Campaign #1: Boston Just Got Closer

BACKGROUND: Due to improvements the infrastructure, the train speed was able to increase in certain areas. This allowed travel time on the train to Boston to be reduced by 1/4 hour. 

CREATIVE CHALLENGE: A time savings of 15 minutes was not going to sell train tickets. We needed to magnify the benefit to engage riders without being cheesy.

CREATIVE SOLUTION: We decided to focus on two things: 1) specifically where train riders might want to go, and 2) the fact that wherever they were going “just got closer”.

DESIGN: We wanted potential riders to picture themselves already at their destination, so we hired an illustrator  to create inviting images that were vague enough to allow all sorts of people to picture themselves in the ads. Original illustrations also helped these modest-sized ads stand out in the newspapers.

RESULTS: Ridership increased with each of the several campaigns we did for the Downeaster.

Campaign #2: Real Quiet

BACKGROUND: Although ridership had been steadily increasing, there were still many people choosing to drive rather than take the train to Boston. 

OBJECTIVE: We wanted to give those people a compelling reason to take the train instead.

CREATIVE DIRECTION: We chose to focus on the relative quiet of the train and all of the enjoyment that one could imagine en route to their destination.

DESIGN: We developed a two-pronged approach, adapting our creative direction for two broad markets: business commuters and leisure day-trippers.

For commuters, our quiet ads demonstrated the experience: quiet, ability to focus, space to work and think.

For day-trippers, our similarly quiet ads focused on the ability to enjoy their companions, or some alone time if riding solo. 

CLICK HERE if you'd like to see what creative approach we can develop to promote your organization.