Two deep changes were underway as the company gave us the responsibility to transform their brand image: a new future-facing corporate vision focused on ecological, human, and inclusive solutions within a context of imminent opening to competition. The company wanted to unveil their commitments as they were sure French people were not aware of them.

Interestingly enough, we discovered that French people were already aware of SNCF’s commitments (80% of people recognized them as a key economical actor and acknowledged their contribution towards reduced gas emissions and sustainable development) but this did not change their poor image of SNCF. As the real problem was not rational, we needed to dig deep enough to find a way to re-connect the brand and the people.

The brief asked to show French people that SNCF is all of them. The tonality was full of empathy and the paradoxes which make them so passionate and so committed that sometimes they are annoying, just like SNCF.

SNCF is as perfectly imperfect as the French: “We are not square, we are hexagonal” (France has a hexagonal shape).

Hexagonal became a music project instead of an advertising campaign. A theme song, a beautifully written slam poem and a musical composition were the starters of the new territory. The jingle we are so used to and tired of hearing at train stations became an enchanted new melody in the hands of a composer and the popular singer, Gaël Faye.

Here music and poetry parallel SNCF as they connect universally and inclusively. From this starting point, a full communication ecosystem was created to bring the idea to life.

SNCF is also seen as a paradox: as enthusiastic as they are fatalist and grouchy, as refined, and meticulous as they are messy and sloppy, as liberal as they are protectionist, having a pioneering spirit as well as a conservative mind.

Therefore, we realized French people hated SNCF for being as French as they are.

SNCF mirrors what it means to be French; the good and the bad.

With this campaign one of the biggest French institutions decided to unpack its own humanity, appearing relatable and vulnerable but also taking a stand in a strained political context that tends to divide instead of valorizing the richness and beauty of French diversity.

By inspiring people to love SNCF, we wanted to inspire them to love themselves more.

The brief itself was extremely simple: to show French people that SNCF is all of us.

The campaign was launched in the first place by SNCF employees who posted the film on their own social networks. And they made the campaign viral!

In terms of media plan, the film was the emotional milestone of the campaign with a 1.30 minute manifesto and three cut-down of 30 seconds about ecology, inclusion and shared growth (the main strategical pilars of SNCF). The film has been broadcasted on TV to reach all French people and on digital with online videos to target a younger audience.

In addition, major proofs about SNCF’s commitments in ecology, inclusion and shared growth have been displayed on social and on billboards in SNCF’s stations. And some PR increased the visibility of the whole campaign.

The campaign results were outstanding, outperforming all the research’s institute benchmarks on brand image:

• + 13 points on very positive image

• -17% on negative image

On the items of brand love and brand image, the brand performed like never before:

• A brand that understands me: +17 points

• A brand I feel close to + 20 points

• A brand I trust: +12 points

• A brand that makes me dream: +18 points

• A brand that makes truly sustainable efforts: +15 points

• An innovative brand: +14 points

• 58% of French people will now recommend SNCF to others.

This shift is a cornerstone for a new relationship between the brand and the French, promising a fresh start for an old couple: France and its railways.