Eleanor LNER Doll

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I wonder if you’d all be so irate if the puppet was male…

That is a really desperate reach. Why try to make this into something it's never once even hinted at being?

 

[Sad Sprinter]

Who wants to bet this thread won’t be open by Thursday morning?

I also don’t think the doll not being a man has anything to do with it. Anyway it’s hard to think of a better advertising campaign when you’re disposed to getting the train anyway

 

[mpthomson]

And you know the profession of everyone posting in this thread, do you?

Eleanor is a fairly standard brand awareness campaign, of the sort that M&C Saatchi have churned out thousands over the years. I don’t think it’s an especially good one: Eleanor doesn’t bring any strong associations other than a fairly nebulous “freedom”, whereas GWR’s Famous Five communicates relaxation and leisure values.

I’m more concerned about the wisdom of running a brand awareness campaign when an entire new brand is being hatched, i.e. Great British Railways, but I’m sure they know what they’re doing

Although they are advertising a specific route, there's no reason why that can't continue under GBR.

 

[Dr Hoo]

Although they are advertising a specific route, there's no reason why that can't continue under GBR.

This does raise the question about how ‘route mascots’ will figure under GBR.

I was at Doncaster yesterday and struck by the fact that the station had loads of the new ‘GBR clocks’ (basically every configurable display screen) and also loads of Eleanor posters. It seemed odd that Eleanor hadn’t been replaced by ‘GBR Coming soon’-type publicity, e.g. in connection with the new-and-improved ECML timetable, involving nearly all operators there, very shortly.

 

[Tetragon213]

Personally I like the muppet, and the tortoise. Personal opinion, though.

Now if we could get a CrossCountry doll, along with some pins (after having the "pleasure" of using their services yesterday evening)...!

As a regrettably extensive traveller with XC, I would absolutely buy one

 

[cf111]

I'm not a fan of the bold Eleanor but I find cloth puppets creepy in general

 

[birchesgreen]

I'm not in LNER territory so am not familiar with it, but i just did a quick kagi search. Whats wrong with Eleanor, looks pretty inoffensive to me. Better than that weird EMR thing anyway.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Who wants to bet this thread won’t be open by Thursday morning?

I also don’t think the doll not being a man has anything to do with it. Anyway it’s hard to think of a better advertising campaign when you’re disposed to getting the train anyway

How could it be a man? It's called L.N.-er for a reason.

(Like Beattie in the old telephone adverts)

 

[mpthomson]

This does raise the question about how ‘route mascots’ will figure under GBR.

I was at Doncaster yesterday and struck by the fact that the station had loads of the new ‘GBR clocks’ (basically every configurable display screen) and also loads of Eleanor posters. It seemed odd that Eleanor hadn’t been replaced by ‘GBR Coming soon’-type publicity, e.g. in connection with the new-and-improved ECML timetable, involving nearly all operators there, very shortly.

Why would it be replaced when it’s a current and active ad campaign? It may not be replaced even when GBR exists, it’s not clear that routes won’t have their own identities.

 

[Dr Hoo]

Why would it be replaced when it’s a current and active ad campaign? It may not be replaced even when GBR exists, it’s not clear that routes won’t have their own identities.

Notwithstanding that the Rail Minister apparently had to personally sign off the new ECML and the fact that three of the principal operators at Doncaster are already nationalised (hence the benefits of an integrated publicity campaign) it seems bizarre that there is as yet so little publicity for the forthcoming changes.

Instead of plastering stations purely with vaguely motivational marketing material that actually ignores the majority of services from many of them how about harnessing Eleanor to actually communicate something useful about imminent changes to ECML connectivity?

We seem to have regular threads about supposedly poor publicity for forthcoming engineering works well in advance. Why is it not also important to herald the biggest changes to the route's timetable for many years?

Perhaps not 'replacing' Eleanor (just yet) but at least give her something useful to do. Besides the timetable this might also including spelling out LNER's ticketing policy. E.g. cuddly muppet shown holding a (particular type of) ticket and rejoicing that she can adjust her journey by up to 70 minutes or whatever.

 

[mpthomson]

Notwithstanding that the Rail Minister apparently had to personally sign off the new ECML and the fact that three of the principal operators at Doncaster are already nationalised (hence the benefits of an integrated publicity campaign) it seems bizarre that there is as yet so little publicity for the forthcoming changes.

Instead of plastering stations purely with vaguely motivational marketing material that actually ignores the majority of services from many of them how about harnessing Eleanor to actually communicate something useful about imminent changes to ECML connectivity?

We seem to have regular threads about supposedly poor publicity for forthcoming engineering works well in advance. Why is it not also important to herald the biggest changes to the route's timetable for many years?

Perhaps not 'replacing' Eleanor (just yet) but at least give her something useful to do. Besides the timetable this might also including spelling out LNER's ticketing policy. E.g. cuddly muppet shown holding a (particular type of) ticket and rejoicing that she can adjust her journey by up to 70 minutes or whatever.

It’s not remotely ‘vaguely motivational marketing’, it’s an ad campaign that is clearly working developed by people who actually understand advertising and marketing.

GBR/ timetable changes will be publicised at the appropriate point. The Eleanor campaign isn’t related to that. The large majority of the travelling public just want to know about train times and ticket cost in terms of differences that GBR will make. They have no interest whatsoever in the structure of railways and using Eleanor to try to explain it would be pointless, especially at the granular level of ‘up to 70 minutes’, that needs a different approach.

 

[Dr Hoo]

Well, if “Feel freedom all the way” isn’t (just) vaguely motivational marketing I don’t know what is.

I don’t see why it wouldn’t be possible to link, say, more frequent or faster services to Newcastle or Edinburgh with exploiting the freedom to visit another city that LNER provides.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Well, if “Feel freedom all the way” isn’t (just) vaguely motivational marketing I don’t know what is.

I don’t see why it wouldn’t be possible to link, say, more frequent or faster services to Newcastle or Edinburgh with exploiting the freedom to visit another city that LNER provides.

Well, you used to have that freedom to stop off at other cities with off-peak tickets. I have even done a business trip taking in both Newcastle and Leeds on one return ticket (as Leeds was a permitted route on a Newcastle off-peak return)

 

[Bletchleyite]

Well, you used to have that freedom to stop off at other cities with off-peak tickets. I have even done a business trip taking in both Newcastle and Leeds on one return ticket (as Leeds was a permitted route on a Newcastle off-peak return)

I do find the "freedom all the way" slogan even more naff than the silly doll, given that LNER's objective appears to be to remove such freedom, or at least to make the cost of it such that most people can't afford it.

 

[david1212]

Well, if “Feel freedom all the way” isn’t (just) vaguely motivational marketing I don’t know what is.

I don’t see why it wouldn’t be possible to link, say, more frequent or faster services to Newcastle or Edinburgh with exploiting the freedom to visit another city that LNER provides.

I do find the "freedom all the way" slogan even more naff than the silly doll, given that LNER's objective appears to be to remove such freedom, or at least to make the cost of it such that most people can't afford it.

Trying to think in the mindset of the advert creators the freedom is being able to do things not possible in a car particularly if the driver but indeed LNER ticketing other than anytime does not give freedom travel as and when you want.

Even with an anytime ticket, you either require a reservation or risk standing.

What is missed is the time saving compared to by road ..... nothing like ' the miles are whizzing by ' or ' arrived so quickly '.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Trying to think in the mindset of the advert creators the freedom is being able to do things not possible in a car particularly if the driver but indeed LNER ticketing other than anytime does not give freedom travel as and when you want.

Even with an anytime ticket, you either require a reservation or risk standing.

What is missed is the time saving compared to by road ..... nothing like ' the miles are whizzing by ' or ' arrived so quickly '.

There is one point in the advert where the train is seen whizzing past traffic on a parallel motorway, although I don't think there is anywhere on LNER where that actually happens - unlike the WCML and MML which both run alongside the M1 in places. (Possibly the A1 north of Newark is the closest, but still a few hundred yards apart)

 

[mpthomson]

There is one point in the advert where the train is seen whizzing past traffic on a parallel motorway, although I don't think there is anywhere on LNER where that actually happens - unlike the WCML and MML which both run alongside the M1 in places. (Possibly the A1 north of Newark is the closest, but still a few hundred yards apart)

It isn’t a literal representation of the ECML, it’s as you’ve acknowledged making the point to the non-regular rail users who these adverts are aimed at, that the train is faster than going by road.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Oct 2025 ==

Well, if “Feel freedom all the way” isn’t (just) vaguely motivational marketing I don’t know what is.

I don’t see why it wouldn’t be possible to link, say, more frequent or faster services to Newcastle or Edinburgh with exploiting the freedom to visit another city that LNER provides.

It’s an advertising slogan designed to stick in your mind, just as ‘For mash think Smash’ or ‘Gillette, the best a man can get’ was, it’s not supposed to be anything more than that.

 

[Pegpilot]

Well we've got a glorified sock puppet called "Miles" on EMR insisting that every journey is "Epic". And if "Epic" is an hour on a draughty 2+3 outer suburban 360 with no 1st Class from Wellingborough to St P then who am Ito argue ? But it certainly doesn't feel epic.

 

[Mikey C]

How could it be a man? It's called L.N.-er for a reason.

(Like Beattie in the old telephone adverts)

Now he's been sacked by Nottingham Forest, Big Ange is free to become the face of Greater Anglia

 

[GordonT]

Well we've got a glorified sock puppet called "Miles" on EMR insisting that every journey is "Epic". And if "Epic" is an hour on a draughty 2+3 outer suburban 360 with no 1st Class from Wellingborough to St P then who am Ito argue ? But it certainly doesn't feel epic.

"Wicked" might have been a better choice?

 

[Dr Hoo]

"Wicked" might have been a better choice?

Especially when Wicksteed Park at Kettering is commonly called ‘Wickey’.

 

[Dave W]

Now he's been sacked by Nottingham Forest, Big Ange is free to become the face of Greater Anglia

Cue GA going down the pan, but one express making it past Norwich and successfully arriving in Denmark and it being considered a success. Then they sack him.

 

[contrex]

Especially when Wicksteed Park at Kettering is commonly called ‘Wickey’.

The rather scary 'see-saw rocking horses' in our London County Council park playground c. 1960 were evidently made by a company called Wicksteed (there was a little metal plate). You could get chucked off if you weren't careful, and I saw a boy get a broken arm. [UPDATE], yes, they are in Kettering, founded 1918, they still make them, with the caveat that *This unit does not conform to EN1176 however we still permit the sale of this product due to its history and valid risk assessments*

 

[OLJR]

I think Eleanor is a great mascot. She is fun and distinctive. The way LNER show her interacting with lots of different human passengers is a great move too as it helps people see that "somebody like me" uses the trains. All in all, a good campaign.

 

[Parallel]

I think Eleanor is a great mascot. She is fun and distinctive. The way LNER show her interacting with lots of different human passengers is a great move too as it helps people see that "somebody like me" uses the trains. All in all, a good campaign.

I agree with this really. They’re trying to make a relatable, friendly and warm image of using the train which will resonate with a fair chunk of typical rail passengers, especially as on many routes, they will be competing with air or other operators. Could it be better? Probably. But is it bad? No.

I think GWR’s branding is good, but to me it looks like it’s more or less targeting/romanticising rail for a subset of middle and upper class passengers (who presumably have more disposable income) who likely make up a chunky proportion of demographic on their longer distance services between London and the West of England, North Cotswolds and Bristol/Bath routes. I don’t think the Famous Five really represents or relates to GWR’s local and regional routes well, but presumably many of these markets would just travel regardless of the overall ‘brand’.

There will be advertising/promotions which I’m sure get targeted towards bespoke markets, such as price perception in poorer areas with less disposable spend; family travel in booming areas with high population growth and strong leisure demand, and first class travel in more affluent areas where there is a bigger catchment for it.

 

[contrex]

I don’t think the Famous Five really represents or relates to GWR’s local and regional routes well, but presumably many of these markets would just travel regardless of the overall ‘brand’.

If you go 'down Weston' from Bristol on a summer day during the school holidays, you'd appreciate how true that is!

I'm 73 and middle class, and the FF were seriously fusty when I was a kid. Long before the Comic Strip parody ('Five Go Mad in Dorset') on Channel 4 in 1982 they were a joke, and I suspect this is GWR's ad agency people's angle.

Some funny stuff about 'George' in the Wiki page... The Five's arrival in 'Dorset' was filmed at Staverton station, on the South Devon Railway.

Five Go Mad in Dorset - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[jon0844]

I wonder if some of the negative commenters would be so irate if the puppet was male…

Three had a male puppet (called Jackson). Maybe Eleanor is his sister or wife?

He wasn't very popular either, given Three introduced him as someone campaigning to 'make things right' at the same time Three was in the process of introducing measures to offer a worse service to its customers (reduced roaming allowances, charging for tethering and more).

[Image shows a screen capture of Jackson, a puppet used by mobile network Three as part of an advertising campaign that ran for a year or two when new management came in and made changes that were considered controversial at the time. Some of the changes were reversed under EU legislation that was introduced soon after.]

 

[moleman212]

I think Eleanor is a great mascot. She is fun and distinctive. The way LNER show her interacting with lots of different human passengers is a great move too as it helps people see that "somebody like me" uses the trains. All in all, a good campaign.

How much are LNER paying you to say this haha

 

[contrex]

How much are LNER paying you to say this haha

I agree with him

 

[physics34]

Hopefully it will be dropped soon. Loads of people want to travel by train but its too expensive.. when they see a stupid puppet telling them to get said train it must be a right wind up.