A fart joke. It’s funny. And never mind that it’s an unsophisticated way to reach an audience, it makes you feel good.
That’s good for train operator, Greater Anglia. It’s their fart joke, in a Christmas commercial by Atomic London, following its appointment as greater Anglia’s creative agency in May this year.
The 30-second commercial, directed by Ivan Bird of Missing Link Films, was inspired by Chevy Chase’s Christmas lights disaster in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Its humour is underscored by the track, I won’t let it die, by US hip hop act, Ugly Duckling.
The work aims to boost sales of trips to London and across East Anglia this Christmas with an emotive new creative platform, It’s Great Out There, that positions Greater Anglia as the enabler that connects you to the people and places that bring you joy.
The festive push is based on the insight that for Greater Anglia customers, Christmas is as much about the build-up as it is the day itself. However, amid all of the preparation, shopping trips and days out, it’s easy to lose sight of the important human connections that make the Christmas period truly meaningful, even if things don’t always go to plan.
The campaign is running across TV, cinema, radio, out-of-home, social and digital channels. Media planning and buying is byBicycle.
The campaign is part of Greater Anglia’s ongoing efforts to change the way people feel about its brand, by harnessing emotional communications and its Red Hare symbol. The brand’s research shows that 58% of people said that the Hare makes them feel positive about Greater Anglia, while System One research has validated consumers’ emotional responses to the device, noting “happiness trends” and the humour of the Hare.
David Metherell, head of commercial development, Greater Anglia, stated, “As we approach the holiday season, this is the perfect time to showcase the benefits of train travel—offering a stress-free journey away from the chaos of driving and crowded spaces, allowing families to truly relish their time together. This year, we’ve shifted from traditional sentimentality to infuse humour, capturing the festive season’s lively spirit. This approach not only makes our message more relatable but also invites families to experience the joy of travel with Greater Anglia, illuminating their holiday season in true style and proving once again that it really is great out there.”
Louise Rudaizky, managing director, Atomic London, added, “The launch of Christmas Lights for Greater Anglia, along with the debut of our new creative platform, It’s Great Out There, epitomises our philosophy of unlocking a brand’s superpower—in this case, connecting people to meaningful experiences. By stepping away from traditional Christmas sentimentality, we chose to celebrate the holiday’s joyful chaos. Our approach was to weave humour into the narrative, transforming the festive season’s preparations into opportunities for genuine connection and fun. Whether it’s battling the infamous Christmas lights or enjoying a spontaneous day out, we believe this campaign will inspire families to rediscover the joy of train travel, appreciating the journey as much as the destination.”
Credits:
Creative Agency: Atomic London
Creatives: Miles Bingham & Claudia Syrad
ECD: John Cherry
Producer: Alex Coxhill
Business Director: Katie Salt
Account Manager: Matthew Ferguson
Managing Director: Louise Rudaizky
Head of Strategy: Nicky Vita
Senior Strategist: Randell Beckford
Client: Greater Anglia
Senior Marketing Manager: Ela Hawran Beaumont
Head of Commercial Development: David Metherell
Production Company: Missing Link Films
Director & DOP: Ivan Bird
Producer: Ben Link
Executive Producer: Heather Link
Animation House: Nexus Studios
Animation Director: Florian Casper
Animation Producer: David Botchley
Offline Edit: Vanessa Wood @ Magic Edit
Grade: Nielsan Bohl @ Selected Works TV
Music licence & edit: Felt Music
Sound: Little Things
