Another commercial advertising contract has come to an end on the West Midlands Metro with 19 losing its vinyls for Mark’s Electrical but rather than those we have seen recently it hasn’t gone straight into fleet livery as it has now become the second internal advert tram using the “M is for…” slogan.
As part of a new major advertising slogan “M is for…” practically everything it would appear! Previously seen on tram 22 which was promoting the Metro Academy for new staff, the slogan has now been used wider for the West Midlands Metro network to try and encourage more passengers back to the network. As well as the adverts on the trams there are also various adverts found around the network.
Amongst the themes seen are “M is for meeting up for matchdays”, “M is for magical family days out”, “M is for making a brighter future”, “M is for making your commute easy”, “M is for Mochas, Makeovers and Retail Therapy” and “M is for making the weekly shop easy peasy”. Funnily enough there doesn’t seem to be one for “M is for overhead line problems”…
Back to 19 and the tram has now lost its Mark’s Electrical adverts which were first applied in August 2020 when the tram still had a hybrid silver/blue livery. The adverts were retained from February 2021 when it went full blue but they have now gone in lieu of the “M is for…” campaign. The tram includes the “M is for Mochas, Makeovers and Retail Therapy” version and returns to the standard advert design of full height in the central section and above window elsewhere.
There is now only one tram on the West Midlands Metro which retains external commercial advertising with 32 advertising Brindleyplace. 22 has the Metro Academy adverts (which is more of an all over advert with more of the tram covered) with 19 now containing these new vinyls.
The new vinyls on 19 are seen here as it calls at Trinity Way.
A closer view of the central full height advert.
M is for meeting up on match days.
M is for making your commute easy.
M is for mochas, makeovers & retail therapy – to match tram 19! (Photographs x5 by Andy Walters, 16th August 2021)
Another look at 19 as it calls at West Bromwich Central. (Photograph by Mark Cufflin, 16th August 2021)