Amtrak unveils new campaign to compete with air and road travel

AMTRAK IS HOPING A NEW MARKETING CAMPAIGN WILL GET MORE PEOPLE ON BOARD. 

:02 picture the travel part of travel … now picture a better way

THE “RETRAIN TRAVEL” ADS WILL MOSTLY APPEAR ONLINE AND AROUND TRANSIT HUBS.

IT’S ALL PART OF AMTRAK’S CONTINUED EFFORT TO TRY AND SWAY PEOPLE WHO PREFER TO DRIVE OR FLY. 

AN EXCLUSIVE REPORT BY “THE WALL STREET JOURNAL” DIVES INTO THE CHALLENGES THE COMPANY HAS FACED.

INDUSTRY EXPERTS SAY THE ISSUE HAS BEEN SUPPLY … INCLUDING NEW TRAIN PRODUCTION AND PARTS MANAGEMENT … WHICH HAS AFFECTED OPERATIONS. 

A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE RAIL TRAVELERS ASSOCIATION SAYS TICKETS FOR AMTRAK DO OFTEN SELL OUT MONTHS IN ADVANCE, BUT THE CONCEPT CAN BE A HARD SELL FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.

MANY SEE TRAIN TRAVEL AS SLOW AND UNRELIABLE. 

TO COMBAT THAT … AMTRAK’S CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER SAYS THE COMPANY HAS RAMPED UP INVESTMENT IN THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE FROM ITS APP TO ON-BOARD HOSPITALITY. 

AMTRAK HAS ALSO BEEN WORKING TO REFURBISH ITS STATIONS AND UPGRADE ITS TRAINS … THANKS TO 20-21’S ONE TRILLION DOLLAR INFRASTRUCTURE LAW WHICH GAVE THE RAILROAD 22 BILLION DOLLARS IN DIRECT AID. 

ACCORDING TO NUMBERS FROM THE DATA-INTELLIGENCE FIRM “MORNING CONSULT” … 83 PERCENT OF AMERICANS HAVE HEARD OF AMTRAK, *BUT* THE PERCENTAGE OF THOSE WHO SAY THEY’RE CONSIDERING BECOMING A CUSTOMER IS MUCH LOWER AT 23 PERCENT. 

ANCHOR: 

SINCE AMTRAK STARTED MORE THAN 50 YEARS AGO … IT’S BEEN TRYING TO CONVERT FREQUENT FLYERS.

FOR EXAMPLE … THIS 1983 CAMPAIGN FEATURED THE TAGLINE “TAKE OFF WITHOUT LEAVING THE GROUND.”

all aboard … all aboard amtrak

ADS LIKE THIS ENDED UP CLASHING WITH NEWS OF LATE ARRIVAL TIMES.

FLYING ULTIMATELY BECAME CHEAPER AND A HABIT FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.

NOW, AMTRAK EXECUTIVES POINT TO AIR TRAVEL COMPLAINTS SKYROCKETING AND TRAFFIC CONGESTION PROBLEMS … AS MORE REASONS TO TRAVEL BY TRAIN. 

FOR SAN I’M … JACK AYLMER.

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