New Cross Country Advert views

[65477]

CrossCountry Trains celebrates trainspotter rivalries in light-hearted new ad

CrossCountry Trains is looking to capture the "joy of polite rivalry" in a light-hearted new campaign film breaking across the UK this summer.

www.marketing-beat.co.uk

This newad has started appearing on TV, what do people think about it?

 

[pokemonsuper9]

I don't see any problems with it, but Crosscountry hardly need more passengers, they're already full enough.

I think part of this has been used in some posters at stations, I feel like I recognise this shot (or maybe they just used a similar curve).

 

[tram21]

Has anyone else seen the incredibly quickly put together CrossCountry advert I've seen on YouTube, just with text and looks like it was put together in 2 minutes? At least this is a bit nicer!

 

[Travelmonkey]

Has anyone else seen the incredibly quickly put together CrossCountry advert I've seen on YouTube, just with text and looks like it was put together in 2 minutes? At least this is a bit nicer!

I keep getting a avanti voyager youtube ad. some attention to detail is mildly triggering as I know them trains have left that line.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Sep 2025 ==

CrossCountry Trains celebrates trainspotter rivalries in light-hearted new ad

CrossCountry Trains is looking to capture the "joy of polite rivalry" in a light-hearted new campaign film breaking across the UK this summer.

www.marketing-beat.co.uk

This newad has started appearing on TV, what do people think about it?

At least they've got real people Ellenor for LNER is far more uncanny also you have EMRs Miles still don't know what that is and avanti's main mascot the tortoise on rollerskates still don't scream high speed to me.

 

[800001]

At least they've got real people Ellenor for LNER is far more uncanny also you have EMRs Miles still don't know what that is and avanti's main mascot the tortoise on rollerskates still don't scream high speed to me.

But all 3 get people talking, gets people noticing the adverts and remembering them, which means they are doing there job.

Even the music for the LNER advert, when I hear it, instinctively think of LNER.

 

[KNN]

I quite like them, which I can't say is true about taking their trains.

 

[Russel]

Has anyone else seen the incredibly quickly put together CrossCountry advert I've seen on YouTube, just with text and looks like it was put together in 2 minutes? At least this is a bit nicer!

Yes, it looks like a high school IT coursework project, clearly no expenses spared!

What is odd, is there is one with a Voyager under the trainshed at Bristol Temple Meads, but all of the XC branding has been edited out!

I keep getting a avanti voyager youtube ad. some attention to detail is mildly triggering as I know them trains have left that line.

I've seen that one too, what bugs me is the lack of sound, I keep reaching for the volume button!

 

[ollyexe2808]

Has anyone else seen the incredibly quickly put together CrossCountry advert I've seen on YouTube, just with text and looks like it was put together in 2 minutes? At least this is a bit nicer!

I would make the assumption that this one is AI-generated, probably a few prompts put into a piece of software to create a very simplistic web ad. It probably hasn't even been edited by a human!

 

[Travelmonkey]

I would make the assumption that this one is AI-generated, probably a few prompts put into a piece of software to create a very simplistic web ad. It probably hasn't even been edited by a human!

Sadly much of that about. Flix bus said I could have a good night's sleep between Leicester and Nottingham on their recent Facebook campaigns. Pluck 2 random spots with no basis of distance.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Sep 2025 ==

Yes, it looks like a high school IT coursework project, clearly no expenses spared!

What is odd, is there is one with a Voyager under the trainshed at Bristol Temple Meads, but all of the XC branding has been edited out!



I've seen that one too, what bugs me is the lack of sound, I keep reaching for the volume button!

It is a nice bit ilof stock footage but yeah it comes annoying when breaking up content.

For the editing out of branding wonder if that's so that in the GBR era they won't need to do much else.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Sadly much of that about. Flix bus said I could have a good night's sleep between Leicester and Nottingham on their recent Facebook campaigns. Pluck 2 random spots with no basis of distance.

A whole 45 minutes of sleep (according to their timetable)!

 

[azOOOOOma]

I think it’s a lovely ad. Although I don’t see why they need to bother with adverts. Their trains are always jam packed!

 

[Russel]

I think it’s a lovely ad. Although I don’t see why they need to bother with adverts. Their trains are always jam packed!

Good point.

XC Have far greater issues that they need to deal with before trying to attract more passengers.

 

[Envoy]

I don’t like the ad. Why would they stand on top of the bridge just to photograph the roof of the train and then get fumes going into their lungs? Drivers would also be ‘concerned’ about people on bridges right above them.

It would have been far better to highlight Cross Country routes / have film of the trains passing landmarks or attractive countryside settings. What about showing the interiors of refurbished trains? What is the point of paying for expensive advertising when they can barely cope with the number of passengers they already have - hence the high fares - especially on routes where they are the sole provider.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

and then get fumes going into their lungs?

I'd imagine standing in Birmingham New Street for a minute is likely equivalent to 1 million trains passing under a bridge you're above.

Why would they stand on top of the bridge just to photograph the roof of the train

Why not, that corner seems like a decent spot to get a voyager going at speed (if only they still tilted).

 

[ScotTrains]

I'm not so keen. I do like the realistic scene as opposed to the LNER annoying Muppet.

It just feels like it has been made by a female based marketing agency, and is a very stereotypical portrayal of trainspotters; white male, geeky appearance, anoraks, flasks etc etc... yawn. Doesn't exactly show us in a good light.

Also what are they suggesting at 0.30 where the younger one quickly moves his right fist repeatedly up and down around his pelvis? Trying to simulate his Cummins engine?!!!

 

[357]

Drivers would also be ‘concerned’ about people on bridges right above them.

I think most drivers can tell the difference between people who stand on bridges and take a photo or wave (I see them all the time) and someone who wants to kill themselves (I saw one earlier this week and made an emergency call).

 

[Ellwill]

Only thing that put me off was the tone pumping right at the end, couldn't help but cringe at the sight of it!

 

[Steddenm]

For those who haven't seen the ad, you can watch it here in glorious HD:

 

[Bletchleyite]

Well, that's, er, utterly cringe.

The only genuinely amusing part was what I often call the "English politeness argument" at the end - you first, no you first, no you first, no I insist... though of course that would never happen on a real XC train, they would be fighting for any available seats!

 

[43066]

I think most drivers can tell the difference between people who stand on bridges and take a photo or wave (I see them all the time) and someone who wants to kill themselves (I saw one earlier this week and made an emergency call).

A camera can be a reassuring sight in that respect!

Overall I quite like the advert. As for why do it, presumably they’re trying to polish their rather tarnished brand.

 

[GoneSouth]

The first shot is excellent with the Voyagers sliding apart to both edges of the screen with perfect timing. Was that real or concocted in an edit suite?If real it’s great timing and I wonder how many attempts it took.

The trains won’t look like that in a year after their makeover and won’t be recognisable from the ad so it’s very short term thing. How did they manage to find a clean Voyager without filth and scratches all over the door, or was that smoothed out in an edit suite too?

If they want to go all rural and sentimental, I think a more realistic journey with XC would involve waiting 3 hours for a Nottingham train at Lydney on a Sunday evening in mid winter with no facilities because XC don’t recruit or look after staff who subsequently don’t want to work rest days, then crushing into a 2 car train to Birmingham where the trolley has been cancelled! Track defect at Bromagrove followed by a replacement bus from Coleshill parkway. Or, no through trains from Plymouth for 4 hours because the salt water at Dawlish might break the train. They didn’t show the 2 guys starting at a screen full of cancellations or the back portions of trains being locked empty.

Advertising is all lies, but it’s a nice thing to watch knowing it’s fiction.

 

[tfw756rider]

For those who haven't seen the ad, you can watch it here in glorious HD:

It was already embedded in the page linked in post #1, but I'll directly embed the upload that was embedded in that page:

 

[Parallel]

I quite like it for what it is. I see it as a bit of relatable humour and not to be taken too seriously, and I definitely prefer adverts like these over the GWR Famous Five or the SWR pigeon.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I quite like it for what it is. I see it as a bit of relatable humour and not to be taken too seriously, and I definitely prefer adverts like these over the GWR Famous Five or the SWR pigeon.

I quite like both of those, the pigeon* seems to be a bit of a copy of Deutsche Bahn's long term (but now finished) "Max Maulwurf" (Max the Mole) they used for engineering works, while I think the entire branding package of GWR from the livery to the Famous Five stuff to be the best piece of railway marketing I have seen in my life or am ever likely to see, it will be a shame once it is all GBRised though at least with the end of franchising it won't just have had a five year shelf life only to be replaced by a massive missed opportunity like Avanti.

This on the other hand is utterly, utterly cringe. I suppose it is memorable which is the point. The only one I think is worse is LNER's use of a Muppet for marketing purposes, I mean really?!

* Or the GTR/Southeastern "seagull in a hivis" is perhaps closer I suppose.

 

[styles]

It's a bit cringe, but I suspect only train enthusiasts will be dissatisfied with the stereotypes portrayed, in particular by the older of the two chaps. 99.9% of the population may find it mildly amusing/comforting.

 

[Snow1964]

Never yet seen the ad on TV, is it in selected areas only, or maybe have just not had TV on at right time.

Our TV area is West Country (Bristol based) which covers Bath, Wiltshire, Somerset, Gloucestershire, East Devon and West Dorset. Most of which doesn't have XC trains

 

[KevinBrum12]

I don’t like the ad. Why would they stand on top of the bridge just to photograph the roof of the train and then get fumes going into their lungs? Drivers would also be ‘concerned’ about people on bridges right above them.

It would have been far better to highlight Cross Country routes / have film of the trains passing landmarks or attractive countryside settings. What about showing the interiors of refurbished trains? What is the point of paying for expensive advertising when they can barely cope with the number of passengers they already have - hence the high fares - especially on routes where they are the sole provider.

This is where GB Railways need to be getting a grip. This advertising is a waste of money and if rail is being advertised, it should be the national network rather than a failed brand and operation like Cross Country.

If Hendy had any sense he would order the Cross Country brand to be removed and obliterated.

 

[Yorkshire09876]

What is the point in spending money trying to attract extra passengers, when they cannot cope with the numbers they currently get?

 

[Ellwill]

This is where GB Railways need to be getting a grip. This advertising is a waste of money and if rail is being advertised, it should be the national network rather than a failed brand and operation like Cross Country.

If Hendy had any sense he would order the Cross Country brand to be removed and obliterated.

I quite like the most recent DafT effort currently on the airways with the grandma reminiscing about her first love with her granddaughter:

Certainly more memorable than that series with the mongolian throat singing...

 

[GoneSouth]

Certainly more memorable than that series with the mongolian throat singing...

Which series was that (I guess that somewhat proves your point )

Seriously, I don’t have a clue which series you mean.