The rail operator received the Marketing Campaign (Over £500k) award for its latest campaign, Five and the Thrilling Engagement, with judges recognising its creativity, effectiveness and commercial success.
The campaign forms part of GWR’s Adventures Start Here brand platform, which has been running for more than eight years. It uses Enid Blyton’s well-known Famous Five characters to encourage people to see train travel as the beginning of an adventure.
The latest instalment follows Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy as they travel by rail to destinations across the South West, South Wales and London, highlighting the variety of places served by the GWR network.
The campaign also delivered strong commercial results for the company.
Independent research found it achieved brand distinctiveness well above the transport industry benchmark, while helping GWR reach record levels of brand awareness and customer consideration.
Amanda Burns, GWR’s Commercial and Marketing Director, said: “It is brilliant to receive this award and to see our Famous Five campaign recognised by the industry once again.
“For more than eight years, Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy have helped us showcase the excitement, anticipation and sense of adventure that rail travel can unlock.
“Five and the Thrilling Engagement built on that idea, combining imaginative storytelling with a showcase of the incredible destinations across our network. We’re proud that it resonated so strongly with audiences while helping deliver growth for the business.”
The Travel Marketing Awards recognise creative and effective campaigns from across the travel sector, with entries judged on both storytelling and measurable business impact.
For passengers across the GWR network, including those travelling from Swindon, the accolade recognises one of the rail industry’s most established advertising campaigns, which continues to promote train travel as part of the journey as well as the destination.
