East Coast railway is urging business travellers to ditch the plane and try the train in a major direct marketing campaign.
The push, devised by Tullo Marshall Warren, is designed to stimulate customer engagement and encourage brand recognition among people who have not considered train travel for business. The campaign comprises direct mail, email, CRM activity and press.
East Coast is offering a free first class ticket on its trains to persuade businesspeople working in Edinburgh or Newcastle who usually fly to London for business. The train operator is also targeting existing East Coast business travellers and members of its loyalty scheme, who are being incentivised for recommending and converting their ‘flying’ colleagues to try the train.
The creative features a series of colourful ‘doodles’ that are witty and conversational in tone, tapping into the truisms of business travel, observing the disadvantages of flying and highlighting the benefits of travelling with East Coast trains. The ‘doodles’ are illustrated using the vibrant colour of purple; the brand’s identity.
Direct mailpacks are being sent to business travellers who usually fly, providing them with information about the service as well as details of the free first class ticket. Emails are being sent to existing East Coast customers and loyalty scheme members, incentivising them to recommend a friend/colleague to take up the free ticket offer. SMS will be sent to customers who have booked a flight between Edinburgh or Newcastle to London. The activity will be supported by press ads and leaflets.
East Coast business marketing manager Sara Borland said: “We love the brilliantly simple but effective creative developed by TMW. It speaks to the business audience in a language they can empathise with, while also taking a well-known phrase and giving it a refreshing compelling, business-oriented spin. We are confident we will see a surge in business travellers preferring to take the train with East Coast.”
