Full speed ahead as Lucky Generals picks up National Express account

National Express, the UK’s number one coach operator has awarded Lucky Generals its advertising account as it looks to position itself as the savvy alternative to train and car travel and appeal to people who don’t think coach travel is for them. 

The agency picked up the business following a strategic-led competitive pitch process handled by Creativebrief. The incumbent was One Black Bear. 

With the country in the grip of a cost-of-living crisis, more and more people are looking for affordable and reliable public transport options to get around. National Express’ excellent customer service, backed up by more than 40,000 5-star reviews on Trustpilot, and competitive pricing demonstrate how coach travel has become a huge growth market, with National Express leading the way. 

Coach travel produces lower greenhouse emissions per passenger than trains and cars and has better reliability than a train network in constant turmoil. Car insurance is predicted to rise by between 10-14% in 2024 (with the costs of petrol and electricity still extremely volatile), and train fares are expected to increase by 8%, a 30-year high. 

Lucky Generals will be briefed with driving this message home to new consumers and expanding National Express’ appeal beyond its current customer base to a broader range of travellers - getting them out of their cars, off trains and onto coaches. 

National Express awarded the account to Lucky Generals because of the agency’s ability to develop famous and effective brand platforms, its deep understanding of the business’s challenges and opportunities, and the boundless energy and enthusiasm for its mission that it demonstrated throughout the process. 

Catherine Woolfe, Customer and Marketing Director at National Express, said: “This is an incredibly exciting moment for our business and we have huge ambitions to grow our brand presence as the nation’s favourite coach operator.  We knew it was crucial that we found an agency partner who shared our passion and hunger to produce defining work that will deliver results, and who will help us to show the nation that there is a smarter way to travel, when it has never been needed more.”

Vickie Ridley, Managing Director at Lucky Generals, said: “We can’t wait to start our journey with National Express. It's a true British icon and one that demonstrates real value for money and a first-class experience, as well as being one of the most sustainable methods of transport available.”

Charlie Carpenter, CEO at Creativebrief, said: “It was a pleasure to design and run a strategic-led pitch process for National Express who openly embraced a modern, responsible, and progressive approach. The business feels like one on a mission to challenge long-held perceptions in the world of travel and given Lucky General’s proposition of being ‘a creative company for people on a mission’ we’re excited to watch this partnership unfold.”