Railway slogans/catchphrases which don't quite work

[gordonthemoron]

I wouldn't be surprised if we're getting there was dreamt up by a BR employee, rather than today's slogans from Marketing Companies

 

[Beveridges]

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

Proud operator of nearly all the class 142s that exist.

 

[Lampshade]

Southeastern's "make a connection" - as that implies none of their services go direct to wherever you want to go

 

[eastwestdivide]

"This is the age of the train"

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

Even back at the time, discounting the JS connection, people deliberately construed it to mean that the trains were very old.

There was a TV programme fairly recently describing how the BR chairman was invited to an ad agency pitching for BR's business. He was left in a dirty reception area with a rude receptionist, left-over rubbish, and eventually called in to the meeting 20 minutes late, when the agency revealed this was all deliberate to emulate the train travel experience. They got the contract I think. Anyone remember if this was the agency behind "age of the train", or was that later?

 

[Oswyntail]

I seem to recall the "We're getting there" was deliberate. At the time much of the rail experience was rubbish, but, at last, people were taking seriously the task of improving it. There was no way a campaign purely extolling its virtues would work. The slogan did combine the element of travel with a sense of striving to improve, and was quite well received, particularly for being honest.

 

[DarloRich]

"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).

It sounds terribly British to me! You could add the chaps are trying thier best and working hard but it is really quite difficult and the weather is terrible but we will give it a jolly good go!

 

[AnonymousUser1]

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!

and often missing the point that it;s mainly the same ex council staff TUPEd supplemented by new starters or agency on far worse TaCoS ( having been pushed down by in some cases the ridiculous over valuing of the role when it was the LA)...

 

[OuterDistant]

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

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

Urban myth!

 

[MCW]

not railway related, but i do know that centrebus did have 'your local bus operator' as their slogan... er yeah mate, does captain obvious work for you? lol

 

[rebmcr]

not railway related, but i do know that centrebus did have 'your local bus operator' as their slogan... er yeah mate, does captain obvious work for you? lol

Well it could well have been a Scottish conglomerate.

 

[gogogoadam]

I have a couple no-one's mentioned yet, and one of them is a cracker!

Connex South Central's 'The way to run a railway' must be my favourite one. There was a old poster which showed it at either Herne or Tulse Hill, i'm not sure if it is still there ....

And the second one is 'Alphaline, nice and straightforward' Not quite sure about that one personally!

Oh, and I have just remembered 'Wales and West Trains, Join the Movement' which is actually quite a good one. They even advertised it on the radio and TV.

Adam

 

[CallySleeper]

Even back at the time, discounting the JS connection, people deliberately construed it to mean that the trains were very old.

There was a TV programme fairly recently describing how the BR chairman was invited to an ad agency pitching for BR's business. He was left in a dirty reception area with a rude receptionist, left-over rubbish, and eventually called in to the meeting 20 minutes late, when the agency revealed this was all deliberate to emulate the train travel experience. They got the contract I think. Anyone remember if this was the agency behind "age of the train", or was that later?

They did get the contract, and it was definitely in their ads with Saville so it was probably.