OVERVIEW
Mears Connect is a family-friendly airport shuttle service backed by Mears Transportation, quickly becoming Orlando’s #1 airport-to-resort provider with safe, affordable, and reliable rides to top hotels and resorts.
Services
- Marketing Strategy & Positioning
- UX Design & Wireframing
- UI Design & Theming
- Website Development
- Search Engine Optimization
- Application Design
The Challenge
As rideshare giants like Uber and Lyft became the default choice for travelers, Mears identified a growing frustration among families and tourists facing unpredictable wait times and surging fares. Determined to offer a more reliable and cost-effective solution, the company set out to launch Mears Connect— a new shuttle service designed to move passengers seamlessly from Orlando International Airport to major resort destinations across Disney, Universal, and I-Drive.
Although Mears had decades of brand equity and operational expertise behind them, Mears Connect was a new product without a clear digital presence. There was no dedicated website or landing page to promote the service, and the initial booking system, while functional, was difficult to navigate, particularly on mobile. Conversion rates were low, and travelers weren’t getting the seamless, family-friendly experience the brand envisioned.
To succeed in a market dominated by tech-driven platforms, Mears needed to differentiate this offering, craft a user experience built for trust and ease, and scale awareness quickly, all without diluting the reputation of its premium black car service.
Marketing Strategy & Positioning
Launching a new service in a competitive, rideshare-dominated market required a thoughtful brand strategy. We partnered with the Mears marketing team to position Mears Connect as a trustworthy, family-friendly alternative to Uber and Lyft, offering simplicity, safety, and savings for travelers heading to Orlando’s top destinations.
To protect the legacy of Mears’ black car services, we established Mears Connect as a budget-friendly sub-brand, using clear differentiation and character-driven branding to appeal to vacationing families. By leveraging Mears’ existing brand equity and implementing a strategic cross-linking SEO structure, we ensured Mears Connect would rank alongside its parent brand while carving out its own identity in the market.
Website
UX Design & Wireframing
Our UX team created a streamlined, mobile-first layout focused on three core goals: making the site family-friendly, clearly highlighting Mears Connect’s value over rideshares, and establishing trust through the Mears brand. With wireframes built around fast access to booking and clear calls-to-action, we ensured users had a smooth, engaging experience from their first visit to their final click.
WEBSITE DESIGN
UI Design
We brought the Mears Connect brand to life through vibrant visuals, playful character illustrations, and bold, family-friendly theming. The UI emphasized clarity and trust, using clean layouts and cheerful color schemes to reinforce the value proposition. Every design element was tailored to guide users through a welcoming, worry-free booking experience.
Development
To prioritize performance and SEO, we built the site using a custom Bootstrap framework with no backend database. This decision allowed us to achieve lightning-fast speeds, enhanced security, and minimal maintenance. The site was fully responsive and rigorously QA-tested, delivering a reliable and scalable platform to support high traffic volumes and maximize organic visibility at launch.
Application Design
Initial booking flows showed a major drop-off, especially on mobile. We redesigned the booking application experience with a condensed, user-friendly layout, cutting unnecessary steps and making the form mobile-first. After launching the improved flow, conversions jumped from 2% to 12%, eventually reaching 16% with further refinements. The new experience made booking faster, simpler, and more aligned with user expectations.
Digital Marketing
Search Engine Optimization Campaign
We leveraged SEO equity from MearsTransportation.com to help Mears Connect rank alongside the established parent brand. Our team implemented targeted content updates, 301 redirects, and thorough QA testing. Combined with Search Console integration and technical optimization, these efforts ensured authority transfer and positioned the site to capture high-volume airport transportation search traffic from day one.
Thanks to their solid knowledge of UI/UX, Brandcoders was able to produce high-quality work and deliver a mobile-friendly website. Not only did the team have strong project management skills, but they were also attentive and engaged throughout the project. Overall, they were a diligent partner.
Krisztina Toth
Director of Digital Marketing, MEARS TRANSPORTATION
THE RESULTS
We Drove Mears Connect From Launch to Market Leader
Following the launch, Mears Connect’s conversion rate jumped from 2% to 12%, eventually reaching 16% with ongoing optimizations to messaging and booking flow. What began as a concept in 2021 is now Mears’ leading airport transportation product driving consistent revenue growth and continuing to scale as travelers recognize its value, simplicity, and trusted brand backing.