Auckland Transport - WX1

​The WX1 is more than a bus route.

​For West Aucklanders, it’s an icon, the main artery carrying Westies into the city every day. But post-COVID, patronage had dropped, and the connection between the West and its most recognisable commute needed reigniting.

When the WX1 became the first route in New Zealand to receive a full new fleet of double-decker buses, Auckland Transport saw a rare cultural moment: a chance not just to upgrade the service, but to restore pride.

Rather than talk timetables or features, we celebrated identity. How The West Moves brought the soul of the West back to the WX1 by partnering with local hip-hop legends Church + AP to create an original track that captured everything Westies love about where they live.

The result was a campaign that didn’t feel like advertising at all, just a great song that happened to champion public transport.

Shot entirely on the bus, the music video mirrored the experience of riding the WX1: a moving snapshot of West Auckland life, where every trip reveals something different, unexpected and special. Every character based off someone that lives out west also.

People watched, listened and shared it without realising they were engaging with an Auckland Transport.

Launched just a week ago, early results already show an uplift in WX1 patronage, proof that when you respect culture, pride follows. And when pride returns, so do the people.​