Case Studies

The Delhi Government introduced the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) to provide a faster, more efficient service by giving buses a dedicated lane. While over 40% of Delhi’s commuters depended on buses, the system faced intense criticism from private vehicle owners and negative media coverage. With a PIL for its demolition pending in the Delhi High Court, the challenge was to shift public perception and build citizen acceptance for BRT.

The debate wasn’t about infrastructure alone; it was about public sentiment. Most bus commuters supported the system, but their voices were drowned out by the louder, dissatisfied car-owning minority. To win, the campaign needed to romanticize buses, humanize public transport, and turn silent support into vocal citizen evangelism.

We built Delhi Loves Buses, a multi-channel citizen engagement campaign designed to transform perception:

• Romanticizing Buses: Leveraged nostalgia, Bollywood, and cricket to create emotional connections with buses.
• Social Media Communities: Built Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and a microsite as rallying platforms for bus users.
• Engagement Content: Shared hard-hitting facts on pollution, petrol prices, and traffic, coupled with user stories about everyday bus travel.
• Interactive Storytelling: Released 5 videos, petitions, and quizzes to make advocacy active, not passive.
• Citizen Voices: Enabled people to share genuine problems and get real responses from public officials, creating transparency and dialogue.

• Community Growth: Built a 20,000+ strong Facebook community with active participation, alongside a growing Twitter base.
• High Visibility: Campaign videos generated tens of thousands of views and content reached millions of impressions across platforms.
• Perception Shift: Citizens began engaging seriously with the benefits of buses and BRT, openly supporting the system and its potential.
• Policy Impact: The campaign provided a credible, people-powered narrative that strengthened the case for sustainable public transport in Delhi.

This wasn’t just about defending a government project - it was about creating citizen evangelists for sustainability. OMLogic proved that when you combine cultural cues, digital storytelling, and hard-hitting facts, you can shift the narrative even in the face of overwhelming negative PR. The Delhi Loves Buses campaign became a benchmark in using social media for public policy advocacy and behavioral change.