Railway slogans/catchphrases which don't quite work

tsr · 23 May 2013

Whenever I browse the ScotRail website, I inevitably notice the slogan "A better way to go". I don't know if I just have a bit of morbid mindset, or something like that, but this slogan always seems to be able to be misread in a slightly sinister way. I feel it is an example of a slogan applied to the railway which may not work exactly as intended.

Another one I can think of is "Go Loco Go Southern". What exactly the Loco Toledo campaign was meant to achieve, I have no idea. I think it's been discussed a bit too much already, but I'll just say this: bear in mind Southern don't operate loco-hauled services (well, not unless something goes badly wrong!) and neither do they offer services to Mexican wrestling schools.

What other failed, misunderstandable or dire railway advertising phrases, slogans and catchphrases are there or have there been? I'm guessing there have been a few in recent and not-so-recent UK railway history! Fire away!

When I search the forum, I can't see another thread on this.

RailUK Forums

tsr · 23 May 2013

egadbrain said:
"This is the age of the train"

Apparently the guy wasnt all that bothered about ages....

Oh dear. I knew someone would come up with that as soon as I posted the thread!

It's true that one is badly tainted now.

tbtc · 23 May 2013

"We're Getting There"

...just sounds like "we're still not there yet, but we will be soon-ish, apologies for the delay, bear with us, we hope to be there before long" - typically apologetic... really didn't work as a slogan (IMHO).

Alan1310 · 23 May 2013

egadbrain said:
"This is the age of the train"

Apparently the guy wasnt all that bothered about ages....

Possibly the best post I have seen in a long time. Well done that man

Philip Elliott · 23 May 2013

tbtc said:
"We're Getting There"

...just sounds like "we're still not there yet, but we will be soon-ish, apologies for the delay, bear with us, we hope to be there before long" - typically apologetic... really didn't work as a slogan (IMHO).

Indeed. Also from Intercity:

"Makes the going easy" - laxative advert?

From Virgin : "Don't go Zombie" - what on earth?

IanD · 23 May 2013

tsr said:
Whenever I browse the ScotRail website, I inevitably notice the slogan "A better way to go".

Advocating sitting down urination for men?

W-on-Sea · 23 May 2013

"c2c: way2go" , while gimmicky in its presentation and appearance, was far from the worst of them... and much better than the usual National Express slogan "Making Travel Simpler" that succeeded it.

Unless my memory fails me (and it might), it seems notable that three of the largest, and by any measure most successful, branding exercises on parts of the railway network in recent decades - those given to InterCity alongside its "swallow", and the creation of ScotRail and Network SouthEast under Chris Green's, didn't really come with any catchy, enduring, and memorable. slogans. Perhaps it was just that the changes and improvements being introduced were so substantial, that there wasn't quite the need for a few words to sum up what they were about..... either that, or I have quite forgotten them....

12CSVT · 23 May 2013

Whenever I saw this advert on TV the bloke singing sounded as though he was about to drift into unconsciousness

[youtube]EcMxuzBp38s[/youtube]

CC 72100 · 23 May 2013

12CSVT said:
Whenever I saw this advert on TV the bloke singing sounded as though he was about to drift into unconsciousness

Could be interpreted as 'Intercity: It ain't half a boring trip!'

warriorwarlord · 23 May 2013

First - Transforming travel. Does that imply that my 10:46 or whatever ex-Paddington will get to Didcot and re-assemble itself in to a robot or sommat?

Manchester77 · 23 May 2013

First transforming travel works though, most people I know think it means turning it into something new not seen before not a robot that's just trying to find something wrong with it

Howardh · 23 May 2013

warriorwarlord said:
First - Transforming travel.

It's a railway line, with tracks. And carriages pulled by (hopefully) engines but in desperation camels will do.

Transforming Travel is when I can get from A to B instantaniously. When I can go into a box, and be zapped by methods outside the laws of physics to get me to my favourite bar in Formentera in time for a nice, long cold one, and then zap me back before anyone notices I've gone out.

Jet2 try hard, but it's not quite instantanious. But even if the uber-transformation became possible, we'd still all be limited to 25x40x55cm baggage, just because they can :cry:

rebmcr · 23 May 2013

Slightly off-topic, but nothing can beat Royal Mail's With us it's personal.

LE Greys · 23 May 2013

BR in the 1950s used to run with "It's Quicker By Rail". Considering the motorway network was only just getting going, then it was mostly true, but could be somewhat uncomfortable if your train was hauled by a Victorian relic and staggered along at less than 60, slowed to below 30 on an adverse gradient. On the whole, it was OK, though.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

rebmcr said:
Slightly off-topic, but nothing can beat Royal Mail's With us it's personal.

For totally duff advertising slogans, surely nothing can beat how Electrolux tried to sell their vacuum cleaners in America once. "Nothing sucks like an Electrolux" :lol:

rebmcr · 23 May 2013

LE Greys said:
For totally duff advertising slogans, surely nothing can beat how Electrolux tried to sell their vacuum cleaners in America once. "Nothing sucks like an Electrolux"

That's a pretty good (bad?) one too.

johnnychips · 23 May 2013

#9, that slow BR song, someone takes shoes off - always instantly put the thought of smelly feet in my head.

TOCDriver · 23 May 2013

'Pulling off' always raises a smile with me

MCW · 23 May 2013

tsr said:
Whenever I browse the ScotRail website, I inevitably notice the slogan "A better way to go". I don't know if I just have a bit of morbid mindset, or something like that, but this slogan always seems to be able to be misread in a slightly sinister way. I feel it is an example of a slogan applied to the railway which may not work exactly as intended.

sorry to say it but sounds more fitting or a funeral parlour!!! :lol:

GatwickDepress · 24 May 2013

rebmcr said:
Slightly off-topic, but nothing can beat Royal Mail's With us it's personal.

It always sounds like it should be spat out by a Ray Winstone sort of chap, followed by "sending the boys dahn to have a little word widya".

DeeGee · 24 May 2013

warriorwarlord said:
First - Transforming travel. Does that imply that my 10:46 or whatever ex-Paddington will get to Didcot and re-assemble itself in to a robot or sommat?

My train from Grimsby has reassembled into a coach. Does that count?

hairyhandedfool · 24 May 2013

Manchester77 said:
First transforming travel works though, most people I know think it means turning it into something new not seen before not a robot that's just trying to find something wrong with it

I think it works from a certain point of view, but what it means to First Group is almost certainly the polar opposite of what it means to the passengers...... :lol:

Harlesden · 24 May 2013

Didn't Virgin Trains once promote their (then) new Wi-Fi with the slogan "You Don't Need Your Dongle"?

maniacmartin · 24 May 2013

"We're getting there" has to be the best. I interpret it as tbtc does

"a serco and abellio joint venture" - I don't think passengers really care

jon0844 · 24 May 2013

maniacmartin said:
"We're getting there" has to be the best. I interpret it as tbtc does

"a serco and abellio joint venture" - I don't think passengers really care

Given how Serco has its fingers in so many pies, I think you'd find some very mixed reactions to that.

Around here, Serco does rubbish collection for the council. As it happens, I think they do a good job (but we're on a road that makes it easy), but most residents are very hateful because Serco often miss collections and leave places looking messy.

And as for a company like Veolia.. well, they should probably change their name again!

IanD · 24 May 2013

I seem to recall that after "We're getting there" BR/InterCity were toying with the idea of "It's better to travel than to arrive" which was supposed to imply that the joy of the luxurious surroundings and catering provision would make you wish you could stay on the train longer whereas, it was the constant breakdown and delays that made this a reality (and people thought they were lucky if they arrived at all).

Not sure if they actually went with it in the end.

hairyhandedfool · 24 May 2013

maniacmartin said:
"We're getting there" has to be the best. I interpret it as tbtc does

"a serco and abellio joint venture" - I don't think passengers really care

Occasionally they throw in "Proud to be Northern", which is slightly odd given that neither of the companies are.

Eagle · 24 May 2013

ScotRail have a completely vacuous slogan: "Scotland's Railway". Thanks for informing me of that, I was totally unable to work that out from your name...

Holly · 24 May 2013

LE Greys said:
For totally duff advertising slogans, surely nothing can beat how Electrolux tried to sell their vacuum cleaners in America once. "Nothing sucks like an Electrolux"

Oh yes, something can.
In Mexico General Motors promoted their Nova model

"Chevrolet Nova"
(translates from Spanish as - The Chevrolet doesn't go"

On the other hand one of the best ever advertising slogans was British Airways "Close your eyes and you're almost there". That brought tears of joy to a lot of eyes. All before the British Airways brand was destroyed by privatisation of course.

Beveridges · 24 May 2013

Can agree "we're getting there" really does not work for reasons stated above. Can you imagine a Bus/Coach company using that as their slogan? Or a Ferry company? Or an Airline ?

IanD · 24 May 2013

Holly said:
British Airways "Close your eyes and you're almost there".

Presumably that was the pilots' motto.

Railway slogans/catchphrases which don't quite work

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