The Challenge
National Express East Coast runs extensive and highly effective email marketing campaigns to a large database of opted-in customers. The frequency and style of email (typically product-led sales messages) presented challenges for ensuring ongoing engagement and conversion.
ILN was asked to create a series of email campaigns based around the highly successful Livewire magazine to introduce new vigour into the National Express East Coast eCRM marketing activity. The solution should inspire customers to travel more, activate dormant customers and encourage loyalty and advocacy.
The Solution
Using rich editorial adapted from the offline publication, ILN designed and created a series of visually rich email campaigns with a supporting microsite aimed at data acquisition.
Each email highlights a hero destination on route and, working with regional partners, offers a unique competition to promote each destination and create a viral element to the proposition. The email also promotes essential must-visit events along the route.
The Results
The email has captured the imagination of the database with a typical competition resulting in more than 15,000 invites to win a weekend break being sent to friends. Open rates exceed industry averages and click through rates and conversion to sale have exceeded other typical product marketing emails.
Feedback has been highly positive and MAD.co.uk recently commented on the campaign:
“...the new design of this content-focused email really stood out, making me do an immediate double take. So lesson number one... mix things up sometimes, do something different. Familiarity breeds contempt... Marks out of ten? Fantastic first step in delivering content to build engagement: 11/10!”