HONG KONG
Following the announcement of a merger of the franchised operations of Citybus and New World First Bus (NWFB), Citybus is updating its brand image as it begins to replace that of NWFB. Citybus unveiled its updated brand image at a launch ceremony held on 31 May. Citybus says it will start replacing the NWFB logos on its fleet with the new Citybus logo, in parallel with a public and a staff online vote to pick the future livery of its combined fleet.
The yellow buses of Citybus have served Hong Kong for almost 45 years, its arrow icon having become a familiar sight. In anticipation of the merger, the ‘C’ logo has been modernised and simplified, which the operator says will ‘make it an even more prominent symbol that instantly resonates, whilst maintaining the brand spirit of speed and a forward-thinking mentality.’ Yellow will remain as Citybus’ corporate colour, but the operator has shown five new livery concepts, which it has asked the general public to consider and vote for their favourite. Each of the five options has been applied to a bus to allow people to see what they look like in real life. The two favourite options from the public vote will be voted on by staff to decide the final livery.
Chairman of Citybus Cliff Zhang said: “Citybus joined the franchised bus industry in 1991. After nearly 30 years of evolution, we can finally integrate with our sister company, NWFB, to serve as One Citybus. The merger provides us with a perfect opportunity to update our brand image, making it more distinctive and modern, whilst maintaining the innovative spirit of both Citybus and NWFB.” The company employs over 5,000 staff and operates over 1,700 buses across Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories and carries over 1m customers per day.
