AMTRAK HIAWATHA MARKETING AND ADVERTISING

Situation:

In an effort to increase awareness of and ridership on Amtrak Hiawatha Service between Milwaukee and Chicago, as well as to promote the opening of the new Amtrak stations in downtown Milwaukee (2007), Sturtevant (2006) and Mitchell International Airport (2005), the WI Dept. of Transportation has contracted with Staples Marketing to implement a comprehensive brand development and positioning advertising and marketing program. The agency won the first contract in 2004 and subsequent two-year renewals in 2006 and 2008.

Solution:

Staples Marketing developed a comprehensive marketing plan that included a new brandmark (example to the right) and a detailed media schedule for both Milwaukee and Chicago markets. The plan included such innovative approaches as airport display advertising, targeted direct mail and a web site dedicated to the specific train line, www.AmtrakHiawatha.com.

For the 2006-2008 campaign, Staples Marketing refreshed and extended all of the creative elements (examples to the right) to make sure the positive momentum of the 2004-2006 campaign period would carry over and increase. Also new for this period are the addition of e-mail marketing using a list compiled with an opt-in feature on AmtrakHiawatha.com, and web banner advertising on JSONLINE.COM and CHICAGOTRIBUNE.COM to replace more expensive print advertising in those publications.

Result:

According to WisDOT’s Monthly Hiawatha Report for January 2009, Hiawatha Service ridership has set monthly ridership records in 49 out of the 51 campaign months. Calendar year ridership for 2008 surpassed 700,000 for the first time ever while 2007 calendar year ridership of 617,799 was the first time the service has ever surpassed 600,000 riders in a year.