Marketing on overground train stations and inside trains

[Schnell Solutions]

Do we have anyone here who has experience in marketing goods/services at train stations/inside trains? We are thinking of launching a product and would like to grab people's attention who travel by train.

Anyone?

 

[fisicx]

All the billboards at my local station have the name of the advertising agency on the frame. Ask them.

As to advertising on the actual trains, each franchise will have a marketing team that deal with this. You need to Google who they are

 

[ethical PR]

Advertising on trains isn't handled by marketing teams at train companies. It is handled by media companies that are given a contract to run outdoor and on train advertising.

This is one of them.

https://www.exterionmedia.com/uk

As @Fiscix says you can normally see which company handles outdoor (ambient) ads at a rail station.

You can run promotions at major rail stations.

 

[Schnell Solutions]

Thanks @fisicx @ethical PR. I will reach out to them.

I was also hoping, someone on our forum would have used them in the past and can throw some pointers on dos and don'ts.

I will reach out to them. Thanks!

 

[ethical PR]

I have done quite a lot of outdoor and on train advertising in various areas.

It's like any other advertising:

1. Make sure the channels you are using will engage your target audience
2. Have a strong call to action/contact for further information
3. Invest in quality quality design and copy.
4. Make sure you build in ways to evaluate the success of your advertising campaign
5. Make sure the advertising campaign links to your wider marketing plan/activity

Specifically for train advertising/at train stations:

• You need to allow for design/print/wrapping as well as ad costs.
• You need a specialist printer if you don't use their print service
• You may need to wait for popular sites/routes.
• You often need to take a minimum number of ad spaces
• Works best for FMCG, Events/cinema screenings and awareness raising (as part of a wider ad campaign on and offline).

 

[saythisinstead.co.uk]

I have a huge amount of experience of train advertising.

I've been on literally 1,000's of trains and have never once responded to an ad. I also have nil recollection of anything I ever saw advertised there. You have no idea what % of people on the train are your target market.

I strongly advise that for the next week, you ask around and see if anyone you meet has ever responded to an ad they saw on a train.

It's the same reason I see big motorway billboards with 'advertise here'. If they worked do you really think they'd throw away a profit opportunity by advertising there themselves.

Same with fuel pumps and cinema advertising, back of parking tickets. etc etc etc etc etc.....the people who run these 'advertising opportunities' tend not to get repeat customers [if the customer makes sure they can measure the response] because [unless you have £1,000,000 budget]....they don't produce an R.O.I

 

[ethical PR]

1. If outdoor ads in large towns and cities and transport advertising didn't work. Big brands wouldn't invest in them.

2. Of course brands understand their target demographic and only invest in advertising channels that work for them. So if you invest in London Underground ads for example, you will know what sort of 'opportunities to see' you will receive and the demographic that use the tube at various times of the day. Same if you invest in bus advertising or what we call ambient or outdoor ads in towns and cities.

3. And you are wrong, these advertising channels do get many repeat customers.

4. It doesn't appear that you understand how brand awareness works. Brands will invest in advertising in a number of channels that work for their target market - at football grounds, on outdoor ad spaces, promotions at train stations, in magazines, on buses for example as well on social media, editorial coverage etc. Collectively this will help build awareness of a brand and encourage brand loyalty and attract new customers. They certainly do provide a measurable ROI.

 

[fisicx]

Same with adverts on roundabouts and in taxis. I don’t remember any of them.

A lot of brands are rethinking their marketing because they have discovered the ROI isn’t there.

 

[saythisinstead.co.uk]

ethical PR.

I understand perfectly how brand awareness works.

The original post said 'we are thinking of launching a product......'

The last thing they need is 'branding'....what they need is 'direct response advertising'

Millions are spent on branding....we are not talking about 'branding' though are we?

I happen to know that the vast majority of businesses who try any of the methods I mentioned in my response, will simply lose money. Encouraging them to try a method that is not measurable [in terms of roi] is a bit misguided to say the least

 

[saythisinstead.co.uk]

ethical PR.

Could you tell us how the roi on these big 'branding' exercises is measured?

I mean actually...'we spent this amount with xyz and it produced this amount of revenue?'

 

[ethical PR]

ethical PR.

Could you tell us how the roi on these big 'branding' exercises is measured?

I mean actually...'we spent this amount with xyz and it produced this amount of revenue?'

You would need to ask them what specific measurements they use. It all depends on their marketing objectives. Not all are about revenue generation.

But look at Marketing Week, PR Week and Campaigns if you are interested. They often carry case studies.

 

[saythisinstead.co.uk]

No need to ask them.....I already know.

 

[ethical PR]

ethical PR.

I understand perfectly how brand awareness works.

The original post said 'we are thinking of launching a product......'

The last thing they need is 'branding'....what they need is 'direct response advertising'

Millions are spent on branding....we are not talking about 'branding' though are we?

I happen to know that the vast majority of businesses who try any of the methods I mentioned in my response, will simply lose money. Encouraging them to try a method that is not measurable [in terms of roi] is a bit misguided to say the least

What a rude post @saythisinstead.co.uk

I didn't encourage the OP to invest in transport advertising for his launch. He asked if people have experience of using it. I do. I gave him advice based on using this type of advertising successfully and my twenty odd years of experience heading up marketing and communications functions.

I don't know what his product or service is or his target audience so have no idea whether transport advertising would be a suitable channel for him as part of wider marketing activity for his launch.

Do link to the research that shows that that the 'vast majority of businesses' who use outdoor and transport advertising 'will simply lose money'.

This is the advice I gave him

"It's like any other advertising:

1. Make sure the channels you are using will engage your target audience
2. Have a strong call to action/contact for further information
3. Invest in quality design and copy.
4. Make sure you build in ways to evaluate the success of your advertising campaign
5. Make sure the advertising campaign links to your wider marketing plan/activity"

Please quote where I encouraged the OP to try a method of advertising which wasn't measurable.

 

[ethical PR]

No need to ask them.....I already know.

So why bother asking me in the first place? Just to play games and waste my time?

 

[WithinSocial]

Everything apart from everyone said, if you're launching something good for the young I strongly recommend use social media there will soon be no or comparatively less outdoor and them prices will soon drop dramatically. Social media advertising gives you round the clock attention of people with measurable ROI and outdoor just gives hypothetical ROI. One train usually carries 100 passengers but that's not always the case. Second best marketing tool is Google the world of marketing will change completely soon as in 5 years ask me if you have any questions

 

[WithinSocial]

A lot of these players are revamping their algorithms and the GDPR has not done slight damage to any platform so far... think where you put your money you earned it don't waste it on outdoor

 

[Dan (CE)]

@Schnell Solutions if you're going to advertise something that directly relates to trainists, these billboards may well work, but they're better for brand awareness as others have said.

Launching a product usually includes a tight budget which needs a good ROI, so a great digital funnel is your best bet.

You'll need Facebook Ads with great audience targeting and/or Google AdWords with the right keywords, an interesting ad, an optimised landing page to make sure they give you their details and finally a great offer to make sure they do.

Have you thought about advertising online instead?