First Bus new corporate identity

[Mark L]

First Bus has formally launched its new brand. See:

Hello

Hello, we’re First Bus. You might be new here, or you might already know us. We thought we’d take a moment to reintroduce ourselves. We run your local bus service, but we’re not just a way to travel from A to B. Getting around is about so much more than just convenience. The bus opens up...

www.firstbus.co.uk

 

[Goldfish62]

First Bus has formally launched its new brand. See:

Hello

Hello, we’re First Bus. You might be new here, or you might already know us. We thought we’d take a moment to reintroduce ourselves. We run your local bus service, but we’re not just a way to travel from A to B. Getting around is about so much more than just convenience. The bus opens up...

www.firstbus.co.uk

Yet the Web page still shows the old logo!

 

[omnicity4659]

Yet the Web page still shows the old logo!

You’ll need to clear your cookies! It shows for me.

 

[Delenn]

No, sorry, identity is still awful.

 

[Goldfish62]

You’ll need to clear your cookies! It shows for me.

Shows fine on my laptop, but the mobile version of the website still shows the old logo!

The App also still uses the old logo....

 

[Volvodart]

Shows fine on my laptop, but the mobile version of the website still shows the old logo!

It works fine for me there after I cleared the cookies.

 

[richw]

Webpage is updated on my Safari browser but the icon in the URL box is still the old logo

 

[Goldfish62]

It works fine for me there after I cleared the cookies.

I wouldn't even know how to do that on my mobile, but the point is you shouldn't have to!

"You can only see our shiny new logo if you clear your cookies."

 

[GusB]

Oh dear.

The new logo isn't too bad, although I'd get rid of the sticky-out bit on the left. However, I can't get on board with the child-like "first bus" lettering - it'd be fine for a nursery website, but it doesn't suit a major public transport provider. I wonder how much Charlie, age 5, was paid for his efforts!

 

[Trainman40083]

Oh dear.

The new logo isn't too bad, although I'd get rid of the sticky-out bit on the left. However, I can't get on board with the child-like "first bus" lettering - it'd be fine for a nursery website, but it doesn't suit a major public transport provider. I wonder how much Charlie, age 5, was paid for his efforts!

I'd say either 5 or 6 figures.

 

[Goldfish62]

I wouldn't even know how to do that on my mobile, but the point is you shouldn't have to!

"You can only see our shiny new logo if you clear your cookies."

Update: found out how to clear cookies for the site, but makes no difference. The old logo is still sitting there resplendent in all its glory.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Update: found out how to clear cookies for the site, but makes no difference. The old logo is still sitting there resplendent in all its glory.

Hmmm.... main corporate site on my phone has updated but not on desktop. However, the individual opcos are still old logo.

FWIW, I think the freedom by OpCo to have unlimited liveries was a bit OTT so the adoption of the purple as a standard livery has some logic. I don't buy the local identity thing per se; good management is about local management who can establish good relationships with unions, councils, major employers, and who have the freedom to innovate etc.

The logo change - it's a waste of time and money IMHO.

 

[F Great Eastern]

Another poor decision by the boat brigade that are running First Bus these days.

Looks awful and like a small time operator now, the old one whilst dated, at least gave a professional impression.

 

[Goldfish62]

Hmmm.... main corporate site on my phone has updated but not on desktop. However, the individual opcos are still old logo.

The logo change - it's a waste of time and money IMHO.

Glad it's not just me then!

The old logo may be getting on a bit but it worked well with the new livery. Perhaps the powers that be considered it to be too toxic and associated with poor service. Bad memories of the Lockhead era and all that. They maybe have a point, but appear to be retaining the original style as the overall Group logo.

 

[GusB]

Glad it's not just me then!

The old logo may be getting on a bit but it worked well with the new livery. Perhaps the powers that be considered it to be too toxic and associated with poor service. Bad memories of the Lockhead era and all that. They maybe have a point, but appear to be retaining the original style as the overall Group logo.

This is what puzzles me. What's the point of having a separate logo for the bus operations? I looked at firstgroupplc.com to see if it had been adopted group-wide, but it just seems to be first bus and first travel solutions that have been given the crayon treatment.

 

[Metal Mickey]

Another poor decision by the boat brigade that are running First Bus these days.

Eh?

 

[Andyh82]

The worst bit is that it doesn’t even look like the letter F. They shouldn’t have gone with the sticky out bit.

 

[richw]

Oh dear.

The new logo isn't too bad, although I'd get rid of the sticky-out bit on the left. However, I can't get on board with the child-like "first bus" lettering - it'd be fine for a nursery website, but it doesn't suit a major public transport provider. I wonder how much Charlie, age 5, was paid for his efforts!

apparently each livery cost £100,000. The designed must have been laughing when they were all adaptions of other liveries considering how many there were.

 

[Trainman40083]

apparently each livery cost £100,000. The designed must have been laughing when they were all adaptions of other liveries considering how many there were.

Yes, but it lessens the original F in circle, often said in a certain way. Effing....

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Glad it's not just me then!

The old logo may be getting on a bit but it worked well with the new livery. Perhaps the powers that be considered it to be too toxic and associated with poor service. Bad memories of the Lockhead era and all that. They maybe have a point, but appear to be retaining the original style as the overall Group logo.

The Blockhead era is a long time ago. If it's toxic, then changing the name would be better than just changing the logo.

Eh?

Don't worry - it's not a load of 1970s Vietnamese refugees. It's Janette Bell (former P&O - but not involved in the fire and rehire scandal).

However, the rest of the other main people (CFO, COO, etc) all have bus backgrounds whereas Simon Pearson is ex rail but has been with First Bus for >12 years

 

[richw]

The Blockhead era is a long time ago. If it's toxic, then changing the name would be better than just changing the logo.

Is it really toxic? Is the negativity any worse than towards any other bus company?
The negativity is often the Tiniest minority, and then often fake. When I worked at first I was told 97% of complaints were unfounded and/or fictitious when reviewed on cctv and tracking data. They got an average of between 1-2 complaints a day, of which if 97% are unfounded means they’re doing a good job really.
As enthusiasts we can be picky and find fault but we tend to look at a lot more detail than the regular customer.

 

[F Great Eastern]

Eh?

There's a lot of ex Ferry people been brought into First UK Bus under Jeanette Bell's watch, who don't understand the bus industry.

 

[Goldfish62]

Is it really toxic? Is the negativity any worse than towards any other bus company?

Anecdotally yes, more so than Stagecoach or Arriva I'd say. And it's not just in respect of buses. Very much rail as well.

The fact that the former FSW management carried out major rebranding exercises for Somerset and Cornwall which omitted any reference to the parent company speaks volumes.

 

[Delenn]

I wonder how much Charlie, age 5, was paid for his efforts!

If it was more than a pound, they were done.

 

[Goldfish62]

I doubt this is the case

The initial years of First when Badgerline and Grampian merged, plus the subsequent years up until the end of the Lockhead era when investment in fleets was cut right back did absolutely nothing to convey a positive impression, and it's very easy to lose a reputation but very difficult to regain it. The absolute state that Cornwall was allowed to get into was a disgrace, for example. It's little wonder the then-new forward looking management wanted remove all public-facing reference to the parent company.

 

[Trainman40083]

The initial years of First when Badgerline and Grampian merged, plus the subsequent years up until the end of the Lockhead era when investment in fleets was cut right back did absolutely nothing to convey a positive impression, and it's very easy to lose a reputation but very difficult to regain it. The absolute state that Cornwall was allowed to get into was a disgrace, for example. It's little wonder the then-new forward looking management wanted remove all public-facing reference to the parent company.

I seem to recall the guy who rebuilt the Buses of Somerset division then went on to deliver change in Cornwall.

 

[Goldfish62]

I seem to recall the guy who rebuilt the Buses of Somerset division then went on to deliver change in Cornwall.

Yes, as per my last sentence.

 

[Trainman40083]

Yes, as per my last sentence.

Cornwall certainly did change. Gone were the buses that looked like they had had a fight, nobody loved them....I even went down to Cornwall to see it. Transformative. But as Transport for Cornwall built on that OR gone backwards.

 

[cactustwirly]

I doubt this is the case. Most regular people won’t be using more than one of the big bus groups regularly to have an opinion, especially comparing them fairly (if they use First to go to work in rush hour traffic 5 days a week in the rain and someone else whilst they are on holiday in the summer it wouldn’t be a fair comparison)

Plus pretty much all bus operators have a poor reputation because regardless of any external factors, if a bus is late it’s seen as 100% the fault of the operator

At one point in time First were poor, you only have to look at the 1st 100 pages of this thread, a lot of areas had some very elderly buses and the service was poor.
The contrast now, a lot of subsidiaries have fleets of brand new electric buses. Before the corporate livery was introduced most areas have smart locally branded buses which had been refurbished.

Comparing the offering Vs Stagecoach I'd say First are better quality now. Comparing the fleet of Stagecoach Basingstoke to First Berkshire, Stagecoach are operating tatty 14 year old buses vs smart 18 plate or slightly less smart 65 plate street lites. Leicester is almost all 23 plate EVs and the same I believe the same is happening with Portsmouth and Norwich

 

[Baxenden Bank]

No, sorry, identity is still awful.

It matches their service then!