The campaign, which launched today (11 August) and runs until 17 August, is fronted by TV presenter Donna Air. It will celebrate the uniquely British love for rail travel, as new research from East Coast shows more of the general public have found fun and romance on the rails than on the road or in the air.
To mark the week-long campaign, special photobooths will be touring major East Coast stations from today, including London’s Kings Cross, Edinburgh Waverley, Leeds, York and Newcastle, with a further booth sited all week at the National Railway Museum in York.
Every person who steps inside the booths will receive an instant photo, as well as an electronic copy to share on the I Love Trains website or on Twitter using the hashtag #ilovetrainsweek to enter a prize competition.
Romantic-themed souvenirs will also be handed out to participants, including miniature versions of sticks of rock, branded ticket holders, mugs and t-shirts.
Natalie Cowen, head of marketing at East Coast, told Event this activation is the first time the brand has done something on this scale. "We wanted to see what we could do to engage with people on an emotional level, but bring it all back to East Coast.
"It’s a way for us to generate rich content, that people will want to share and engage with, and it’s ideal to hook into the love theme and an opportunity for us to tell our story. The selfie craze gave us the inspiration for the photobooths."
She added East Coast’s internal communications team is working with agency Havas on the nationwide activation.
Donna Air will also be changing her Twitter profile name to Donna Train to launch the week, and train travellers will also being encouraged to get involved by sharing their own reasons why they love trains via a dedicated website or through East Coast’s Twitter feed.
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