Eurostar to include social media mentions in new 'live' advertising campaign
Eurostar is to include comments and pictures from Facebook and Twitter in its new 'real-time' outdoor advertising campaign launching this week.
The Eurostar Live platform goes live across 363 digital screens in London and the South East on 23 February.
These screens will feature ads for Eurostar's service to Amsterdam via Brussels combined with as many as 4000 tweets and Facebook updates each day.
The train operator claims it is the first major brand to integrate real-time social media messages with large-scale advertising in this fashion.
It says an image uploaded online can be re-purposed immediately to run on underground cross–track projections and LCD screens and comments from bloggers can be live on screen in minutes.
The Cloud and Compass has developed the platform, with Arena Media and Posterscope providing media planning and buying support and We Are Social delivering the social activation.
The ad campaign that underpins it all, featuring the strapline 'Now from the heart of London to the soul of Amsterdam', has been created by Fallon.
Lionel Benbassat, director of marketing and brand at Eurostar, said: "Social engagement needs to run through our entire business, with customers openly sharing their experiences to help inform other Eurostar travellers. We believe that in getting this right, we can in turn enhance the power of conventional channels to drive acquisition and customer loyalty.
"Our challenge is to ensure that social engagement runs through every customer touch point across the business, and the delivery of Eurostar Live is the first manifestation of that approach."
We Are Social is encouraging bloggers and social media users to generate content for the screens.
Sarah Oliver, account director at the agency, said: "The Eurostar Live channel has been designed to highlight and bring to life hidden gems in Eurostar's destinations, beginning with Amsterdam.
"As part of the campaign we have invited bloggers from a range of interests to discover these gems, which we will feature and share with the general public on the Eurostar platform.
“We are also working with influencers in Amsterdam to provide a live stream of content and discoveries from Amsterdam as it happens, allowing the public to experience the life and soul of the city in places that are off the usual tourist trail.
“To support the campaign, we are hosting a competition on the Eurostar blog as well as on Twitter where users after engaging with the Live platform can enter to be in with a chance of winning themselves a pair of tickets to discover Amsterdam for themselves."