• by Larissa Faw , September 21, 2018

Amtrak is appointing a Y&R-led team of WPP agencies as the train brand’s new agency of record.

The Amtrak Partnership will tap Wunderman, MediaCom and Culture ONE World to handle a variety of duties. They include: brand-identity development, creative campaign work, national and local media planning and buying across the Amtrak brand, loyalty programs and guest rewards initiatives.

Culture ONE will also develop Amtrak's cross-cultural initiatives.

In addition to evolving Amtrak's marketing communications for the train line's Northeast Corridor and long-distance service, the team will oversee Amtrak's 50th anniversary in 2021.

It will also develop an integrated, multimedia campaign to support the launch of the new Acela trains in 2021.

Amtrak has spent $10.51 million on advertising during the first six months of 2018, similar to the company's $10.80 million budget for full 12 months of 2017, according to Kantar Media.

This spike in ad spend coincided with Amtrak embarking on one of its biggest advertising efforts last year.

At the time, this "Break The Travel Quo" campaign, developed with agency FCB New York, was designed to serve as a long-running platform for the brand.