Challenge
Developing Welcome Break campaign assets to build the brand experience
Welcome Break operate motorway service stations, hotels and a choice of Quick Service Restaurants on multiple sites across the UK road network. They wanted to deliver an improved brand experience for both customers and employees by refreshing and revitalising their visual identity across their service station estate. The campaign had two core objectives: to bring attention to their sustainability initiatives, and to develop staff loyalty and awareness of the brand.
Client
Welcome Break
Sector
Hospitality
Services
A twin-track approach to brand building
Our fundamental approach was to build positivity into fresh new creative assets that would appeal to both customers and staff to deliver a better brand experience for all. By combining modern design and a more personal, inclusive messaging style, we created emotive campaigns for internal and external communications that would resonate with the target audiences.
We based our customer messaging around Welcome Break’s desire to increase sustainability onsite, encouraging customers to dine in by highlighting the positive environmental impact of their actions. This refreshed messaging style was also applied to in-house staff messaging, recruitment ads and training collateral.
A brand-new look and feel for Welcome Break
By creating a new look and feel for the complete suite of brand assets, we could appeal to both audiences and generate deeper brand recognition and awareness through a refreshed brand experience.
Solution
Using behavioural insights to drive a fresh new creative messaging strategy
Welcome Break’s key driver was to reduce the amount of litter generated by customers ordering takeaway meals at their service stations. By reducing the amount of litter, the customer experience of using Welcome Break would be much improved. We understood that changing customer behaviour would rely on shaping a positive approach and not ‘telling’ people what to do - as this can result in the opposite behaviour.
Designing a ‘Show don’t Tell’ campaign
We wanted to encourage Welcome Break customers to choose the more sustainable option of eating in. To achieve this, we created a campaign that highlighted the environmental benefits of eating in to ‘nudge’ customers towards this choice.
Making the message hit home
By creating a distinctive look and feel with the overarching campaign message of ‘Who Cares Wins’, we appealed directly to the customers’ emotions and landed the positive sustainability message across multiple touch points on the customer journey.
Sustainability at the heart of messaging
Sharp messaging and visually striking creative assets were installed throughout Welcome Break service areas. This created a cohesive linear message informing customers of the sustainable benefits of eating in for the environment.
Added incentives from close collaboration
Working closely with our client, we agreed that a financial incentive would help drive the sustainability message home and appeal to customers on two levels. Welcome Break introduced ‘Meal Deal Packages’ promoting cost-effective dining when eating in and helping persuade customers to take the sustainable choice by reinforcing the financial and environmental benefits of their actions.
Expanding the message style to staff
Along with customer-facing messaging, we introduced the new design and messaging style to internal staff communications. big group helped deliver a cohesive and engaging brand experience for Welcome Break, improving outcomes, effecting positive change, and bringing customers and staff closer to the brand. Our revised messaging style became standard across internal communications, building staff loyalty and retention, and underlining the Welcome Break brand experience.
Results
Increased footfall in food halls, reduced litter on forecourts
With a clear sustainability message, the added incentive of reduced-price food when eating in and a tone that was educational and thoughtful, our campaign delivered. Throughout 2024/25, customers choosing to eat in at Welcome Break service stations increased and the volume (and cost) of on-site litter collection decreased. The resulting positive environmental and aesthetic impact was significant, with the Welcome Break customer experience becoming increasingly clean, cost-effective and efficient.
60
service stations
31
hotels
85 Million
customers
Great bunch of people and easy to communicate with.
Vicki Phimister
Head of marketing and customer insight
Work
