The Rhetoric of the Brands of Metros and Buses in Ibero-America and Its Association with the Values of Public Transport

The role of public transportation in Ibero-America is significant in terms of economic efficiency and urban social cohesion. It possesses the capacity to attenuate disparities in health, employment, educational attainment, and recreational engagement. Furthermore, public transportation can serve as a catalyst for the formation of a collective identity among its users. This study methodically examines the relationship between the visual rhetorical language employed by public transportation systems in Ibero-America and the values associated with these media. The study is founded on the hypothesis that public transportation embodies fundamental principles such as equal opportunities, equity, accessibility, safety, and sustainability, which are essential for serving the most disadvantaged sectors. The research seeks to identify the extent to which these values are iconographically manifested in the brands of public transport systems, with the purpose of evaluating the coherence between the values that support these services and their visual representation. This study uses a methodology that combines qualitative and quantitative analysis to examine sixty-eight public transport companies in Ibero-America. The aim was to determine how the values of public transport are expressed in iconic, graphic, and visual ways and whether transport companies try to reflect these values in their branding. This study contributes to academic knowledge on visual rhetoric in public transport and provides valuable insights for effective brand design and management. The findings can be used to promote the consideration of universal transport values in brands, thereby contributing to more effective planning and management of public transport in the region.