The automated fare collection (AFC) system will be an integral part of the Budapest cityscape and also of customers’ everyday lives; therefore prior to naming the scheme, BKK conducted a questionnaire-based customer expectation survey in 2013 along with international benchmarking of best practice for branding similar systems throughout the world. The results show that mostly names of animals are preferred, such as oyster, octopus or hummingbird, but also precious stones, fruits and playful names are used. What they all have in common is the allusion to security, freedom, flexibility and easiness of use. Experience shows that these names, especially the animals, tend to become well-liked and usable brand names. RIGO, the name chosen for the Budapest system, is the acronym for Reliable, Integrated, GO and thus it represents the advantages of automated fare collection. Additionally, the name represents a bird, the thrush (rigó), it is easily liked and remembered and it also has a strong association to Hungarian culture as this bird frequently features in folksongs and poems. The main goal was to create a brand name for the AFC that is close to the Hungarian heart, easy to understand, unique, is not offensive to anyone and highlights the positive features of the service. At the same time, foreign customers will also find the name expressive as the “ri” syllable of rigó is pronounced the same as “re-“ in English, which refers to regularity and repetition while the “go” syllable evokes dynamism and mobility.
