Ditch The Train
Internship
Marketing • Strategy • Storytelling
Escape the Crowds, Ride in Comfort
This campaign for the National Express taps into the claustrophobic discomfort of crowded trains to encourage young people to switch to coaches. Using eerie, horror-inspired imagery, I scanned the faces of friends and family pressed against a scanner to convey the cramped feeling of train travel.
These unsettling visuals were transformed into posters, where distorted faces appear trapped behind train windows, reinforcing the campaign’s key message: Ditch the Train. The goal? Make trains look unappealing and push people toward a more comfortable journey with National Express.
My Process
Brief
National Express wanted a campaign to get people off trains and onto National Express Coaches.
Insight
Many young people find public trains to be crowded and uncomfortable.
Solution
Make Trains look as unappealing and unpleasant as possible to get people on to coaches.
Trapped. Crushed. Ditch the Train.
The Mark
The main mark for the campaign, "Ditch the Train," is designed in a scratchy, messy style to emulate graffiti etched into train windows. This raw aesthetic reinforces the horror theme, evoking the uncomfortable, trapped feeling of cramped train rides while aligning with the rebellious tone of the campaign.
No more squeeze. No more stress.
These posters would be strategically placed around train stations and university campuses, featuring haunting faces pressed against train windows to effectively convey our message to the audience.
Ditch The Uncomfortable
I incorporated the iconic red and blue colors of National Express overlaid on my photos to ensure the campaign remains aligned with the brand’s identity while enhancing its visual impact.