THE 1997 DMA/ROYAL MAIL DIRECT MARKETING AWARDS: STRATEGIC USE OF DM - BRAND BUILDING

Marketing, Thursday, 18 December 1997 12:00AM

WINNER

WINNER

Client: Audi

Agency: Limbo

Copywriters: Various

Art directors: Various

SECOND

Client: ScotRail

Agency: One to One Direct Communications

Copywriters: Alex Woodward, Rebecca Wood

Art directors: Dave Mullen, P Davies, M Sermon

THIRD

Client: National Canine Defence League

Agency: Burnett Associates

Copywriters: Marc Nohr, Tom Monk

Art director: Jon Harvey

WINNER

Three years of brand-building activity has transformed Audi from ’the

third German manufacturer’ to a marque which occupies its own clear

image.

With a new product range, Audi has had record sales year on year over

the past three years.

Direct marketing has played a fundamental role in this, the brand being

made accessible through low-cost/ high-frequency response

advertising.

Prospects have been courted and converted using such devices as a video

for the A4 model and a book on the A8.

’Database marketing is now the lifeblood of Audi in the UK, and will

become increasingly important in Audi’s drive toward treating all

customers with individual care and respect,’ the agency says.

Information is captured at every point of customer contact, culminating

in the questionnaire that accompanies the Welcome Pack. By filling this

in, customers dictate the nature of the relationship they want with the

manufacturer.

According to the judges, Audi stood above other entries in a strong

category, because it showed how the perception of the brand had been

changed. They added: ’It is good to see a major manufacturer making a

commitment to the role that direct marketing can play in brand building,

and clearly there is long-term benefit.’

SECOND

The aim was to get business people in Scotland out of their cars and on

to trains, through persuading them of the economical and practical

advantages. Five devices were employed.

A number plate was used to break through to senior decision makers. A

chocolate box enlisted the assistance of PAs on data gathering. Scrabble

promoted Sleeper services. A traffic-cone teaser motivated leisure

travel by rail. Finally, an ’exam paper’ summarised the business

argument.

THIRD

Donors were recruited and developed, while positioning the NCDL as a

fun-loving and dog-centred brand.

An ’adopt a dog’ campaign used the ’lonely hearts’ idiom to encourage

people to find the dog of their dreams. ’Sponsor a dog’ invited them to

send it money and receive Valentine and Christmas cards in return.

Results: the rehoming of dogs increased tenfold, while more than 13,000

new dog sponsors were recruited over two years, generating almost pounds

1m in income.

This article was first published on Marketing