Using Social Marketing to Increase Bicycle Ridership to Major Events in Vancouver, Canada

Abstract

This case examines the social marketing efforts of Better Environmentally Sound Transportation (BEST) in Vancouver, Canada. BEST encourages bicyclists to ride to major local entertainment events by providing convenient and secure bicycle parking at these events. The goal of BEST is to increase bicycle ridership to major events in order to reduce traffic congestion at events, with the secondary goal of encouraging bicycling more generally. BEST works with event planners to offer secure, professionally attended bicycle corrals at major events where cyclists can store their bikes and their bicycling gear. This can increase bicyclists’ self-efficacy toward cycling to major events. By offering a useful service, making the service free for cyclists, conveniently locating bike corrals, and promoting their service in locations that cyclists frequent such as bike shops, BEST has developed a successful social marketing campaign to reduce event traffic congestion and encourage bicycling.