Great Rail Journeys Press Adverts

This project involved a series of press advertisements conceived and written for Great Rail Journeys, aimed primarily at an older audience with the time, curiosity and appetite for slower, more enriching travel experiences.

The brief was to showcase why taking a holiday by rail offers so much more than conventional travel alternatives — not just in terms of destinations, but in the journey itself. Rather than relying on short, promotional headlines, the work leaned into long-copy press advertising, allowing space to tell richer, more evocative stories.

Each execution paired emotive, literary-style headlines with thoughtful body copy that captured the romance of rail travel: the changing landscapes, the comfort and elegance of the experience, and the sense of discovery that comes from travelling at a gentler pace. The ads positioned rail holidays as something to be savoured, not rushed, a key emotional trigger for the target audience.

The campaign focused on aspiration rather than hard sell, using beautifully paced copy to build desire, trust and anticipation. It was about reminding readers that the holiday doesn’t start when you arrive, it starts the moment you step onto the train.

I was responsible for the concept, headline writing and long-form copy, crafting each ad to feel timeless, calm and immersive, while clearly communicating the unique benefits of Great Rail Journeys’ curated travel experiences.