Campaign name: ‘Found’
Brand: Pensions First Analytics
Agency: Earnest
Campaign objectives: The PFaroe is a solution to the problem of managing large defined benefit pensions scheme risks – the PFaroe managed service. The objective was to launch the service and gain qualified meetings with 25 per cent of the target organisations.
Target audience: Senior people: finance directors (CFOs), head of treasury and pensions managers from 700 organisations managing large (£100 million+) defined benefit pension schemes in the UK. The top 100 organisations will be targeted first, eventually rolling it out across all 700.
Solution: An integrated campaign beginning with the DM pack. The ‘Found’ campaign brings a complex issue to life – showing that the PFaroe is like GPS for pensions. It shows exactly where you are and where you need to go next. The campaign will also encompass telemarketing, a seminar programme and online activity.
Description: The DM piece was a large, high impact item, which upon opening an outer slip case saying ‘Lost’, revealed the GPS and a ‘Found’ booklet explaining the issue at hand and how PFaroe can help. Royal Mail guaranteed next day delivery so no-one could respond to a sales call with “I don’t recall seeing anything?”
Upfront data cleansing and qualification ensured accuracy. Each mailer was personalised – name, company and specific details relating to their defined benefits scheme – e.g. a change in their investment weightings. This proved to the target that we understood their issues. The campaign targeted three senior decision-makers in each company (CFO, pensions manager, treasurer), as our research showed that a purchase needed to involve all three.
The two campaign waves that went out in March have targeted 24 companies, with subsequent waves each targeting 20 more – giving time for an immediate, quality telephone follow-up.
Timescale: February to May 2010 (but ongoing).
Results: Sixty per cent of the initially targeted companies targeted agreed to a meeting. One organisation rang within an hour of receiving the mailer to request a meeting.
Creative comment
By David Sloly, creative
director, Strange & Dawson
I once heard a story about how the Hare Krishnas swelled their coffers by handing out flowers, rather than asking for money from passersby. This technique is known as the ‘ule of reciprocation’, as people feel indebted to return any act of kindness with another.
So when a large DM arrived on my desk with the word ‘Lost?’ printed on the front and a GPS unit inside, along with a booklet displaying the word ‘Found’, I immediately felt obliged to investigate further.
Being half human, half magpie, I initially ignore the accompanying booklet and make a grab for the shiny new GPS.
After a good play (and showing everyone in the office), my attention turns back to the DM. This is good communication.
The client must have been tempted to cram all that free space on the box full of testimonials, offers and bullet points, but they bravely resisted.
This simplicity continues through the personalised, plain-English booklet that clearly highlights the false sense that can come when dealing with financial risk, and goes on to ask me for a meeting. Joined up, clear and a free GPS. Why wouldn’t anyone agree to a meeting?
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Royal Mail’s comment
By Mike West, media development manager
It’s not often you open a piece of DM and find a gadget that is really practical for home and work. Well, in this case this piece really was – though most mobiles now have GPS… or am I just being picky?
Before you open, this piece really stands out as slick production. The packaging is stylish and draws you to investigate. Once opened, the campaign comes to life. A senor audience, hard to track down are given a message of ‘Found’ next to the GPS – reinforcing the message. Very intriguing. This is the intention.
Once the GPS has been removed, you automatically move to the booklet, as if it were the GPS manual. I am now hooked. The content starts to explain the pension tech product, which allows you to research the market.
What more do you need to do? It’s a universal win! This is mail at its best, with a result of booking sales meeting from 60 per cent of the mailing list. This has got to be one of the most successful campaigns I have seen in 2010, perfect for low volume, but high value clients.
Though, was the GPS intended to track the prospect, so the marketer knew where they were at all times? Now, that’s what I’d call targeting, as well as a little creepy!
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