Who: Singing Out and the Toronto Transit Commission, with Publicis for strategy and creative.
What: “Pride Chime,” a Pride month celebration that sees the rider notification chime used across the city’s subway platforms replaced with a more melodic version.for the month
When & Where: All subway platforms throughout the city for the entire month, along with posters across the TTC and social ads.
Why: Singing Out is a Toronto 2SLGBTQQIA+ choir which celebrates inclusivity and diversity, and is open to anyone who loves to sing—no auditions necessary. Publicis has been working with the choir for about a year, and created this spring campaign to help raise awareness.
The TTC, which has been a Publicis client since 2015, also makes a significant commitment to Pride month each year, including marching in the parade and renaming Wellesley Station as Welleslay, and Queen Station as Qween.
This campaign helps both Publicis clients: providing more exposure for Singing Out, and a unique way to show how the TTC can have some fun celebrating Pride.
“TTC has always tried to find creative ways to celebrate Pride and foster an inclusive environment,” said Deborah Brown, TTC head of marketing and customer experience, in a release. “Changing our tone for the first time ever is a powerful way to demonstrate this commitment and cultivate a sense of pride within the diverse communities we serve.”
How: Publicis got the TTC to replace the very familiar, very functional notification chime with a much more melodious version sung by the choir. It’s the first time the TTC has replaced its chime in its subway system, which can see up to 750,000 passengers on a weekday.
“This campaign and our collaboration with TTC provide a powerful platform for us to make our voices heard throughout Toronto, amplifying our message of joy and unity,” said Noah Witenoff, vice-president of Singing Out.
Along with the chime, Publicis created posters featuring members of Singing Out, with a QR code enabling commuters to experience the Pride Chime any time. Social posts on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter ask TTC riders to share their thoughts on the campaign.
And we quote: “The original alert tone is deeply ingrained in Torontonians’ daily lives. By tweaking this iconic sound, we have a unique opportunity to break their routine, grab their attention and enable them to hear, in a joyful melody, Singing Out’s message of acceptance.” —Joanna Monteiro, chief creative officer, Publicis Toronto
