GWR revives Famous Five for leisure travel push

Great Western Railway has launched a new campaign that draws on its historical marketing archives to inspire modern leisure travelers. The latest chapter of the award-winning Famous Five series, created with, references GWR’s 1920s publicity campaigns that used myths and legends to promote regional travel.

The campaign, Five and the Dragon Quest, positions rail travel not simply as transport but as the start of an adventure, connecting passengers to the myths, legends, and landscapes of the South West of England and Wales, including Cardiff, Penzance, Bath and Oxford.

Cinematic storytelling anchors multi-channel rollout

A 60-second hero film directed by Oscar- and BAFTA-winning animator Peter Baynton, featuring voices from Richard E Grant, Ambika Mod, Andi Osho and Jan Francis, recently launched. The story follows the Famous Five as they investigate dragon sightings across the region, with trains providing the fastest way to navigate the landscape. The film closes with the tagline: “Great Western Railway – legendary adventures start here.”

Amanda Burns, Sales & Marketing Director, Great Western Railway: "This campaign shows the Famous Five still have plenty of legendary adventures to share. The best storytelling doesn’t just entertain – it sparks curiosity and inspires people to explore. The campaign is rooted in the myths and legends of the South West and Wales – the very communities our railway has connected for generations."

Integrated media strategy amplifies regional folklore

WPP Media’s Mindshare is leading the multi-channel approach, with cinema, TV, VOD, dynamic radio, out-of-home, and social media placements delivering a connected storytelling ecosystem. Radio executions explore regional legends, out-of-home situates the Famous Five within iconic landscapes, and bespoke social vignettes spotlight specific myths and destinations.

Ben Tollett, Group Executive Creative Director, adam&eve\TBWA: "The Famous Five are brought bang up to date with this foray into fantasy fiction. Can four children and a dog save the nation from a rampaging mythical beast? Highly unlikely. Unless, of course, they get some help from Great Western Railway."

Fleur Stoppani, Mindshare: "Our approach was to meet audiences in the moments they’re most open to inspiration – from the immersive impact of cinema to the trusted weekend paper and the contextual power of out-of-home. By aligning channel strengths with storytelling, we’ve created a journey that moves people emotionally and commercially."

The campaign builds on GWR’s Famous Five ‘Adventures Start Here’ programme, launched in 2017, which recently won APG’s Long Term Thinking award and was a finalist at the 2025 Effie UK Awards.

www.gwr.com

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