Avanti West Coast and Great Western Railway Appoints WPP Media

WPP Media has won a competitive pitch to handle media planning and buying for major UK train operators Avanti West Coast and Great Western Railway. The work will be led by the Mindshare team in the UK, who will develop tailored media strategies leveraging their deep local insights.

Fleur Stoppani, chief operating officer at Mindshare in the UK, said, “We are absolutely thrilled to partner with Great Western Railway and Avanti West Coast, both iconic operators. We see huge potential in their mission to encourage sustainable rail travel, a passion point for our team for many years. We can’t wait to craft media strategies that not only resonate deeply with existing customers for Great Western Railway but also ignite a new sense of adventure in untapped audiences. We are also thrilled to bring our deep understanding of the importance of local nuances to build on the success of Avanti's 'Feel Good Travel', ensuring our campaigns inspire new journeys and deliver growth across their network."

​Amanda Burns, sales and marketing director at Great Western Railway, said, “Great Western Railway has a proud heritage and a strong brand that resonates with customers across our network. As we continue to innovate and invest in more sustainable rail travel, it's essential that our media strategy reflects these values. Partnering with Mindshare allows us to amplify our commitment to greener transport while ensuring our brand remains front and centre in the minds of our customers.”

Sarah Copley, commercial director at Avanti West Coast, said, "We're really excited to be working with Mindshare to maximise the return on our media investment for our award-winning Feel Good Travel campaign and are looking forward to developing a highly targeted media strategy to grow the market for rail along the West Coast Main Line."

This win follows wider success for WPP Media and Mindshare, having recently renewed contracts with Marks & Spencer and Weetabix. WPP Media also retained the top position in UK billings in the latest benchmarking report from COMvergence, with Mindshare ranked fourth in billings in the UK.