Kolkata agency unveils ad campaign to promote trams for sustainable transport

Response India, a Kolkata-based advertising agency, has unveiled a public awareness campaign, 'Rolling Heritage, Moving Futures', recommending the adoption of trams as the most suitable sustainable mass transit solution for Indian cities.

Introduced in India first with Kolkata in 1873, and followed by other cities such as Mumbai (1874), Nashik (1889), Chennai (1895), etc, Kolkata, incidentally, is the only city left in India which operates trams even today.

Tram in old Kolkata

The Kolkata agency's campaign aims to regenerate interest among India's common public and government authorities at the central, state, and municipal levels about Kolkata's trams by showcasing their eco-friendly nature and historical importance. Released in the form of hand-painted watercolour illustrations, the campaign aims to foster a visual narrative capturing the heritage value of trams. The illustrations also highlight the zero-emission capability of these historic vehicles, a compelling reason for their adoption even today.

Rashi Ray, director, Response India

"Kolkata's trams are more than a mode of transport; they are living monuments of our history and resilience," said Rashi Ray, director, Response India. "As cities struggle with rising pollution and congestion, a tram offers a zero-emission, space-efficient solution rooted in our heritage."

The campaign comes at a time when Kolkata's tram network has been progressively diminished, with government restrictions limiting their operations. Despite this decline, Response India is advocating for a renewed commitment to sustainable urban transport, showcasing trams as a potential solution to modern environmental challenges.

Another watercolour illustration from the campaign

Entirely created by the agency's in-house team, the campaign features hand-illustrated watercolour artworks predominantly in yellow, symbolising the warmth and vibrancy of Kolkata's transport heritage. The digital campaign will be unveiled on Instagram and aims to spark conversations about sustainable urban mobility.

"We will be shooting on the trams and digitally unveiling the illustrations of our campaign theme on Instagram," said Ray.

The campaign release has been timed with World Sustainability Transport Day (WSTD) 2024 and aligns with the United Nations' WSTD theme of 'Connecting Communities, Reducing Emissions'. The agency plans to develop similar sustainability-focused campaigns in future.