'Just Take the Train' Campaign

Target Audience: In partnership with the MBTA, Keolis Commuter Services has operated Boston's Commuter Rail since 2014. For their summer 2024 campaign, the Commuter Rail sought to attract a diverse set of riders of all ages across the Greater Boston Area — commuters, families, leisure and event travelers, or those who were just trying to get to the beach. As a secondary target, the Commuter Rail wanted to remind lapsed riders of the benefits of taking the train and reintroduce new or enhanced services they had rolled out since the pandemic. Finally, on the heels of INRIX reporting in June 2024 that Boston had the 8th worst traffic in the world, the Commuter Rail had a timely opportunity to address drivers, reinforcing that they always have the option to avoid driving despair and "Just Take the Train."

Strategy Objective:Our goals: 1) Grow awareness of the train & its destinations; 2) Drive engagement; 3) Increase sales & ridership. To do this, we created "Just Take the Train" — a campaign (CTV, streaming audio, paid/organic social, website) inviting people to explore a better way to get around: the Commuter Rail. We used a three-pronged storytelling-led approach: 1) Relatable — so people could see their pain points and that the train is for everyone; 2) Informative — to share offerings and value (i.e.: 12 lines serving 170+ towns, 7 days/week; $10 Weekend/Holiday Pass; 5-Day Flex Pass; Kids 11 & under ride free), and 3) Benefit-driven — to highlight why the train is much more than getting from Point A to B. Three spots share the experiences of a family, friends going to the beach, and a commuter.

Situation Challenge: While leisure riders have always been part of the Commuter Rail marketing strategy, the team pivoted post-pandemic to prioritize engaging commuters returning to the city of Boston. Ahead of this campaign, ridership reached roughly 90% of pre-pandemic levels, with 500K+ people taking the train on average per week — but there was still ample room to grow. Also, focus groups had indicated confusion about what the train could be used for and where it traveled. So, we needed a creative solution that would allow us to double down on audiences with the greatest growth potential for the summer — families and beachgoers (on top of commuters) — and appeal to their needs and pain points to make them feel like the train was for them, too.

Results Impact: From 5/27 to 9/30, the campaign achieved all objectives, including: Grow awareness of the train & its destinations: Campaign ads earned 19M impressions on Meta, 3M impressions on YouTube, 2M impressions on Spotify, and 1M impressions on CTV. Drive engagement: The MBTA.com/MassByTrain site had a 154% increase in traffic and 50K visitors in the first month alone. Commuter Rail social content earned 7.6X impressions and a 148% increase in engagement YoY from Jun-Aug 2024. Video completion rates were 98%+. Ads received 109K clicks. Increase sales & ridership: There was a 16% overall lift in ridership during the summer. Sales of the $10 Weekend Pass increased by 40% compared to 2023. 230K Weekend Passes were sold from Memorial Day to Labor Day, compared to 160K sold in 2023.

Why Submit: "Just Take the Train" welcomed a new wave of transit riders, who now see that the Commuter Rail is for everyone, not just the 9-5 crowd. This mindset shift contributed to real business impact for the Commuter Rail, with its relatable, storytelling-focused approach leading to a 16% increase in ridership in the summer. Across streaming video and audio, social and website content, the campaign reinforced that riding the train is not just about getting from Point A to Point B — it's also part of the adventure. With room for families to spread out, a reliable schedule commuters can count on, and countless ways for friends to hit up the beach or events (without white-knuckling in traffic or paying for parking), this campaign communicated how much better a trip can be … when you take the train.