Transport:  

Marketing  Materials  Research
Focus Group topic overview - Drivers
Groups: 90 minutes
Purpose Content Time
Introducti - My name is xxxxx and I work for the University of the West of England. We are 10
on and doing some research to gauge a range of people’s opinions about some mins
warm up marketing packs and campaigns about daily transport options. So I am
interested in your opinions. There is no right or wrong answers so just be honest,
and everything you say will be recorded anonymously.
- Before we start, can I run through this consent form to make sure everyone is
happy with what’s going to happen today.

Run through consent form and get it signed.

- To get to know each other a bit, let’s split into pairs. Have a chat for 2 minutes
and find out the following:
- Their name
- Where they live
- How they travel to work
Write the questions on a white board.

Go through answers.
Probes – Ok some of you cycle/drive/bus to work (each in turn).
- How do you feel about your commute? (During/on reaching destination).
- How did the decision to commute that way come about?
Gauging - If you couldn’t drive yourself, what would be at the top of your list as an 15
opinions alternative and why? mins
- What do you all think about that?
- What are the disadvantages/advantages of these alternatives to driving?
Focus on each of the transport options mentioned.

Prompt for options not spontaneously raised: walking, cycling, car share, bus.

Projective exercise 1:
Think about someone you know who drives themselves to work (single-occupancy,
not a complicated journey, no kids, no one to drop off, no health problems).
- Why do they go by car?
- What alternatives are there for them? (prompt for options not spontaneously
raised)
- Why have they rejected those alternatives?
- What do you think could motivate them to change to an alternative?

Projective exercise 2: Thought bubble pictures.

Stick pictures of a number of people using different types of transport mode
 (listed above) with thought bubbles. Participants to move around the room and fill
in speech bubbles – ‘What does the cyclist feel?’ (more than one entry is
acceptable):
- Probe why have you written that?
- Note, if any speech bubbles empty probe on why left empty.

Materials A lot of people drive themselves to work but we’re interested in finding out what people 40
testing think about marketing materials (like posters or billboards) aimed at encouraging people mins
to move away from car travel to other forms of commuter travel. So let’s talk about some
marketing materials.
- What leaflets/posters etc. have you noticed lately which are trying to encourage people
to travel by ways other than the car?
- What do you think of them?
-Can you think of any brands associated with travel around Bristol/Bath and the West of
England?
-Who would you think of if you needed to find out travel information or were thinking of
trying a different transport method?

Now I am going to show you some materials used to encourage people to change to
alternative ways of commuting, and also to help them do it. Most are from round here,
but some won’t be. Just imagine you live in an area where the information would be
relevant to you, if you can.

Leave information out on the desk. Each piece of material to be coded for
reference on the tape.

Include
- printed materials
- publically available (i.e. non-workplace) packs, maps, leaflets, information
- apps, websites
- bus backs and other outdoor media

In turn, ask the following questions and probe the discussion

- When you’ve had a good look, pick up something you notice. You can notice it
for being good, or bad. It’s up to you. Spend a few minutes reading and exploring
the different materials before you decide.
Discuss the pieces one by one, starting with the ones they picked up.
- What did you choose and why? Go round the room.

Probe comments on all the materials as you go round

- What struck you about it?
- (What works well here?)
- What do you think the message is? What is it trying to ‘do’ or encourage you to
do?
- Who do you think it is aimed at?
- Do like the tone of it? Too bossy, optimistic, positive, practical, helpful etc.
- What would you change?
- What would be more helpful for you?

- What kind of places do you tend to pick this stuff up?

- Where would you expect to see these kinds of posters?
- Where would you like this information to be available?
 - Where would you go to find information about your travel or transport plans?
Finish by ‘mopping up’ ones that have not been discussed.
Services/ So now let us focus on the schemes you can sometimes get in workplaces that try and 20
products reduce car use. mins
testing –
probe Refresh memory or introduce the concept of a workplace scheme.
further - car share
- cycle to work
- free bus travel (e.g. airbus/AXA)
- Cycle tax discount
- 2 plus lanes on the road

- Does anyone have direct experience of these schemes? What about something
similar outside a workplace (e.g. at a supermarket) Probe

- Here are some examples of the sorts of things different workplaces have been
running. Most are from round here, but some won’t be. Just imagine you work for
a company where the information would be relevant to you, if you can.

- What do you think of these schemes? (tone, attractiveness)

- Where would you want to find out about these schemes?
- Do any of these schemes appeal to you?
- What would be the benefit of that scheme? (working through each one)
- Any pitfalls?
- What would be more helpful to you?

If it was your job to get everyone in the county to ditch the car for one day a week and
take an alternative type of transport, what would you do?
Conclude Thank you very much for your time. 5 mins
and close
One more thing, what is the first thing you think of when I say the word ‘sustainable’?

This has been very interesting. Does anyone have anything else to add before we
close? Anything you think we’ve missed?

I have your cash here, please could you sign the sheet to say you’ve received it.
Thanks!