Thalys
Service providers

Thalys Street Marketing 2008

Background:
One of Thalys’ most attractive routes links Cologne with Brussels and Paris. No other train operator offers a shorter or more comfortable connection on this route. Moreover, journey time and price of the ticket compare very favourably with air travel. Thus, the wider area of Cologne and its residents enjoy an attractive and reasonably priced form of transport for business and private travel to Brussels and Paris.

Target Group:
Private customers aged between 18 and 65 who can be found in the inner districts of Cologne.


Task:
Short-term objective: To improve the recognition value of Thalys as well as its business partner, Rail Europe, by staging Street Marketing Events on several days.

Long-term objective: To permanently root the services provided by Thalys and Rail Europe in the awareness of the consumers by means of a creative and entertaining implementation. The positive experience should remain stored in their minds even after the Street Event.


Solution:
We will distribute richly-filled baguette sandwiches, as are customary in France. These are significantly larger than German bread rolls and therefore cannot be consumed hastily in a few minutes.

Visually attractive packaging points to Thalys and to Rail Europe. “In less than four hours, you could have me in Paris. Wouldn’t that be much nicer? Travel with us to France. Reserve your seat in any travel agency or at our office on Dom Platz”. In order to guarantee a professional and simultaneous process, the Promotion Baguettes are distributed by several promoters.
During the campaign, we deliberately choose not to communicate too much information – rather, the consumer’s interest is aroused by the longing to travel plus the positive points associated with Paris.

In addition, pedicabs in the Thalys design will cross the central parts of Cologne’s inner city on several days. Due to their conspicuous and attractive design, the Thalys company, logo and route network will become more generally noticed by consumers.


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