The BVG Frauenticket (Women’s Ticket) is the world’s first women's transportation ticket created to highlight the 21% gender pay gap in Germany. The action aimed to take a stand for equal rights and appeal to women as a potential employer committed to gender equality. By creating the Women’s Ticket, BVG was able to create awareness and specifically target women for their recruitment program. Advertising careers at BVG with guaranteed equal pay for equal work.

1. The German Federal Bureau of Statistics reports that Germany has a gender pay gap of 21% - the second largest gender pay gap in Europe. March 18th is marked as "Equal Pay Day" but few care about this and awareness of the 21% pay gap is low.

2. Women don’t normally consider a career with the Berlin Transportation Authority and it has a traditionally ‘male’ image. BVG needs to take extra measures towards reaching a better employee gender balance.

Brief

Build an emotional connection with Berliners and build the perception of BVG as a company that stands for equality. Make BVG an attractive brand for women, especially as a prospective employer.

Objectives

Bring attention to Germany's 21% gender pay gap and take a stand for women's rights. Engage with Berlin women and promote BVG as a potential employer - with a strict policy of equal pay for equal work.

The Frauenticket (Women’s Ticket) is the world’s first women's public transportation ticket created to highlight the gender pay gap. The Women’s Ticket allowed Berlin women to travel for 21% less and was available from over 600 ticket machines across the city on Equal Pay Day. BVG placed a targeted recruitment message on the payment receipt of each Women’s Ticket - encouraging women to apply for a career with equal pay for equal work at careers.bvg.de

BVG aimed to make their brand more appealing to Berlin women - and more attractive as a potential employer. BVG sought to achieve this by addressing a sensitive and vital issue affecting German women: the 21% gender pay gap. Using their power and influence, BVG aimed to stand up for women's rights and drive awareness around this inequality. And then provide the ultimate solution: equal pay for equal work. By announcing its strict equal pay policies, BVG would stand as an example to other businesses to address imbalances and close the gender pay gap once and for all.

In the week before Equal Pay Day, BVG announced the Women’s Ticket and the 21% discount for women on March 18th. The call-to-action was placed across the Berlin transit network using posters, billboards, platform signage, and digital screens inside busses, trams, and trains. This was supplemented by a press release, radio spot, website and paid social ads. On March 18th, BVG brought the Women’s Ticket to 600+ touchpoints across Berlin and unveiled a specially modified Women’s Ticket Machine inside the Alexanderplatz subway station in the center of the city. The machine used gender recognition technology to identify women and offer a full range of 21% discounted tickets - including yearly tickets with savings of 160 euros. The Women’s Ticket payment receipt carried a targeted message: "Instead of paying 21% less - earn 21% more.” - encouraging women to apply for careers with guaranteed equal pay at careers.bvg.de

The BVG Women's Ticket story brought Equal Pay Day onto the evening news of every German broadcaster on March 18th. The initiative sparked a discussion on gender equality and equal pay all over the world.

- Over 1,500 articles and reports

- Featured in 66 TV news broadcasts in Europe

- 6.7 billion media contacts

- 107 equivalent million media value

- Ticket sales increased by 3,600%

- March 18th search queries for 'Equal Pay' on Google.de increased by 1,900% compared to previous years on Equal Pay Day.

(source: Google Trends, BVG, media tracking by Argus Data Insights)