The Challenge
Created in November 2007, East Midlands Trains needed a website that would successfully launch it as a new brand, allowing it to stand out immediately against long-established competitors. The site would also need to provide authoritative journey-planning information for East Midlands Trains customers, as well as integrating multiple third-party travel information services.
The Solution
Generate a compelling online experience to attract a high degree of advocacy and loyalty. Promote travel by focusing on the destination, not simply the journey. ILN created a website combining highly accessible journey-planning information with engaging content highlighting areas of interest to the audience. Users were also encouraged to register for direct communications in order to build a customer database that could be used to drive revenue.
The Results
Designed, built, tested and launched within eight weeks, the site successfully provided the focus for brand activity — receiving 2 million page views in the first month — and inspired user loyalty, with more than 50 per cent repeat traffic and 15,000 registrations. It also integrated seamlessly with third-party services such as National Rail.