AVANTI WEST COAST
Showing how a simple act of looking up could help change a vulnerable child’s journey on the railway
Challenge
Every five minutes, a vulnerable child runs away from home, many using the rail network.
Yet research showed over 33% of adults are more distracted while travelling during the festive season and 4-in-5 couldn’t confidently spot a runaway, leaving many young people at risk and unnoticed on the railway.
Strategy
This campaign set out to do one simple - but vital - thing: get people to look up.
Avanti West Coast and Railway Children came together to stop people in their tracks and earn their attention, showing them how they can change the journey of a vulnerable child by spotting the signs and reporting it to a member of staff or the British Transport Police.
Idea
We created a national safeguarding campaign built around a symbolic, cinematic five-minute short film.
‘Your Presence is Presents Enough’ was brought to life by BAFTA Breakthrough writer and director Daisy-May Hudson and Railway Children’s Youth Ambassadors, whose lived experiences informed the script, characters and tone.
The film’s message followed passengers into the real world – embedding the campaign across the entire Avanti West Coast network with:
Hourly tannoy announcements were recorded by the child actor from the film and played across all 16 Avanti-managed stations throughout December. Highlighting signs of vulnerability and encouraging reporting.
‘Reserved for Runaways’ seat signage that was installed on platforms and waiting room benches - drawing on the recognisable visual language of priority seating to create pause and reflection.
Film posters which were created to garner awareness and attention. Displayed on donated media space across 231 locations from billboards, digital station screens and onboard trains.
Impact
The film generated 90,000 organic views in under four weeks, becoming the most viewed video in Avanti’s six-year channel history.
Secured 62 pieces of top tier national and regional coverage, including key broadcast slots on ITV London News and BBC London.
Despite only 14% of consumers being aware of the issue prior, 91% of passengers are now more likely to look up and recognise the signs of a vulnerable child on the railway post-campaign.
And 83% feel more confident reporting an AT-RISK child to staff or texting the British Transport Police
After experiencing the campaign, 96% of consumers now see Avanti West Coast as champions of creating a safe and supportive space for some of the most vulnerable young people in our society.
90,000
organic views62
pieces of coverage96%
see Avanti as safe and supportive
