General Discussion

I was watching Dirty Jobs last night and noticed a CSX commercial came on.  I think that CSX is the only freight railroad in the country that advetises to the mainstream public.

Why don't the others?  I think this would get the public more aware.  My dad said that in the '70s ATSF advertised where ever they had routes.  I can bet this covered a huge area.  I would think that BNSF, UP, NS, and others would advertise on TV.  The ads don't have to flashy.  In fact the CSX ads aren't.  I would rather watch a commercial for a railroad than having to watch the guy try to sell me a Shamwow.

NS and BNSF are both also contibutors to the coffers of national broadcast media including PBS.

Since John Q Public isn't going to be shipping by CSX, BNSF, or anyone else, methinks that the CSX campaign (which, like you, I'd rather see than another "available only on TV" ad) amounts more to improving public relations than increasing revenue. 

Of course, there is the possibility that people who work for industries that have a choice of transportation might influence more shipping by rail, which would be a good thing.  But that effect will probably be minimal.

Where you're more likely to see an effect is those places where the railroad is trying to perhaps improve a route, which action has some relatively negative effect on the railroad.  People might be persuaded to feel that such a project, distasteful as it may be on a local/personal level, is actually for the greater good.

Or not.

Old Dominion Freight Lines (A TRUCKER!) has aparently followed CSX's lead and is now advertising on TV.  Nice, pleasant drivers on lonely uncongested roads commited to delivering freight on time.

Aside from Southwest, I don't see too many airline ads any more.  Since these are the carriers that sell directly to the public, it's all a wonderment. 

wholeman:

I was watching Dirty Jobs last night. . .

I hate it that they take the show off during the summers. I get out of the habit of watching it and miss the first part of the season.

I have seen UP and NS commercials before, although it has been a while. 

I think what NS and CSX were advertising was the efficent movement of freight on rails and the fuel savings over trucks on the road, as opposed to "selling" their railroad to the public...they are not concerned or interested in the general public (you or me)  shipping anything on thier railroad, but more concerned on convincing the public they are a greener industry than trucking.

Makes political sense to generate public goodwill when one consideres how congested the highways and roads are in their areas.

Have seen both NS and CSXT advertisements and think they've been done well.  It's a small, first step perhaps but I hope other Class I's follow their lead.  True, it's somewhat different for our industry when it comes to advertising BUT, in the end, it's all about brand recognition and I think the other Class I's need to hop on and find a way to strut their stuff. 

You know, though - "back in the day" the railroads did advertise, and there were more of them to boot.  One might wonder how that would look in today's media.  Would Expedia be offering combined rail/air routings?

Every once in a while I think I see an Amtrak ad, probably on The Weather Channel - or maybe I'm just having hallucinations . . .

- PDN.

Yes, I forgot about Amtrak.  We don't use the term anymore, mass media, but unless you have a service to sell to the mass public (passenger train service) use of the media will be for public relations or public awareness.  I believe it was BN several years ago that was an NFL sponsor for shipping with a touch of public awareness for environment and traffic alleviation.  Right now the railroads are in need of new infrastruture and even the highway lobby acknowledges that. In fact the highway lobby has endorsed the fact that there has to be a combination of road and rail to meet future transportation demands.  So you will be seeing more "PR" advertising from rails, perhaps soon, too, the AAR!

It seems to me that any person responsible for buying freight transportation service for shipments of a size suitable for rail movement needs to be knowledgeable off all modal options.  If not, one would have to question their qualifications for the job.

I don't think any person buying goods or services for a business would consider television advertising as a useful source of product information.  It follows that businesses that advertise products sold to other businesses, rather than to the general public, are motivated to use television for reasons other then an effort to generate additional sales.  Consider General Electrics TV ads that feature locomotives or jet engines.  Have you decided you'll buy two?

Of course, Amtrak does market to the general public and they do have an advertising budget.  Their budget is probably tighter than most advertisers, but just as with any other business advertising to promote sales to the general public, they have to go where they can get the best return for their advertising dollars.