Hasta La Ideas

Following on the watery trail left by the Oyster, Orca and Octopus cards, Merseyside is the latest authority to introduce a transport payment card with the name of an aquatic animal: the Walrus

With a name and visual identity created by Liverpool-based Kenyonfraser, the Walrus was introduced on September 19, though it will take two years to roll out completely. The cards can be use across Merseytravel’s buses, trains and ferries (“Across the Merseyyyyy…etc”).

And the name? It’s a Beatles tie-in, of course. According to Merseytravel’s Ian Kenyon, “Obviously, Walrus has a link to Liverpool’s Beatles heritage, but more significantly the brand builds on the successes of Octopus, Orca and Oyster and other international smartcard brands… with an appropriate edge of Liverpool humour. The brand was tested and reviewed by three independent panels.”

The Orca card was introduced into the Puget Sound region of the US in 2009, while Hong Kong launched its Octopus card back in 1997

London’s Oyster card launched in 2003