Amtrak has just begun a new advertising campaign. The first ad itself can be viewed at the link below.
I am impressed with the upbeat tone of the advertisement and the fact that it largely pictures Regional/National Network scenic backgrounds. Ads like this give a nice idea of what an Amtrak train is like, but the question most consequential to new riders is something else--namely where can I/we go?
So at the risk of being a "Deja Vue all over again" person, like Cassandra, (the mythological Greek seer whose infallibly accurate predictions were never believed but always came to pass) I will say something again I preached for the past 60+ years.
What Amtrak most needs is a route-specific series of advertisements that will show not only generic train images but tell prospective travelers where they could go on Amtrak, on what train and why they might want to do so. This is something Amtrak has done fitfully in the past, but barely at all for the last few years since ex-Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson hollowed out the marketing effort to enhance short-term cost reduction at the expense of long-term ridership.
I want to see/hear ads with scripts like this:
(The text would accompany slides/film of the CZ enroute through the Rockies, using mostly exterior but also near the end brief shots from inside the train).
"Did you know Amtrak's CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR makes a daylight crossing of the Rockies and the Sierra Nevada Mountains? Did you know that the train can take you not only from Chicago to San Fransisco, but also to mile-high Denver, or to ski at Winter Park, to swim and "take the cure" at Glenwood Springs, enjoy the Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake City, chance the slots in Reno? The CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR offers leg-rest reclining seat coaches, a glass-topped sightseer lounge car, a smart diner with chef-prepared meals and truly comfortable sleeping cars with a variety of rooms. Visit Amtrak.com for details and to book or call us on 1-800-USA RAIL. All Aboard when you retrain!"
Obviously similar ads could/should be produced for each national network train. There could also be a "National Network" specific ad that would feature displaying the Amtrak map and emphasizing that Amtrak truly connects America. Other presentations would show riders what is a Leg-Rest coach, or a "Sightseer Lounge", a Roomette, or a "Traditional Dining Car".
For example something for a National Network Intro Ad might offer something like this text:
"Did you know that Amtrak can take you to over 500 cities and towns on its inter-connected national network and we can do it in comfort at a fair price? A train is different from a plane. Our least expensive seat offers more leg-room than the coach section of any plane with no middle seats. Our LAKESHORE LIMITED doesn't just take you from New York to Chicago, but also provides travel options to cities and towns enroute; like Albany, Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, Cleveland and Toledo. Plus small towns like Sandusky, OH or Bryan, Indiana to name just a few. Amtrak often goes where no other public travel options still exist. You can revisit our map, learn about our comfortable trains and book your trip at Amtrak.com, or call us on 1-800-USA RAIL. All Aboard when you retrain!"
This sort of campaign needs the involvement of experienced Amtrak staff. Advertising agencies can put the script, pictures, film and sound together, but they do not have the expertise to do commercials well for specific services. Amtrak itself should provide that expertise. You can get fine generic stuff from an ad agency, but Amtrak has long-since passed the time when it needed to devote most of its efforts to telling Americans that "trains are back", or "we're making the trains worth riding again". People know generally (and too often vaguely) that Amtrak exists. Now they need to know where the trains go and why they should try rail. To appropriate another oldie (but still very goodie) tell Amtrak's prospective riders "Next time take the train!"
https://media.amtrak.com/2024/10/retrain-travel-30-second-commercial/
I am impressed with the upbeat tone of the advertisement and the fact that it largely pictures Regional/National Network scenic backgrounds. Ads like this give a nice idea of what an Amtrak train is like, but the question most consequential to new riders is something else--namely where can I/we go?
So at the risk of being a "Deja Vue all over again" person, like Cassandra, (the mythological Greek seer whose infallibly accurate predictions were never believed but always came to pass) I will say something again I preached for the past 60+ years.
What Amtrak most needs is a route-specific series of advertisements that will show not only generic train images but tell prospective travelers where they could go on Amtrak, on what train and why they might want to do so. This is something Amtrak has done fitfully in the past, but barely at all for the last few years since ex-Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson hollowed out the marketing effort to enhance short-term cost reduction at the expense of long-term ridership.
I want to see/hear ads with scripts like this:
(The text would accompany slides/film of the CZ enroute through the Rockies, using mostly exterior but also near the end brief shots from inside the train).
"Did you know Amtrak's CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR makes a daylight crossing of the Rockies and the Sierra Nevada Mountains? Did you know that the train can take you not only from Chicago to San Fransisco, but also to mile-high Denver, or to ski at Winter Park, to swim and "take the cure" at Glenwood Springs, enjoy the Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake City, chance the slots in Reno? The CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR offers leg-rest reclining seat coaches, a glass-topped sightseer lounge car, a smart diner with chef-prepared meals and truly comfortable sleeping cars with a variety of rooms. Visit Amtrak.com for details and to book or call us on 1-800-USA RAIL. All Aboard when you retrain!"
Obviously similar ads could/should be produced for each national network train. There could also be a "National Network" specific ad that would feature displaying the Amtrak map and emphasizing that Amtrak truly connects America. Other presentations would show riders what is a Leg-Rest coach, or a "Sightseer Lounge", a Roomette, or a "Traditional Dining Car".
For example something for a National Network Intro Ad might offer something like this text:
"Did you know that Amtrak can take you to over 500 cities and towns on its inter-connected national network and we can do it in comfort at a fair price? A train is different from a plane. Our least expensive seat offers more leg-room than the coach section of any plane with no middle seats. Our LAKESHORE LIMITED doesn't just take you from New York to Chicago, but also provides travel options to cities and towns enroute; like Albany, Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, Cleveland and Toledo. Plus small towns like Sandusky, OH or Bryan, Indiana to name just a few. Amtrak often goes where no other public travel options still exist. You can revisit our map, learn about our comfortable trains and book your trip at Amtrak.com, or call us on 1-800-USA RAIL. All Aboard when you retrain!"
This sort of campaign needs the involvement of experienced Amtrak staff. Advertising agencies can put the script, pictures, film and sound together, but they do not have the expertise to do commercials well for specific services. Amtrak itself should provide that expertise. You can get fine generic stuff from an ad agency, but Amtrak has long-since passed the time when it needed to devote most of its efforts to telling Americans that "trains are back", or "we're making the trains worth riding again". People know generally (and too often vaguely) that Amtrak exists. Now they need to know where the trains go and why they should try rail. To appropriate another oldie (but still very goodie) tell Amtrak's prospective riders "Next time take the train!"
https://media.amtrak.com/2024/10/retrain-travel-30-second-commercial/
