Saturday, March 21, 2009

The Slogan: How It All Began

septa slogan we're getting there
And now a short story. From the sick, twisted and demented mind of my friend Danny DeVito Steve. A tale of how one of the world's most pathetic, half hearted and surely overpriced slogans "We're Getting There" came to be...

It's the 1990's and the dishonesty of the Clinton administration has struck a nerve with the general public. At a meeting of the Septa elite, discussion of a new slogan has entered its 26th week.

"no, no NO!" is the consensus on everything the marketing team comes up with. In a fit, they kick out the overpriced firm and enter into a state of deep and purposeful self reflection.

After a long silence, the CEO opens his eyes and raises his head. "We need to be honest. For once in this miserable fucking company's shit filled history, we need to be honest with ourselves."

"Come on now" responded one of the company's many incompetent Managers. "It's not as bad as you make it out to be."

"We're getting there." chimed in some other idiot.

And just like that, it was as if one of the dirt encrusted, flickering fluorescent lightbulbs that line the bowels of the Broad Street subway lit up above each of their dimwitted heads.

"That's it!"

Image via phillyskyline

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Posted by Albert at 10:21 AM
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11 comments:

  1. I see this all over the place
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  2. Damned if you're honest, damned if you're not.
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  3. I can't stand septa. The 40, 47, 57 - they all run late, and I've constantly been blown off by all of them on a weekly basis! The 40 NEVER leaves on time from 2nd and Lombard.

    The trolleys, I don't understand why it stops every 45 feet! Has there been a recent trolley trash underground? Safety precaution??? I love when it rains, the trolleys get stuck.

    The subway people @ Fern Rock seem to be nice however. Very helpful and courteous. Septa should definitely take note of these people at this station! (yes, my only positive remark about septa)

    City Hall subway smells of the lovely scent of urine and I love how they decided to paint the red and maroon tiles that disgusting white. City has is a main station yet one of the FILTHIEST stations around!
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  4. Despite the low expectations that slogan conjures, it is still being overly optimistic.
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  5. What I like is that, from a marketing perspective, the best slogans are timeless- providing your product with an eternally recognizable brand. By definition, therefore, "We're getting there" automatically assumes that we will never get there.
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  6. "What I like is that, from a marketing perspective, the best slogans are timeless- providing your product with an eternally recognizable brand. By definition, therefore, "We're getting there" automatically assumes that we will never get there."

    Does SEPTA really need brand recognition? Nah. It needs to have a conversation with its constituents that acknowledges their criticisms and vows to do better. The double entendre in "We're getting there" perfectly captures that. It's unusually forthright and plenty optimistic for a public entity like SEPTA. And really, would your whole perspective on SEPTA change if they had a more optimistic slogan? Unlikely.
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  7. Branding creates the illusion of consumer choice where there really isn't any. Suburban car owners may choose to ride regional rails for convenience or fuel savings, but urban SETPA riders are a largely captive audience who don't have other choices except for biking or walking. "Oh, gee, I think I'll take the clean, quiet, modern Washington metro to work today instead of some stinky old SEPTA bus..."
    SEPTA should skip branding and stick to what it does best--keeping its decaying, poorly managed and urine-soaked infrastructure barely groaning along through another dreary day.
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  8. Yet Another MikeApr 20, 2009 07:00 AM
    1990s? Clinton administration? Try 1985, the early days of Ronald Reagan's second term. ("Springsteen, Madonna, way before Nirvana... there was U2, and Blondie, and music still on MTV.") Your friend Steve? Could probably only dream of riding a school bus at that point, when he got bigger. Ah, innocence of youth.

    (You can check this with an advanced search of the Philly.com archives, which date back to 1981 for The Philadelphia Inquirer and 1978 for the Philadelphia Daily News. Look for articles containing both the word SEPTA and the phrase "We're getting there.")

    Your vintage trolley photo was obviously taken before 1998, since that's when the "We're Getting There" slogan was completely wiped from existence in favor of the slogan "Serious About Change," which cost some pretty serious change: $2.7 million. Exact fare only, of course...

    http://tinyurl.com/beuydf
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  9. Yet Another Mike - what are you talking about? 'We're Getting There' is still all over the city. I see it all the time on the bus/trolley/subway.
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  10. Yet Another MikeApr 21, 2009 09:19 AM
    Sorry, but I'm afraid you are most certainly mistaken. Who would spend millions to embark on a fresh rebranding campaign without making sure their outmoded, ever-dubious and oft-mocked advertising had been removed more than a decade later? Merely the thought of it is ludicrous -- ha! Ha ha, ha ha! Hee hee hee, whoa... deep breath... Whoo, good one there! Ergo, your eyes undoubtedly must deceive you.

    Silly rabbit. Also, for the record, I see five fingers, there are five lights, and we ought pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.
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  11. @Yet Another Mike:

    It's on a fair amount of the city trolleys and there's a handful of 8x11 signs floating around the Market Frankford Line. There's one at 2nd Street/Old(e) City.

    Now you look pretentious. :(
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