ULTRALIGHT ARTIST SERIES
THE CHALLENGE
COTA was transitioning its community partner passes from paper swipe cards to durable, laminated single-use passes with embedded chips for a faster, more efficient boarding experience, as part of a broader effort to shift to fully digital fares. We needed to honor the nonprofits and organizations that make Columbus stronger while ensuring their clients experienced a seamless transition. At the same time, many community organizations remained unaware of COTA's Community Partner Pass Program and the resources available to support their work.
THE OBJECTIVE
Ensure seamless adoption of the new chip-enabled passes by community partners and their clients and use the transition to demonstrate COTA's commitment to celebrating the diverse communities we serve.
THE APPROACH
We commissioned Columbus-based artists representing diverse cultural perspectives and artistic styles to design both Day and 31-Day Passes for COTA’s nonprofit partners, turning everyday passes into an expression of local culture.
Direct communications to nonprofit partners announced the pass upgrade and explained the new chip technology and the community connection. To support implementation, we created a how-to-ride video that partners could share with their clients, ensuring a smooth transition to the new boarding process. Social media videos spotlighted each artist and their design, introducing broader audiences to COTA’s Community Partner Pass Program and reinforcing COTA’s commitment to the community.
This multi-channel approach educated partners who depend on these passes while celebrating what makes Columbus unique and honoring the communities COTA serves by centering local voices.
MEET THE ARTISTS BEHIND THE DESIGNS
We produced individual videos for each artist, spotlighting their creative process and the inspiration behind their pass designs.
EQUIPPING PARTNERS FOR A SMOOTH TRANSITION
Nonprofit partners received communications explaining the pass upgrade and introducing the artist designs, along with a how-to-ride video they could share with clients to ensure everyone understood the new boarding process.
