London, and transport in London, are unique, with a unique set of challenges. The city is big, diverse, opinionated and wilful. Public transport is vital, popular and crowded; the roundel its unofficial logo, Tubes and Buses its lifeblood.

So when the Prime Minister announced a national lockdown on March 23, 2020 in response to the threat of the COVID-19 virus, day to day operations as well as the very future of TfL changed irrevocably. It would never work in the same way again.

This paper outlines how the organisation stepped up to tackle its biggest peacetime threat, and the role of marketing and communications in supporting what had to be done.

It’s also about how the tens of thousands of staff working for and with the world’s largest integrated transport service pivoted to help London cope with the challenges of pandemic.

It’s a story not of sales success, but of ‘reverse marketing’ - how we reduced demand by 95%, whilst reassuring customers and staff about the cleanliness and safety of our network, and working...