Amtrak Hiawatha
The Ask:
To build a brand campaign for the Amtrak Hiawatha, a train that operates on a route that connects Milwaukee to Chicago — an often highly congested route via highway.
The Goal:
To increase overall awareness and ridership on the Hiawatha train, especially at off-peak times like weekends, with a minimal budget.
The Strategic Insight:
The general perception is that Milwaukee and Chicago are far apart, and traveling between them is a hassle —but we uncovered that the Hiawatha train needed to be positioned as the solution — a gateway for bringing Milwaukee and Chicago closer together, which is perfect for our target market of “experience collectors” who are looking to break out of the ordinary and gain new leisure experiences in Milwaukee and Chicago, especially on the weekends. With this, we crafted the message that on the Hiawatha, your next experience is just a train ride away.
The Results:
We built a highly visual OOH, print and digital campaign that shows the various benefits of the Hiawatha — how it provides a quick 90 minute journey from city to city (nearly impossible with traffic) and that it connects you to incredible experiences that you may not have known even existed within Milwaukee or Chicago. This award-winning campaign was featured at the Milwaukee 99 awards, and has served to increase ridership and grow their social media presence exponentially.