Press release -
Virgin Trains appoints new marketing agencies
Virgin Trains started the New Year on a creative footing by signing up new marketing agencies, following a pitch process in 2013.
Krow are the new ‘above the line’ agency, TMW will look after the CRM, digital marketing and social marketing. The agencies finalised contracts in January and will support Virgin Trains in shaping a new creative strategy that will give a boost at a time when the company is gearing up for exciting challenges.
Chris Perl, Marketing Manager at Virgin Trains said: ‘’Following a review process of our creative marketing services in late 2013 we are delighted to announce the appointment of our new marketing agencies: Krow and TMW. We are excited to begin working with the new agencies, shaping a new strategy together with delivery of some key projects and a new campaign in 2014. We would like to thank Elvis for their commitment and hard work over the past five years with delivery of some strong creative work for us. We wish them all the best for the future.’’
Topics
- Media, Communication
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Virgin Trains has revolutionised rail travel by creating a high speed, high frequency service that has cut journey times and made rail journeys more comfortable. It has operated the West Coast passenger train franchise since 1997, serving key UK cities including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Preston and Glasgow.
Virgin Trains is the brand name of Virgin Rail Group (VRG), which is owned 51 percent by Virgin Group and 49 percent by Stagecoach. The Department for Transport (DfT) has awarded VRG a franchise contract, which started on 9 December 2012 and was initially due to run for up to 23 months. The Transport Secretary announced on 26 March 2013 that it will be extended until April 2017, when a new long-term West Coast franchise is expected to start..
Virgin Trains has been recognised in numerous awards. In October 2013 Business Traveller magazine readers voted the company the Best UK Domestic Rail Operator for the seventh year running. In 2011 the company was named Best Rail Operator in the Group Leisure Awards (which it also won in 2009 and 2010). In 2011 Virgin Trains won the British Quality Foundation's Achievement Award for Customer Satisfaction.
Customers consistently rate the company the top long-distance rail franchise operator, as measured by the National Passenger Survey (NPS) run by industry watchdog Passenger Focus. In the most recent NPS (Autumn 2013) overall satisfaction was 91%, meaning the company has remained unbeaten over nine successive surveys in the long-distance franchise category.
Virgin Trains first achieved Investors In People accreditation in 2007 and this was renewed in 2010; the IIP Gold award was achieved in 2011 and again in October 2013. In May 2013 Virgin Trains renewed its accreditation against the criteria of the European Foundation for Quality Management's (EFQM) Excellence Model, which it originally achieved in May 2011. The company’s Learning and Development team won a National Training Awards 2011 West Midlands award for its Coaching Culture programme.
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