Seymour the Ostrich, a flightless bird, is the brand mascot for Eurostar, capitalising on the idea that you don’t need to fly in order to travel.

The latest campaign for Eurostar, the high-speed rail service linking the UK with mainland Europe, sees the return of Seymour the Ostrich for the first time since the pandemic. The bird first appeared in the ‘You see more when you don’t fly’ campaign which aired in 2019 and the character is now back with a fresh take for audiences in the UK, France and Belgium.

With slots that represent each of the cities the Eurostar serves, in the UK edition, the Ostrich is depicted visiting the Crown Jewels. On the Continent, Seymour visits a restaurant in Belgium for moules, a chic Parisian boutique store selling fashionable berets and explores Amsterdam’s famous flowers and bikes.

To best represent each city, House 337, the advertising agency behind the new campaign, undertook qualitative and quantitative research from over 2,000 respondents to find out what audiences think makes each city iconic. This insight helped identify key reasons people travel to each city and informed the selection of Seymour's travel destinations.

The Eurostar has over 20 trains running daily from London St Pancras to destinations including Paris, Brussels, Lille, Rotterdam and Amsterdam and is maximising on the unique selling point that train is a much greener way to go to explore some of Europe’s most iconic cities. 

“The campaign, which is our first since 2019, highlights the benefits of travelling at high-speed directly to the heart of some of the best cities in Europe. With a unique twist on our core destinations, the campaign invites audiences to discover or rediscover the joy of travelling city to city - all in the most sustainable way.” added Dorothee Mariotte, Head of Marketing for Eurostar.

Upon reopening post-pandemic, the travel sector has welcomed back travellers who missed the opportunity to see family and friends and make unforgettable memories. While the pandemic served as an opportunity for many to reflect on what is important, striking a balance between being environmentally conscious whilst also showing how audiences can make the most of precious travel opportunities is essential. Through the use of a cleverly selected flightless bird as a mascot, Eurostar capitalises on its unique selling point in a way that is both joyful and conscious of the sector's environmental impact. 

The campaign runs across TV, Cinema and OOH, as well as digital first media formats.