Train travel for the 21st Century.
PARTNER
Seatfrog
CATEGORY
Transportation & Infrastrcture
Gallery
01
Where we started
Prior to COVID, Seatfrog had gained substantial traction with their seat upgrade tool – a significant fix for one of the many challenges facing the archaic British railway system. Their clever tech created an attractive win-win, helping rail providers monetize unused first class seat inventory while giving passengers a much nicer seat for a fraction of its face value. While their business went on temporary hiatus as the travel industry weathered COVID, they spent the time developing a range of tools and ticketing services to revolutionize rail ticketing for all.
Seatfrog knew that there was a lot of ground to be won with a powerful brand, so they approached West. First, they needed to define their category, find its optimal position in the market, then roll out with a personable, trust-inspiring, and memorable visual and verbal identity that could re-inspire excitement around rail travel.
02
What we did
Understanding that Seatfrog had a number of product launches ahead of them – such as TrainSwap and Carnet – West first looked at the competitive landscape to find areas where they could differentiate in a largely commodified market. With the UK rail ticketing TAM sitting at around £39BN, there was certainly more than enough opportunity, provided that Seatfrog built their base through addressing the unmet needs of key consumer segments while simultaneously providing an inspiring brand experience. Another mandatory task was to weave Seatfrog’s environmental mission into the heart of the brand – after all, trains remain the greenest way to travel long distances. It was critical that this should be a core feature of the brand, not a bolt-on or afterthought.
From there, West was able to build a unique brand that provided both a fresh counterpoint to the mostly functional legacy players, as well as a through-narrative for their specific products to reach people who really needed them in a fun and lighthearted way. Specifically, we designed the charming (yet functional) brand to have stickiness, virality, and word-of-mouth built into it, so that people felt moved to share the services with their friends. Alongside a comprehensive Go-To-Market strategy for each product, West also developed a referral and loyalty program – all based on how many cars each passenger was taking off the road.
03
Where are they now
West’s visual, verbal, and Go-To-Market strategy work was implemented in Seatfrog’s 2022 full brand relaunch, seen across their website, OOH and social marketing, as well as their first-in-class mobile app. West also supported Seatfrog through several realtime visual and verbal needs, such as crafting a conference deck that won them “Best Presentation” – and the attention of a number of potential partners and train operating companies.
See where you can go with West.
West has over 12 years of experience working with venture-backed startups in nearly every B2C and B2B sector.
We know how to work under resource constraints and adapt to changing conditions. We focus on strategies that grow enterprise value in the eyes of the market and investors. We bring the rigor of a consulting firm to the creative process.