On the Right Track: Great Western Railway Sees ROI Gains with GumGum

better ROI than the campaign benchmark

134%

lower CPA than prospecting benchmark

69%

Challenges

Great Western Railway (GWR), a leading UK-based train operator, aimed to maximize ROI through a pre-bid campaign on The Trade Desk. The goal was to inspire leisure train travel by targeting audiences with interests in travel and nature-based activities.

Methodology & Strategy

Great Western Railway’s campaign featured creative highlighting the joy of train journeys and nature exploration. Ads were placed strategically to ensure cost efficiency while maximizing engagement.

Performance & Results

GWR's campaign achieved exceptional results compared to benchmarks:

Finding GWR’s Audience

GumGum utilized its Contextual Intelligence technology to deliver ads aligned with content that matched the target audience’s interests, such as rail travel, leisure travel, nature, and staycations—all without relying on cookies.

Audience Engagement

By understanding GWR’s travelers’ interests, we prioritized contextually relevant content—like leisure travel and nature—over behavioral tracking. This strategy ensured GWR’s ads reached the right audience in naturally aligned environments.

ROI: 134%

Better than the campaign benchmark

CPM: 58%

Below prospecting benchmark

CTR: 0.06%

Vs. 0.05% prospecting benchmark

CPA: 69%

Below prospecting benchmark

“GumGum’s contextual segments have enhanced GWR’s prospecting display strategy by driving higher engagement and outperforming benchmarks at a more cost-efficient CPA compared to standalone off-the shelf segments. This custom-built approach, teamed with DCO creatives, delivered a highly impactful campaign reaching our target audience with highly relevant messaging in the right context.”

Emma Kirkby

Programmatic Account Manager, Great Western Railway