Car Keys Get Turned into Public Transport Tickets in This Fun Interactive Campaign

Public transportation is still the best way to get around in Brussels. To prove this, the STIB/MIVB (the Brussels Intercommunal Transport Company) and mortierbrigade have a surprise in store for all car owners: everyone looking for their car in Brussels will find a tram instead. To make this possible, mortierbrigade developed interactive billboards with special hard- and software that recognises the frequency of a car key and responds to it. So, when you press your car key near one of the billboards, you hear a tram's 'ding-ding' instead of the 'beep-beep' of your car. The lights of the tram on the poster also light up in the same way you get when you open your car. The message on the poster is clear: "The STIB/MIVB is the key to get Brussels in motion." The billboards are placed in strategic spots in Brussels where a lot of motorists have to look for a parking space.

Joost Berends, creative director and partner at mortierbrigade, says: "Car drivers are too often stuck in their habits. They continue to use their car for trips where they could easily and often more efficiently make use of public transportation. A large part of the motorists driving around in Brussels are looking for a place to park and the time they spend finding their car often takes them longer than the trip itself. With this creative campaign we bring the message home that the STIB/MIVB is the key to set Brussels in motion."

And the campaign has gone the extra mile - it's not only the billboards that react to the frequency of the car key. A number of ticket machines have also been equipped with special hardware that provides everyone who stands in front of the machine and presses their car key with a free STIB/MIVB-ticket. It becomes the perfect opportunity for each motorist to try the metro, tram or bus.

Ramin Afshar, digital creative at mortierbrigade, says: "We wanted every car key in Brussels to draw attention to metro, tram and bus in order to convince motorists to use public transportation more frequently. With this technology scanning the frequency of the car keys, we've succeeded pretty much. Every 'beep-beep' becomes a 'ding-ding' and thus becomes a small advertisement for the STIB/MIVB. A car key advertising the tram is the twist we were looking for."

The interactive billboards are part of a whole campaign highlighting the role of the STIB/MIVB in Brussels.