Avanti West Coast puts people at heart of travel in new campaign

Long-distance rail operator Avanti West Coast has launched Be With Them Sooner, a campaign created by adam&eveDDB and photographed by Martin Parr, focusing on the emotional reasons behind why people travel.

The campaign highlights that 37 percent of overnight journeys are made to visit loved ones, positioning Avanti West Coast as the rail operator that brings people together rather than simply taking them to tourist destinations.

By shifting the focus from places to people, Avanti West Coast aims to tap into the deeper motivations behind travel — family, friendship, and shared experiences — reminding passengers that its network helps them reach those who matter most.

Martin Parr captures authentic emotion

The campaign’s imagery, shot by acclaimed documentary photographer Martin Parr, features portraits of real people paired with Avanti West Coast’s familiar station signage and warm, personal lines such as “Liverpool. Home of your squidgy new niece” or “Macclesfield. Home of the friend you’d drop anything for.”

Running across Out-of-Home, social, and audio channels, the campaign adapts creatively to reflect Avanti West Coast’s various UK destinations. Dynamic OOH formats enable region-specific messaging — for example, audiences in Glasgow might see “Manchester. Home of…” alongside real journey times, reinforcing the ease and speed of rail travel.

Targeted storytelling and local relevance

Dynamic audio versions further tailor the message, targeting listeners based on location to make the campaign feel more personal.

Sarah Copley, Commercial Director, Avanti West Coast: "The campaign delivers on our brief in an unexpected way. And with Martin Parr’s unmistakable eye behind the camera, it not only strengthens our connection with customers, but also gives us real differentiation ensuring train travel with Avanti is front of mind for customers travelling to visit friends or loved ones."

Andy Mcananey, Creative Director, adam&eveDDB London: "What makes West Coast destinations a joy to visit? The people who live there. This campaign brings this idea to life, capturing a broad cross-section of the British public, the ones we love to see most. We couldn’t have asked for a more suitable person to shoot them than Martin Parr. Thankfully, he said yes."

Launch ahead of Christmas travel season

The campaign launched in early October ahead of the Christmas booking period, beginning with a two-week burst of Out-of-Home activity. Social and audio elements will continue as part of an always-on strategy to maintain engagement throughout the festive travel season.

www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk

www.adamandeveddb.com

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