Try the Train

Northern Trains and CreativeRace launch an interactive billboard in the heart of Manchester.

An interactive billboard was unveiled on Oxford Road on 5th February, offering commuters and passers-by the chance to peel away a free voucher for unlimited day travel for two on Northern Train routes.

Key Highlights:

The billboard featured 384 free tear-away tickets.
A QR code offering a 50% discount becomes available once all tickets are claimed and remains active until 19th February 2024.

CreativeRace's billboard design features a variety of professions, breaking away from the stereotypical 9-5 office commuter.

The creative concept is part of Northern Trains' 'Try the Train' campaign. The brief from Northern Trains was to reposition the traditional train commute to appeal to a new range of commuters across the North, allowing Northern Trains to unlock new pockets of growth. As a result, the billboard design highlights a broad spectrum of professionals, including beauticians, tradesmen, doctors, and others who may not typically identify with the conventional 'commuter' term.

This guerrilla stunt exemplifies CreativeRace's innovative approach to marketing. The team collaborated seamlessly with AMS Media Group to bring this project to life.

Mark Powles, commercial and customer director for Northern, said: “Our new ‘Try the Train’ campaign is ‘exactly what it says on the tin’. We want to encourage people that don’t normally use the train to give us a go, be that for the commute, a night out or weekend away. The ‘tearaway’ tickets are on a ‘first come, first serve’ basis, so anyone interested will need to act fast – but we hope the 50%-off will be a nice consolation prize for those that miss out.”