California State Rail Plan 2005-06 to 2015-16

Chapter IV – Marketing Program
Special Promotions - Promotions have the advantage of using a tailored message
to spotlight aspects of service of particular appeal to a corridor audience.
Promotions will continue to include ticket giveaways in conjunction with media
buys on local radio stations; arrangements with destinations that may include
overnight accommodations and tickets to a special event/theme park; and a variety
of cooperative efforts with well known promotional partners. These partnerships
offer the chance for both parties to obtain exposure for their products while
sharing an audience and the cost of that exposure. Amtrak California partners
have included Holiday Inn, Sea World, Yosemite, Disneyland Resort, the Oakland
Raiders, California State Railroad Museum, Six Flags Marine World, and similar
organizations. An Amtrak-funded promotion includes sponsorship of selected
college and professional sports teams whose team demographics coincide with
potential train riders. This promotion allows the Amtrak California train message
to be communicated to sports fans in new and previously unused advertising
media.
Media Relations - The contractor conducts press tours, produces press kits for
special events, conducts media familiarization trips, and otherwise generates travel
and rail-related articles for publication. These activities are coordinated with
Amtrak, the Department’s Public Information Office, and district offices where
appropriate.
Printed Materials - Each quarter, the contractor produces Making Tracks, the
on board rider newsletter, and prints approximately 40,000 for distribution in
station racks and by mail statewide. The contractor also produces collateral pieces
such as flyers and coupons on demand that are designed to highlight various
aspects of the service. Examples of these are posters promoting San Joaquin
trains, a brochure advertising special packages to Yosemite, rack cards for special
events and the San Joaquin Route guide.
Special Events - In any given year, as State-sponsored rail facilities and services
have grown, ceremonial events marking this growth have been staged under the
public relations banner. Such events introduce potential Amtrak customers to the
product, but they also generate important free publicity that is frequently more
effective at reaching an audience than paid advertising. Each of these service
changes affords the opportunity to stage an appropriate special event to the
program’s marketing benefit. The Department works with Amtrak to organize
these events.
GROUP TRAVEL
Kids ‘N Trains – This program on the San Joaquins and Pacific Surfliners
promotes group travel for youths on field trips at highly discounted fares.
The dual goals of the program are to increase ridership at off-peak periods and
introduce kids and their adult chaperones to the train as a means of promoting train
ridership to kids’ families. In 2005-06, the program is in its sixth year of
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