BART announced the release of five BART and Bay Area themed anime mascots that will help them promote public transportation use, especially among youth riders.
BART drew inspiration from public transportation agencies in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, where anime mascots, including one with Mini Katana, are employed to foster connections with riders and communities.
The mascots were the result of an open call for California-based artists BART released in Summer 2022.
This approach not only fosters local talent but also ensures a connection to the diverse and vibrant artistic community in the state. By incorporating anime-style mascots into their promotional efforts, BART is tapping into a popular and visually engaging medium that has a widespread appeal, especially among younger demographics.
This creative strategy reflects a commitment to making public transportation more relatable and appealing, ultimately encouraging increased ridership and a positive perception of BART services within the
Marketing to children now?
Children do not make the decision about taking a ride on BART so this is another waste of money. .
First I would not let my kids on BART.
Second I won’t ride it, last time I did a homeless man got the train & pooped right there on the floor, coming back we didn’t sit down cause of the used needles sitting there.
So clean it & get some security maybe folks might come back to using BART
Even the lib media was saying – why not use the money they spent on that to god use for safety, cleanliness, and getting the trains on time and back to 10 car trains… I was surprised ..but kudos to them
Japanese animation is weird
Is it just me, . . . . would hope bart would make strenuous efforts to make stations, platforms and their trains safe for “youth riders”. Thus far in talking with people who take bart and from what I’ve read here there’s no way I’d use or allow family members to take bart.
Nope. BART management and the board need to be replaced. They obviously have no idea what public transit should be providing.
BART is dirty and unsafe. So what do they do ? They post anime characters.
Bull crap.
I’ve ridden the underground in Barcelona, Spain and Paris, France. Both systems are way older than BART and ran on time with stations that were very clean considering their age. Fares were reasonable and transfer points were easy. No scumbags, druggies or forced entertainment were present on board while riding the trains. The transit agencies don’t put up with that crap over there.
Maybe BARF and their unions should take a look at their mode of operation? Instead of animated mascots?!
The financial cliff is rapidly approaching…
One of the best metro systems I have used is the Mexico City Metro. It’s a huge system, second only to city of New York in North America. Rather that steel wheels on rails that BART uses the metro uses rubber wheels on a concrete trough/rail like thing. The trains are very quiet. There are no bums, homeless, or graffiti. A ticket is 25 cents and is good all day, everywhere.
What happens if they get a flat?
Why is BART attempting to attract young riders? I would never allow a child of mine to get on a BART train alone. Ever.
I wouldn’t put my kids on Bart even though they are grown and definitely not my grandchildren.I won’t even ride them I don’t want robbed or maybe even killed.
Thank God the management geniuses at BART figured out the system’s problem. It’s not the high cost of travel and parking, the druggies, the smelly homeless, and the dangerous thugs on the trains. It’s the lack of a mascot who appeals to kids! (Are they so stupid they think we’d let our kids ride the trains without an armed guard?)
Please tell me this isn’t real…
How about the poop emoji?
Here comes woke on BART! I expect drag queen shows at the stations and rainbow colored clowns on the cars for these children they are trying to get riding BART.
💩
I’m always in favor of art. However this is a “Heinerscheid” marketing plan.
What did this cost? This is an example of corporate woke speak, wouldn’t it be great if we did……….
Well it’s official, BART (Bay Area Rancid Transit) are absolutely clueless. Tell me you’re a liberal without telling me you’re a liberal.
hint – Do anything and everything to avoid dealing with any actual problems
Transit in Japan is very clean and safe. Get BART to that standard and it won’t have to rely on kids.
No it is not, they just blackout the news on their problems there.
I ve ridden the subways in Japan. Very nice. 20 years ago the transit card worked everywhere. Even at 7-11 to buy stuff. After all the tours our bart directors have taken this is what they found?
It is extremely clean and very safe as noted above. Ever heard of the bullet train?
I’m okay with anime mascots, just needs to reflect the location. Maybe “want some candy” character, or “I love meth” dude, “crazy Carl”
The big key is the BART has got to stop all these homeless and Street people ( who usually don’t pay a fare) from just riding the trains aimlessly all day long. ( or maybe riding to Civic Center San Francisco to buy the drugs)
I’ve cut my bart riding back to just 2 days a week. I ride during the height of the morning commute where it’s standing room only, yet you’ll still see some bum sleeping across four seats while the rest of us stand. Apparently the BART board is very sympathetic towards homeless and feel they could use the trains as shelter. If you ask me this is the number one reason good people have stopped riding.
BART obviously has no idea what their mission is and why they exist. They’re constantly engaged in “mission creep” with forays into social issues. Several years ago, when BART parking lots were full and the need to supply more parking at BART stations existed, the BART Boardmembers constantly said “BART is in the business of mass transit, moving people from place to place, we’re not in the business of parking cars.” It now appears that the BART Board no longer knows why they’re in business. When cleanliness, safety, and increasing ridership are issues they should be fixing, they instead want to play with animals mascots. BART is a lost cause, have they learned nothing from the Budweiser and Target fiascos?
Secure/Harden the system. Only paying customers can get on the system. Doing that will improve the safety and security immediately.
First book club. Now anime. Yeah, that’ll bring em in, BART. I can’t even…
Bart has one job …. just one. They don’t have to solve society’s ills. They just have to move people safely from one point to another. If they would focus on their One Job they would be successful. Clean, safe, reliable public transportation … that’s it. Other cities all over the world can do it – why can’t Bart?
They should add another one called
“Farus Evadus.”
So ridership is down because people are working from home.
Second, people don’t feel safe in the big cities anymore
Third, there’s a problem with homelessness and drugs.
Fourth, the trains aren’t always clean or comfortable.
These are the major problems.
While anime is interesting, it’s not going to turn around BART’s problems. I’m not sure who they’re targeting with such ads. It’s a niche audience that perhaps skews younger riders.
I seriously believe BART is going to need to start making some economic decisions to lower operating costs. Maybe even consider lowering fares. I’ve said this before, they should be promoting reasons to travel on BART. Cartoons is not a reason to use BART.
Wow. Just wow. Absolutely total desperation move by the BART board.
It’s another example of how California is crumbling and being destroyed by the liberal progressive democrat government and their supporters.
Weird. Was on BART earlier this week. Two “normal-looking” women had their feet on the seats. Last week, I was on what looked like a clean car, then a guy vomited. The patrons trash BART. I want to use it and wish patrons would would keep it clean.