getting new england’s favorite train on track.

For decades, the Amtrak Downeaster had seen consistent growth—but then the pandemic hit, and they saw a steep drop-off in riders and sales. We proposed a rapid-response campaign to inject immediate energy into the brand while  we worked on a longer-term strategy to build back ridership. How? By reminding travelers that when they ride the train, their trip starts here.

HOW DO YOU BEAT CARS AND BUSES? YOU TREAT TRAVEL LIKE AN EXPERIENCE.

Our campaigns point to a fundamental idea: unlike other modes of travel, the train can be part of your trip—whether you’re headed to Boston for a Celtics game, or going up to Maine for a brewery tour. In the car, you’re stuck in traffic. On the train, you can get things started with an IPA. We brought this idea through to our digital and broadcast ads, which have received widespread acclaim.

award-winning creative. record-breaking ridership.

Since we started working together, the Downeaster has not only returned to pre-pandemic levels of service—they’ve reached higher ridership than ever before, and have achieved a significant increase in Click-Through Rate (CTR), nearly double industry benchmarks.