Traveling can change you as a person. It takes you to unknown places, exposes you to different views of the world and makes you experience new things. Interrail, the company that launched the iconic pass to travel through Europe more than 70 years ago, is aware of this and has focused its new communication platform on this transformative effect of the trip, with which it invites new generations to continue trusting in the train to enjoy their next adventure.
Interrail ensures that traveling changes the way you see the world and yourself
“The Interrail effect” is based on the idea that traveling not only takes you to a new place; It also changes the way you see the world and yourself. The company argues that traveling the continent by train allows travelers to return with new perspectives, unexpected friendships and memories that last a lifetime. And all this has been expressed in the campaign “The Interrail Diaries”, created together with the creative agency We Are Pi and the social media agency Butterfly Effect.
Interrail has had the participation of 30 creators from different backgrounds who have traveled through Europe throughout this summer and have captured their transformative experience and the impact of traveling by train. Profiles have been sought to represent a wide variety of ages and travel styles, from solo to group or family travel. Their personal reflections and the audiovisual material they collected are shown without filters and have been collected in different pieces that evoke memories as a diary.
The main piece is titled “Between here & there”, and is set to the rhythm of the famous Neapolitan song *Funiculì, Funiculà*, composed in 1880 by Luigi Denza with lyrics by Peppino Turco to celebrate the inauguration of the first funicular on Mount Vesuvius. Interrail understands this as a nod to the position it occupies in the European railway network.
The campaign also helps communicate a series of strategic transformations made this year at the company. Until now, the company Interrail BV had two brands for the same product: Interrail for residents in Europe, and Eurail for those who reside outside of it. The Eurail pass will now be renamed Interrail, creating a unified brand and pass for the global travel community. In addition, the company also changed its name at the beginning of the year, going from Eurail BV to Interrail BV
Interrail was created in 1959, when post-war nations created a rail pass that made it easier for travelers to cross European borders. The company assures that over the years it has been its own people who have turned the step into an international movement, even a feeling, and believes that seven decades later, that spirit is more relevant than ever.
Furthermore, the tone and style used in the campaign seeks to create its own personality, far from the imposture that reigns in the tourism sector. In a statement, he points out that in a time of increasing division and isolation and in which travel experiences seem more designed for social networks than to be truly lived, Interrail highlights the value of authentic human connection, cultural exchange and shared experiences.
In this sense, “The Interrail Effect” establishes a new chapter for Interrail, which evolves from a provider of rail passes to become a brand that champions the transformative power of travel and opposes the superficiality of rapid tourism. “For years we have asked people where they want to go. The most interesting question is who they will become when they return“commented Özlem Birkalan, Brand and Commercial Director of Interrail. ““The ‘Interrail effect’ isn’t something we invented. It’s something travelers have been describing to us for decades, in their own words, after every trip. What’s changing is that we’re finally building the brand around it.“.
The platform is based on real insights. A customer survey conducted earlier this year revealed that around 70% said their trip changed the way they see the world; and a similar proportion felt that these experiences had a greater impact than other types of holidays. In this regard, Interrail considers that there is an opportunity to position itself against “posturing” or “check-list” tourism.
“In a time when travel has never been more accessible, it has become a race to see and publish more; In fact, a third of people admit to doing certain activities during their vacation simply to share them on social networks“Rick Chant, Executive Creative Director of We Are Pi, said in a statement. “However, it is often the experience of the trip and not the destination itself that truly transforms us.”
The campaign launches on September 10 in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia through paid media, social networks, email marketing, and collaborations with influencers and content creators.
