CrossCountry makes the right connection

This new 60-second spot for train operator CrossCountry is an emotional film that follows a mother and daughter as they take a trip to watch their local football team.

Created by McCann Birmingham as part of a full brand roll-out, the new brand platform, Take Us On Your Journey, aims to highlight CrossCountry’s role in building connections with people and not just places. 

Directed by Marit Weerheijm through The Sweetshop London, The Longer Journey follows the heart-warming story of a mother and daughter travelling to watch a football match. They meet with friends at the game, and celebrate their team's win before travelling home. On the return journey the mother speaks train manager, Steve, to update him on the score before it’s revealed that it wasn’t just a football game, it was a way for the pair to remember their late husband and father.   

“We’ve been on a three-year journey with CrossCountry," said Amy Kiernan, Head of Agency Development and Integration at McCann Birmingham, "and this an incredibly exciting moment for everyone who has played a role in creating the new brand platform and the stories that it has enabled us to start telling.”

"Meaningful interaction is at the heart of CrossCountry, and we needed to bring the brand to life in an authentic, human way," added Vince McSweeney, Chief Creative Officer at McCann Central. “This isn’t a typical train company ad. It doesn’t shy away from the sometimes emotional, but important journeys we all take in life.”