Avanti West Coast has marked another milestone for its Christmas safety work after securing a second major industry accolade. The operator’s festive accident-reduction campaign, developed in partnership with social media agency Cubaka, has been honoured at The Drum Awards, which celebrates standout achievements across marketing and communications.

The recognition follows growing praise for the initiative, which tackled a seasonal spike in customer accidents. Data from the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) shows that incidents where intoxication is believed to play a role increase by 45 percent over the Christmas period. In response, Avanti West Coast set out to encourage safer behaviour at stations and onboard services, using a creative approach designed to resonate with festive travellers.

At the heart of the campaign was ‘Safety Thirst’, a specially brewed 0.5 percent pale ale created with The Birmingham Brewing Company. The low-alcohol option was offered in onboard shops throughout the Christmas season, giving passengers heading home from celebrations a lighter alternative. The initiative won backing from both the RSSB and Drinkaware, the latter describing the introduction of the ale as a “great move” that will “help people cut back on their drinking”.

Customer uptake was strong enough that the drink has since earned a permanent place in First Class, now stocked under its original name, ‘Sober Brummie’. The operator says its success highlights how thoughtful partnerships can contribute to safer journeys.

Jo Bird, Communications Director at Avanti West Coast, said:

“We’re delighted that the innovative and fun Safety Thirst campaign has been recognised again as a successful initiative to help reduce customer accidents along the West Coast Main Line. The aim was to bring safety to the forefront of travellers’ minds at a time when it is needed the most. We didn’t want the advice to come across as lecture, but what our campaign achieved was to shed light a very important message in a fun and creative way – mirroring the festive cheer of Christmas and leaving a lasting impression on customers for the rest of the year.”

Image: Avanti West Coast