‘When in Paris or When in London…’

Eurostar, working with AMV BBDO and Arena, launched a new TV advertising campaign on Sunday 20 October, which is set to showcase the quirky, vibrant and humorous sides of Paris and London and the different experiences travellers can enjoy when they visit these cities. 

Titled ‘Maybe’, the campaign features two separate adverts, one of which focuses on Paris, which will air in the UK, and one that focuses on London for the French and Belgian markets. Each of the adverts has a similar look and feel and shows an unexpected side of the cities through striking and witty imagery and footage of real people and places. Both adverts close with the line ‘stories are waiting’, and invite to people to take their own Eurostar journey and create their own stories and memories.

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HLA director Simon Ratigan acted as a “conductor”, sending photographers and cameramen out onto the streets of Paris and London to capture real life people and events in unusual and interesting locations, as the team set about capturing any scene that caught their attention.

A mix of media has been planned by Arena, to showcase the creative to its best effect. The ‘Maybe’ campaign will be amplified through Eurostar’s own advertising platforms, social media channels, customer emails and onboard customer magazine, Metropolitan. Traditional platforms such as TV and cinema will run alongside engaging interactive ad units on VOD platforms, allowing users to find out more about the unexpected side of Paris. From Saturday 19 October, Eurostar is asking passengers to share stories and pictures from Paris and London via its social media channels for the chance to feature within a re-edit of the adverts, which will appear towards the end of the year. Arena has also worked with a variety of relevant bloggers to share their Paris experiences. The social media activation will be run by AMV in the UK and CLM BBDO in France and Belgium.

Lionel Benbassat, Director of Marketing and Brand at Eurostar, said: “Paris and London are two of the most loved cities in the world, and through this campaign we want to remind people about the amazing experiences people can have when they travel to these vibrant cities. Travel opens up a world of possibilities through meeting people, discovering places and sharing new experiences, and we hope that these adverts will inspire people to book their next trip and bring back amazing stories."

Ian Pearman, CEO at AMV BBDO commented: “Eurostar as a brand is in a class of its own and deserves the best creative work. With this ‘Maybe’ campaign we are aiming to build an even stronger, more unified emotional connection between travellers and the brand. AMV BBDO are delighted to be part of this next chapter in the Eurostar story.”

Beatrice Boue, Managing Partner at Arena, commented: “This was a really rich and integrated campaign born out of true consumer insight and it was key that the media worked hand in hand with the arresting creative. The blend of media channels was important – as well as TV, cinema and interactive ads on VOD platforms, we’ve developed a social stream and have worked alongside bloggers to ensure the campaign is supported by authentic Paris moments, allowing people to see the city through many people’s eyes.”

30”, 60” and 90” versions of the Paris ‘Maybe’ advert launched on Sunday 20 October and will run for six weeks across national TV and online media in the UK. The London version of the advert will launch on TV on the 21 October in Belgium and on the 23 October in French cinemas.

Credits

Creative Agency:    AMV BBDO
Copywriter:    Alex Grieve
Art Director:    Adrian Rossi
Agency Planner:    Craig Mawdsley
Agency Account Manager:    Tom Shattock, Emily Atkinson
TV Producer:    Anita Sasdy
Media Agency:    Arena 
Media Planner:    Beatrice Boue
Production Company:    HLA
Director:    Simon Ratigan
Photographer:    Matt Stuart
Production Co. Producer:    Mike Wells
Post-production Company:    The Mill
Audio Post-production:    Wave Sound