National Express UK Coach will invest at least £1m in a summer marketing campaign under the strapline This is the Direction of Travel. The work forms part of the operator’s post-pandemic rebuild of its scheduled service network.
The campaign will run across digital TV, radio and online channels from 23 July to mid-September. It will be delivered by global media agency m/SIX, which was appointed by the operator at the beginning of 2021. The creative aspect has been developed by agency One Black Bear.
As the first significant above-the-line spend for the business since 2019, the exercise will act as “a confident reminder to the UK public of the benefits of travelling by coach and the part that National Express has always played in seeing friends and family, going on holiday and day trips and visiting attractions,” it says.
Adds Managing Director Chris Hardy: “We have been working hard to rebuild our services. We have used the past year as an opportunity to improve our offering and our network so that customers receive a better National Express experience than ever before.
“The marketing campaign majors on what makes National Express a great choice. We are the UK’s largest coach operator with the greenest fleet on the road, offering great value to pretty much anywhere – be it a beach or a city. And with our new package holiday offering, customers can now purchase everything in one place.”
Earlier in 2021 National Express announced an overhaul of its network that focused on a reduction in journey times, improved punctuality and greater connectivity.
