Big Shaq Rap Battles Against Voicebot in New Trainline Spot

To celebrate Trainline’s voice app, built for the Google Assistant, Europe’s leading independent train ticket retailer and train travel app, has today released a new campaign featuring the first voicebot rap battle of its kind.

The film, available on YouTube and Trainline’s website, features rap phenomenon Big Shaq and highlights how customer-friendly the tech company’s products and services are in a light-hearted, youthful and engaging way. 

The film sees Big Shaq, the ’Man’s Not Hot’ rap character created by comedian Michael Dapaah, go head to head with Trainline’s voice app to demonstrate how the app can help simplify rail journey planning.  Fresh from a test session in a recording studio, Big Shaq plans his journey home by opening the Google Assistant and saying “OK Google, talk to Trainline” to activate the voice app.  He is greeted with a rapping voicebot who answers all his questions freestyle, resulting in a fun rap duet which leaves Big Shaq satisfied he has all the information he needs to have a successful journey. 

And it’s not just Big Shaq who gets to battle the bot.  Anyone who fancies themselves as the nation’s next Skepta, Stormzy or even Big Shaq himself, can easily find out if their rap skills are up to scratch.  Simply play the video, access Trainline’s voice app through the Google Assistant and spit out some bars to the beat. 

The film has launched across YouTube, SnapChat and Instagram, with radio across Spotify and Digital Audio channels.

In line with Trainline’s Wonderfully Predictable brand platform, the campaign aims to demonstrate how Trainline uses its understanding of travel, travellers and technology to help deliver a more seamless journey experience. 

Speaking about the new app functionality and the partnership, David Slocombe, Product Director at Trainline said: “In the world’s first rap duet between a rapper and a Voicebot, Big Shaq put Trainline’s voice app through its paces but it was more than up to the challenge! Trainline’s voice app is a great example of our mission to use smarter technologies to make travel simpler and more hassle-free.”  

Hamish Pinnell, BBH Creative Director said: “ What's great about Trainline's voice app, is its ability to remember what you've said about your journey and continue a conversation. So what better way to demonstrate this than a rap collaboration with Big Shaq”.

The campaign was created by BBH and media planning and buying was by Blue 449.