Eastern Railroad Discussion > .

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Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 11/11/14 22:32 by Appalachianrails.

Sounds like they need to learn to change the channel. Those arguments, from non-customers of NS of course, are just as silly as people who complain about what music plays or talk show hosts discuss on the radio. Instead of whining, why not change the channel?

I think this is a mental thing. It's stupid but I can relate...I cant stand the 'American Family Insurance' commercials and jingles anymore among some other companies commercials whether on TV or the radio. Maybe that's why McDonalds and UPS change their slogans and such every now and then to keep things fresh. Ties into marketing I suppose.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/23/14 19:32 by djy23.

I can tell you that I despise that commercial because how much it plays in the crew room, its annoying

Posted from Android

The next stage is brain-washing...<G>

Appalachianrails Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Looking on Norfolk Southern's Facebook page
> tonight, I saw two very interesting posts
> complaining about the "What's Your Function?"
> commercial.
>
> These are the posts word for word.
>
> "OMG!!!! I thought it was over months ago, but no,
> you've revived that god awful commercial. WHY????
> If I ever have a need for your services I'll be
> 100% sure to NEVER use you because of that
> terrible commercial you run on EVERY break on CNN.
> PLEASE STOP!!!!"
>
> "You long ago reached overkill with your "what's
> your function" TV spots. Please change copy soon,
> before I break my finger stabbing at the mute
> button!"
>
> And someone replied by with (name has been omitted
> from the post): "... I couldn't agree more. Every
> day I hear it repeatedly on CNN from the
> television in my office's lobby. My choices are to
> close my door and be isolated, or slowly go nuts.
> It's making me miserable and start to dislike
> trains."
>
> I can understand complaining about crossings being
> blocked or excessive noise from horns and engines
> but over an ad that lasts sixty seconds or less?
>
> -JE

Yeah that's on my list of despised commercials along with Lawyer/Legal and Pharmaceutical commercials!!!

mkostecky Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Appalachianrails Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Looking on Norfolk Southern's Facebook page
> > tonight, I saw two very interesting posts
> > complaining about the "What's Your Function?"
> > commercial.
> >
> > These are the posts word for word.
> >
> > "OMG!!!! I thought it was over months ago, but
> no,
> > you've revived that god awful commercial.
> WHY????
> > If I ever have a need for your services I'll be
> > 100% sure to NEVER use you because of that
> > terrible commercial you run on EVERY break on
> CNN.
> > PLEASE STOP!!!!"
> >
> > "You long ago reached overkill with your
> "what's
> > your function" TV spots. Please change copy
> soon,
> > before I break my finger stabbing at the mute
> > button!"
> >
> > And someone replied by with (name has been
> omitted
> > from the post): "... I couldn't agree more.
> Every
> > day I hear it repeatedly on CNN from the
> > television in my office's lobby. My choices are
> to
> > close my door and be isolated, or slowly go
> nuts.
> > It's making me miserable and start to dislike
> > trains."
> >
> > I can understand complaining about crossings
> being
> > blocked or excessive noise from horns and
> engines
> > but over an ad that lasts sixty seconds or less?
>
> >
> > -JE
>
> Yeah that's on my list of despised commercials
> along with

> Lawyer/Legal and

implied >>> look we can't tell you this during this commercial but all you have to do is slip fall have a witness or 2 don't get up and call an ambulance and we can put a lot of money in your pockets ... not stated >>> "after we take our 33 1/3-35% of course plus expenses


> Pharmaceutical commercials!!!

not only implied but stated in the commercial >>> taking our product can kill you but you'll feel so much better after you take it

I was a railfan back in the 70's when the original animated short aired. Conjunction Junction was my favorite due to its railroad theme.

A while back, I saw a video on how NS's commercial was made. Fun seeing 12":1' trains run like HO models.

Too much of an earworm? Hit the mute button. But when I see it I sing along.

* JB *

I'll admit I was a bit surprised the other day when I saw this ad's return to CNN, after it had been away for a while. I'll admit I liked the brilliant ad with the boy's model set coming to life better, but this is also good. I can also see how it could perhaps get on folks' nerves, though -- if one didn't know "Conjunction Junction," it could seem simply odd, and the song is one of those that can get stuck in your head...

My background is more news side of communications, while my dad is PR, so I'm not an expert here, but I am a bit surprised NS didn't come back with a new ad campaign. I'd imagine that they have enough steam footage from the past couple years to put together a nice spot drawing on railroads' history serving American freight needs with the company's current strengths, playing to both nostalgia and business savvy. But again, I'm not a marketing person...

My wife asked me a good question the other day when we saw this ad, and I'd wonder what others think: What exactly is the railroads' target audience with either this, CSX "How Tomorrow Moves" ads, etc? During the passenger era, there was obvious benefit to advertising. There may be some shippers who would be swayed by TV ads, but I'd venture that they already consider rail when looking for cost efficiencies in shipping. Given that this is running so heavily on CNN, my guess is it's mainly targeted to policymakers, lobbyists, bureaucrats, etc, trying to build public support for rail amidst calls for regulation? If that is the case, again I'd maybe go for a marketing line that better touts safety and patriotic nostalgia... But, just my ramblings...

- Robbie

A few years ago my then four-year-old daughter cried after watching Norfolk Southern's "Lonely Gallon" commercial. She was bummed out over the fact that the cute little gasoline cans were being rejected by the NS train! The background theme song, You Don't Need Me only made things worse!

http://vimeo.com/58622857



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/24/14 03:50 by CA_Sou_MA_Agent.

I love the commercials. To most people the railroads are "out of site and out of mind". People don't realize
how important railroads are to the country's economic well being. The commercials tell them "we're still
around"!

I'm old enough to remember Conjunction Junction, and I LOVE the commercial. I don't watch CNN for obvious reasons, so I don't see it there, but I bring it up on Youtube and watch it about once a week. It makes me smile.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/24/14 07:44 by junctiontower.

You're putting too much emphasis on Facebook comments. They mean nothing, especially if there's just a couple complaints. If you get 50k people making the same complaint then you might have something.

I think the fact that people are talking about it means it is a good one. I don't have cable/satellite but have seen it online and think it's great!

Emmo213 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You're putting too much emphasis on Facebook
> comments. They mean nothing, especially if there's
> just a couple complaints. If you get 50k people
> making the same complaint then you might have
> something.

That's a hotly debated topic among marketing and advertising people. Brand identity is unquestionably reinforced by having social media presence, but the actual buyers of NS's services are probably in the low thousands nationwide. Purchasing agents, shipping officers, vendors, etc. To whom other factors (cost, time, consistency, quality of service, etc) may be more important.

The actual decision maker(s) for major capital purchases are probably less influenced by social media than the buyer of a wearable watch might be.

I just watched it on YouTube for the first time... I liked it!

There are plenty of worse commercials that I don't care to ever see or hear again.

Out_Of_Service Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> mkostecky Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Appalachianrails Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Looking on Norfolk Southern's Facebook page
> > > tonight, I saw two very interesting posts
> > > complaining about the "What's Your Function?"
> > > commercial.
> > >
> > > These are the posts word for word.
> > >
> > > "OMG!!!! I thought it was over months ago,
> but
> > no,
> > > you've revived that god awful commercial.
> > WHY????
> > > If I ever have a need for your services I'll
> be
> > > 100% sure to NEVER use you because of that
> > > terrible commercial you run on EVERY break on
> > CNN.
> > > PLEASE STOP!!!!"
> > >
> > > "You long ago reached overkill with your
> > "what's
> > > your function" TV spots. Please change copy
> > soon,
> > > before I break my finger stabbing at the mute
> > > button!"
> > >
> > > And someone replied by with (name has been
> > omitted
> > > from the post): "... I couldn't agree more.
> > Every
> > > day I hear it repeatedly on CNN from the
> > > television in my office's lobby. My choices
> are
> > to
> > > close my door and be isolated, or slowly go
> > nuts.
> > > It's making me miserable and start to dislike
> > > trains."
> > >
> > > I can understand complaining about crossings
> > being
> > > blocked or excessive noise from horns and
> > engines
> > > but over an ad that lasts sixty seconds or
> less?
> >
> > >
> > > -JE
> >
> > Yeah that's on my list of despised commercials
> > along with
>
> > Lawyer/Legal and
>
> implied >>> look we can't tell you this during
> this commercial but all you have to do is slip
> fall have a witness or 2 don't get up and call an
> ambulance and we can put a lot of money in your
> pockets ... not stated >>> "after we take our 33
> 1/3-35% of course plus expenses
>
>
> > Pharmaceutical commercials!!!
>
> not only implied but stated in the commercial >>>
> taking our product can kill you but you'll feel so
> much better after you take it


SEE WHAT I MEAN!!!

CSX ran two commercials in tandem a while back. Very simple messages:

our trains move a ton of freight 400 miles on a gallon of fuel
our trains take 5,000 (IIRC) trucks a day off your streets


simple, straightforward, answers the "what's in it for me" asked by the average viewer

Vanakatherock Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sounds like they need to learn to change the
> channel. Those arguments, from non-customers of NS
> of course, are just as silly as people who
> complain about what music plays or talk show hosts
> discuss on the radio. Instead of whining, why not
> change the channel?


No kidding. CNN. It takes more impressions by advertisers on CNN to reach the same number of eyeballs.

Chico