Before this national campaign, Amtrak’s advertising efforts were concentrated in promoting services in the Northeastern corridor, such as the Acela high-speed train from Washington to Boston, according to Darlene Abubakar, Amtrak’s senior director of national advertising. “We have a huge market share in the Corridor,” she said. “Before, we had a more linear approach, promoting certain products like Acela. Now we want to focus on the brand holistically.”
Key Takeaways:
- Amtrak has a new video ad campaign that takes airlines to task for making passengers uncomfortable. Amtrak positions itself as offering some relief to frustrated travelers.
- The target market is comprised of new Amtrak customers, people who consistently drive or fly, rather than commuters who already use Amtrak regularly.
- The popularity of basic economy shows that many travelers would rather grit their teeth through the discomfort than pay more.
“Amtrak’s incoming CEO, Richard Anderson — formerly the CEO of Delta Air Lines — has some people worried that Amtrak will mimic the airlines and move forward with restrictive basic economy service.”
https://skift.com/2017/09/15/amtrak-ads-call-out-air-travel-while-execs-mull-basic-economy/