New Cross Country Advert views

[Russel]

Certainly the cleanest Voyagers I've seen in a long time.

I wonder why they didn't use some of the newly refurbished 170s given they are in the new branding?

 

[tfw756rider]

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.

I'm an enthusiast but don't really like or dislike it.

 

[satisnek]

WELL I THINK THAT IN THIS AGE WHERE SO MUCH MEDIA IS THE VISUAL/AURAL EQUIVALENT OF TYPING IN CAPITALS, this is a delightfully gentle and whimsical piece of work. Looks like it was created by people with a 20th century mindset, just like me.

 

[sprinterguy]

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.

GBR barely exists yet, as the Railways Bill has yet to go before parliament; relinquished National Rail Contracts are currently being consolidated as part of the DfT operator (under the "Shadow Great British Railways" umbrella structure). Crosscountry cannot be brought under state control on a whim, as its core contract term runs until October 2027.

 

[Bletchleyite]

GBR barely exists yet, as the Railways Bill has yet to go before parliament; relinquished National Rail Contracts are currently being consolidated as part of the DfT operator (under the "Shadow Great British Railways" umbrella structure). Crosscountry cannot be brought under state control on a whim, as its core contract term runs until October 2027.

CrossCountry is a BR era brand, no reason to suggest that GBR won't continue to use it for non London intercity services.

 

[GoneSouth]

Do DfT own the brand? I think that’s good news, but as we saw with Northern, there were still complications with Arriva claiming they owned the font associated with the brand or some such nonsense. We ended up with a capitalised logo designed by a 5 year old with childish font to go with it.

Anyway, I like the ad but it’s just not giving me warm fuzzy feelings about the incompetence that runs the company, too late for that. Maybe this is a last ditched attempt to portray a rosy picture so that they can continue to operate the service on behalf of GBR when it happens.

 

[KevinBrum12]

Do DfT own the brand? I think that’s good news, but as we saw with Northern, there were still complications with Arriva claiming they owned the font associated with the brand or some such nonsense. We ended up with a capitalised logo designed by a 5 year old with childish font to go with it.

Anyway, I like the ad but it’s just not giving me warm fuzzy feelings about the incompetence that runs the company, too late for that. Maybe this is a last ditched attempt to portray a rosy picture so that they can continue to operate the service on behalf of GBR when it happens.

I beleve they do and the pre-privatisation logo is one of the trademarks registered with DfT. Cross Country though is a tarnished brand so it would make sense to drop it sooner rather than later.

 

[sprinterguy]

CrossCountry is a BR era brand, no reason to suggest that GBR won't continue to use it for non London intercity services.

Yes, quite. It does a good job of describing what the services do.

 

[Russel]

I beleve they do and the pre-privatisation logo is one of the trademarks registered with DfT. Cross Country though is a tarnished brand so it would make sense to drop it sooner rather than later.

A lot of the issues XC face come from the DFT, so unless the DFT have a change of heart towards XC, any new branding will end up just as tarnished over time, so is there any point?

 

[Ellwill]

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

There's a fair few of these in 30 & 15 second format floating around on the internet.

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

It might be an unpopular opinion but I agree, the Eleanor ads have a bit of charm to them with their Christopher Walken dance parody.

 

[GoneSouth]

There's a fair few of these in 30 & 15 second format floating around on the internet.


It might be an unpopular opinion but I agree, the Eleanor ads have a bit of charm to them with their Christopher Walken dance parody.

Thanks, I hadn’t seen that before. It’s a bit chaotic for my taste and difficult to watch but I guess I’m getting old and don’t occupy the TikTok world where everything has to be done in a millisecond. Appreciate the link though.

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

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

I recogonise the bridge - it is between St. Germans and Trerulefoot in Cornwall. A favoured spot for enthusiasts / photographers down the ages!

 

[GoneSouth]

I recogonise the bridge - it is between St. Germans and Trerulefoot in Cornwall. A favoured spot for enthusiasts / photographers down the ages!

Bit limited to IETs and GWR 150s these days apart from the odd Voyager. Although it maybe a good spot to watch the final run in England of HST next year. Maybe the enthusiasts start gathering there again once the 175s start running down that way.

Anybody know which station the Voyagers pulling away from each other at the start of the ad is filmed at. If it’s all filmed down in the south west could it be Newton Abbott?

 

[Russel]

Anybody know which station the Voyagers pulling away from each other at the start of the ad is filmed at. If it’s all filmed down in the south west could it be Newton Abbott?

Doesn't look like Newton Abbot to me.

Is it Taunton?

 

[NorthOxonian]

Doesn't look like Newton Abbot to me.

Is it Taunton?

Putting the quality up to maximum, I think the sign says Paignton... which admittedly seems a little unlikely as a place for two Voyagers to meet, but would probably be a less disruptive place to film.

 

[D1511]

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...

This XC thing is a waste of money and effort, and why bother when their trains are wedged to standing anyway.....and that's the ones that aren't half locked out to passengers.

However, the advert with the teenage girl and her gran is really delightful, and real feel good advertising at its best. It is beautifully made and superbly acted......the young girl's reaction of shock/surprise/admiration to her gran's revelation is just lovely and so real.......I get a nice fuzzy warm feeling every time I see it. I think it's a brilliant ad for travelling by train. Well done to everyone involved.

No commendations to those involved in the XC ad though. What is it actually trying to communicate to customers?

 

[Russel]

Putting the quality up to maximum, I think the sign says Paignton... which admittedly seems a little unlikely as a place for two Voyagers to meet, but would probably be a less disruptive place to film.

Well spotted!

Would be interesting to find out if the two Voyagers did actually meet, or if it was a clever bit of editing...

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

Well spotted!

Would be interesting to find out if the two Voyagers did actually meet, or if it was a clever bit of editing...

Yes, it is at the Goodrington end of Paignton, looking from Platform 2 to 1. Must have been a special working for the film to get two Voyagers there at the same time.

The east end of Plymouth briefly appears too.

 

[plymothian]

Yes, it is at the Goodrington end of Paignton, looking from Platform 2 to 1. Must have been a special working for the film to get two Voyagers there at the same time.

The east end of Plymouth briefly appears too.

The very end is at Plymouth too. The viaduct in the background and overbridge is Forder near St Germans and the beach is Goodrington.

 

[Mikw]

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.

Capturing the Francis Borgoues vibe?

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The Cross country ad sounds great in the cinema with the genuine Voyager engine sound.

 

[Trainlog]

I personally liked the advert. Sure, I can see why some members on here would call it 'cringe-inducing', but what I like is that at least they are portrayed to be enjoying the hobby and the adventure involved with it.

The hobby has certainly started to gain its own spotlight in 'Nerd culture' over the last decade, a bit like how Marvel and Warhammer was once considered really 'sad and nerdy' 10 years ago, it barely raises an eyebrow if you say you are a rail enthusiast now.

For me my favourite rail adverts from the last 10 years will still be.

 

[Travelmonkey]

I'm still not too sure the tortoise is a good mascot. Probably because a tortoise is more likey to get you north of Preston in disruption. Although the WCML has always had a different marketing strategy.

Fancy going to Wigan

 

[Russel]

This is probably one of my favourite rail ads, it's a real early 2000s throwback, I had a DVD of the making of this add and from memory, they used a Voyager dressed up as a Pendolino for the filming.

 

[styles]

That's it, I think we should hand the WCML back to Branson so we can get adverts like this again.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

This is probably one of my favourite rail ads, it's a real early 2000s throwback, I had a DVD of the making of this add and from memory, they used a Voyager dressed up as a Pendolino for the filming.

Think this one dates back to September 2006. Filmed in Cumbria and Weardale, County Durham, apparently. The "Apache" advert had to be subsequently cleared by the Advertising Standards Authority, after a number of complaints were made about the stereotypical portrayal of the Native Americans shown in the ad.

 

[Russel]

Think this one dates back to September 2006. Filmed in Cumbria and Weardale, County Durham, apparently. The "Apache" advert had to be subsequently cleared by the Advertising Standards Authority, after a number of complaints were made about the stereotypical portrayal of the Native Americans shown in the ad.

Something I doubt would even be considered today!

 

[Wyrleybart]

A lot of the issues XC face come from the DFT, so unless the DFT have a change of heart towards XC, any new branding will end up just as tarnished over time, so is there any point?

I share that. XC is effectively a state run farm controlled from Whitehall. So if DfT want 100 acres of land to grow barley that is what XC will do etc etc.

So for those calling for the XC brand to be dispensed with, a replacement needs to be provided for the customers to buy tickets for and use. Simply binning a bramsd without an alternative is not like you favourite supermarket withdrawing a certain brand of baked beans - because alternatives are available. Not quite so easy for customers travellign from say Macclesfield to Oxford or Darlington to Cheltenham.

 

[Russel]

I share that. XC is effectively a state run farm controlled from Whitehall. So if DfT want 100 acres of land to grow barley that is what XC will do etc etc.

So for those calling for the XC brand to be dispensed with, a replacement needs to be provided for the customers to buy tickets for and use. Simply binning a bramsd without an alternative is not like you favourite supermarket withdrawing a certain brand of baked beans - because alternatives are available. Not quite so easy for customers travellign from say Macclesfield to Oxford or Darlington to Cheltenham.

Exactly this, rebranding is just lining the pockets of Best Impressions, or whichever branding designers Arriva use.

 

[Travelmonkey]

That's it, I think we should hand the WCML back to Branson so we can get adverts like this again.

I wouldn't have minded their open acess plans (albeit a bit ambitious and discussed at length on other threads.)

Virgin had the knack for branding even in basic ads like that it showcases key destinations on both the coast mainlines in the end card.

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Exactly this, rebranding is just lining the pockets of Best Impressions, or whichever branding designers Arriva use.

The most recent one would have cost a fortune too. Although it is a slight improvement

*image the Pride unit that is a refurbished Cross country 170 pink doors and a rainbow banner saying "Journey with pride"*

 

[Russel]

The most recent one would have cost a fortune too. Although it is a slight improvement

The units were due a refurbishment, so a rebrand now makes sense, though I wouldn't call it rebranding, it's a new livery, same Crosscountry logos etc..