BBH Creates Quirky Spy Thriller-Inspired 'Getaway' Campaign for Trainline

Trainline, Europe’s leading independent train and coach platform, is launching a new brand platform called ‘Wonderfully Predictable’, in a move away from one-off TV ads and campaigns.  The platform will highlight how the innovative tech company provides accessible, personalised travel information through its app to help make journeys easier and more straightforward. 

The brand idea will be brought to life across all channels and will be launched with Trainline’s biggest brand investment to date across UK, France and Italy through January and February. 

The launch film was captured by acclaimed up-and-coming director Pedro Martin-Calero at BLINK who mimicked classic cinematic techniques to create a dramatic railway station chase-scene worthy of any blockbuster spy movie.  

The idea behind ‘Wonderfully Predictable’ is to demonstrate how Trainline uses its understanding of travel, travellers and technology to help deliver a more seamless journey experience.   

The dramatic spy chase quickly loses its intensity when a helpful traveller with the ‘wonderfully predictable’ Trainline app gives the film’s hero ‘real time’ train times and platform information which help her locate the villain.  

Filmed in Kiev Central Station, the ad will make its debut on TV and in cinemas across the UK this January during screenings of the aptly named Hollywood film The Commuter.  An integrated social media and online campaign will amplify the video content to further increase awareness.

The campaign was created by BBH under the direction of Trainline’s brand marketing director Lisa Bowcott, who was appointed to the role in March 2017.Media planning and buying was by Blue 449.

Lisa Bowcott, European Brand Marketing Director at Trainline, said: “Trainline’s aim is to help make the travel experience as simple and seamless as possible for our customers, from planning and booking a trip through to navigating the different legs of their journey.   Whilst our platform is built on powerful tech, it’s ultimately not about the whizz-bang of billions of bits of data being analysed behind the scenes - it’s about making sure you know the 18:06 to Manchester is on platform 5!”  

Hamish Pinnell, BBH Creative Director said: “ “Am I going to make it?”, “what platform?”, “where’s my ticket?”. Everyone has had one of these thoughts when running late to catch a train. To encapsulate that feeling, BBH staged the most intense, dramatic train-related scene possible - a classic spy chase. But, the tension is no match for the Trainline app, which swiftly and predictably disposes of the drama and provides a one stop shop for travel information.  

“BBH understands that Trainline uses its powerful technology to create innovations that meet travellers’ needs, often before they’re even conscious of them themselves, in short helping to make their journey “Wonderfully Predictable”.