Having worked with Experian on previous integrated campaigns the brief on this occasion was to promote the researched backed holistic customer insight proposition and generate new business leads from senior marketers at customer and prospect organisations.
The Solution
We elected to use the findings of Experian’s recent consumer research to illustrate the vital role that insight plays in successful marketing. To communicate this we created a highly stylish, creatively-inquisitive direct mailer to engage the attention of the hottest’ of potential buyers and package the research.

The DM included a tasty, personalised heart-shaped biscuit and a copy of the research. Due to budget restrictions the DM was sent to the 70 contacts who offered the greatest potential value. The rest received a sequence of three emails that offered a download of the research and the opportunity to book a meeting with Experian insight specialists.
Each mailing was followed up with a phone call from a senior Experian salesperson.
The Results
£52,000 worth of new business, a campaign ROI of over 500 per cent and 54 new business opportunities to date.
Campaign objectives
Primary: Generate leads and secure meetings with customers and prospects by convincing them of the importance of effective insight Secondary: Secure Experian’s position in the market as the leading supplier of consumer insight and customer analysis
Target audience
Due to the strategic nature of the Experian Insight proposition, we targeted individuals holding senior marketing roles; across Experian’s key verticals of finance, travel, leisure, retail and media.
Primary targets were the company’s top 100 customers and then 1500 look alike’ prospects. Of these, 70 individuals were identified as prime targets to receive the mailer.
Typically these targets are time-poor and as buying decision-makers would be inundated with direct marketing. As they often employ PA gatekeepers’ to filter any communication that didn’t appear instantly relevant or useful, we knew that the mailer must be impactful and have
intrinsic value.
Media, Channel or techniques used
We felt it important to make the research the hero’ and feature the headline quantitative findings in support of the main campaign message: “Consumer insight is essential to your marketing strategy”
The campaign included sending a series of three HTML emails. The direct mailer was designed to
ensure cut-through to the most valuable targets. We wanted to create a mailer that was memorable
and held some personal value for the recipients.
Inside the box was a real heart-shaped biscuit, iced with the name of the recipient, and with the subhead Get a taste of our consumer research’: this highlighted the importance of targeting individuals precisely. As well as a list of topline findings, the mailer featured a booklet containing the full research content, and a themed response postcard.
All 70 recipients of the biscuit mailer were subsequently telephoned by Experian salespeople to gauge recall of the mailer and book appointments.
Timescales of the campaign
Phase 1 Research and planning
31.03.10 Campaign planning commenced
Phase 2 Creative development
31.04.10 Project briefed to agency
12.05.10 Emails designed and copy signed off
12.05.10 DM signed off
Phase 3 Production
12.05.10 Emails HTML programmed
13.05.10 DM and Research paper sent to print
19.05.10 DM collation began
Phase 4 Communication
20.05.10 Email 1 sent
25.05.10 Email 2 sent
25.05.10 DM sent
26.05.10 DM landed
27.05.10 Email 3 sent
27.05.10 Follow up calls commenced
Phase 5 Evaluation
28.05.10 Ongoing measurement
Results
The campaign launched three weeks ago so Experian is still receiving responses and following up opportunities from the emails and DM. However the campaign has already delivered £52,000 worth of sales enquiries, a ROI of over 500 per cent.
To date the direct mailer has generated nine sales leads: against a total mailing volume of 70: this represents a potential conversion of at least 13 per cent.
The emails have delivered a further 45 sales leads (3 per cent conversion). Experian is expecting to report even more positive results in the coming weeks as more responses are received and leads converted.
Client testimonial
“The Consumer Insight campaign was intended to draw attention to Experian’s marketing insight proposition. Thanks in part to the imagination that the Quick-Thinking team brought to the creative execution it did just that. We’ve had a really positive response to date, both from our internal sales people and from the customers and prospects receiving the mailings. The personalised biscuits provided a perfect way of illustrating the importance of catering for individual consumer tastes and targeting. And of course they tasted good too! Although the campaign ran only recently, it’s already delivering tangible results in terms of potential orders and is proving to be one of our most inventive campaigns.” Jannie Cahill, head of marketing, Experian MIS