Challenge
Malmö stands out as a leading cycling city, thanks to its flat landscape, well-designed infrastructure, and progressive transport policies. In addition, the city’s compact layout means most destinations are reachable within 15 minutes by bicycle. With over 560 kilometres of cycle paths, cyclists enjoy dedicated space without having to compete with motorists. As a result, 26% of all trips are made by bike.
Despite the favourable conditions for cycling, Malmö experiences nearly half a million car trips on a typical day. A travel habits survey conducted in autumn 2003 revealed that almost 50% of car trips are shorter than five kilometres, therefore, “half of all car journeys in Malmö are ridiculously short” indicating that many residents could opt for walking, cycling, or public transport instead. Transitioning from short car trips to these alternatives could lead to improved air quality, reduced noise, and decreased congestion, ultimately enhancing the overall health of Malmö's residents.
Building on Malmö’s long-standing commitment to sustainable transport, including the Street Office’s work since 2001 and leadership in the EU Civitas SMILE project, the City of Malmö launched a public campaign to promote cycling, walking, and public transport by highlighting their benefits for health, time, finances, and the environment.
Solution
The campaign used humorous ads showing exaggerated car trips, such as driving to a nearby mailbox. These visuals were placed around the city to spark conversation and reflection. The initiative also included prize contests, school and workplace involvement, street teams engaging with the public, branded giveaways, and an informative website.
Changing habits and capturing attention were key challenges. Malmö addressed these by using humour to make the message stick, involving the community in both planning and outreach, offering incentives to boost engagement, and using follow-up surveys to track progress. Materials were designed for long-term use to keep the message alive.
Images
Video
Want to learn more about the lessons learned, financial details and results?
Log inImplementers
City of Malmö (Malmö Stad)
Service providers
IT and web development firms; Marketing and advertising agencies; Event logistics companies; Survey and research firms; Promotional product suppliers
End users
Urban residents of Malmö who frequently used cars for short trips; Commuters who had viable alternatives to driving; Local families and individuals who could be encouraged to shift to more sustainable transport modes.