THE 1997 DMA/ROYAL MAIL DIRECT MARKETING AWARDS: BEST USE OF DM MEDIA - HIGH VOLUME - BUSINESS DIRECT MAIL

WINNER

Client: Capital Bank

Agency: The Sequoia Group

Copywriter: John Wallace

Art director: David Barraclough

SECOND

Client: Volkswagen

Agency: Barraclough Hall Woolston Gray

Copywriters: Rik Haslam, Jake Holmes

Art director: Steve Edwards

THIRD

Client: Direct Marketing Association UK

Agency: One to One Direct Communications

Copywriters: Rebecca Wood, Jan Young

Art directors: Dave Mullen, Paul Davies

WINNER

To generate deposits of pounds 100,000 upwards from cash-rich companies,

Capital Bank needed to be positioned as a safe but flexible and

profitable investment partner. This was seen as critical to gaining

market trust, confidence and opportunity.

The top 5000 companies were targeted, based on a database selection

using cash-at-bank and other financial criteria. These records were then

pre-canvassed to check contact names and address details.

The mailing piece was designed to get past the ’secretary block’ and

deliver a strong core offer, while conveying the bank’s philosophy of

innovation and stability. It was a single mailing which departed from

the traditional portfolios and heavy financial documents. Instead, an

attractive card box contained the message and the playful prompt of a

stress squeeze-ball.

To support this, a dedicated telesales team was trained to generate

leads which the bank’s treasury services dealer team would convert. An

0800 number and a freepost form allowed for unprompted responses.

The 5000 mailing, at a cost per pack of pounds 6 including postage,

attracted funds totalling pounds 113.5m.

’The figures were staggering,’ observed the judges. ’It was beautifully

conceived and worked very effectively in a category that, quite

frequently, does not produce the most stunning direct marketing.’

SECOND

Volkswagen dealerships were motivated and informed of a customer service

quality scheme through a personalised mailing to all staff, from vehicle

cleaners to the managing director. This overcame previous complaints of

not knowing about the scheme, and of only principals and sales staff

being incentivised.

To tailor the messages to individual staff, they were segmented into

eight categories. Each was sent a dossier setting out their personal

missions.

The briefing process was continued through mailings.

THIRD

Who says the Scots are dour? A mailing with a sense of humour resulted

in delegate applications for the Direct Marketing Association ’Loyalty

Day’ conference in Scotland being double the number of places.

The mailing, to DMA members and other marketing professionals, was

supported by inserts in direct marketing and trade media, and follow-up

calls were made to previously-identified ’warm’ leads.

A Web site was designed with hot links to Edinburgh attractions and a

reminder screensaver could be downloaded.

This article was first published on Marketing