Direct Mail Case Study - Oct07

Using direct the natural way

Publicis Singapore helps CDL reinforce eco-friendly vibe.

Direct mail is traditionally associated with measurability and response and so it should be. However, used intelligently it is could be equally the province of corporate communications. This is an example.

At the beginning of the year mailboxes are cluttered with direct mailers, cards and calendars. Every company seems to send one out and while they are certainly among the most common of mails. The question for City Developments Limited (CDL) was simply, how do you create a calendar that stands out, the one that's chosen to adorn the desktop.

For CDL, the annual calendar is a very important communication to a select but relatively large group of stakeholders. These include employees, business associates, clients and more. 4,000 direct mailers were sent out for this particular case study.

The calendar also presents itself as a great opportunity to communicate on a corporate level with these audiences and bring the company top of mind. It was important therefore that the agency fully understood and properly reflected the character and motivations of CDL.

CDL as a corporation has a consistent eco-friendly record going back years and it is a genuine commitment that is shared at the highest level. It has previously won several awards such as the Building and Construction Authority's Green Mark Platinum Award and Singapore Environment Council's Singapore Environment Achievement Award. So it was only natural that an environmentally friendly theme be adopted.

MD for CDL Kwek Leng Joo is a keen photographer and has an impressive collection of stunning nature photographs, which formed a natural starting point. Prominent among these are photographs of insects - some of the most beautiful yet neglected and misrepresented of living creatures.

The challenge was to take this theme and present it in a way that would be engaging and involving. After brainstorming with CDL's corporate team, a distinctive story-book format was developed. This allowed us to present interesting and relevant information without appearing ‘preachy'.

An unusual format of a book was chosen that created a distinct form and a refreshing experience out of the envelope. At the same time it was ensured that it worked well as a calendar and was fully functional.

The entire experience was designed to be eco-friendly - from the use of natural wood-free paper, for both the mailer packaging as well as the calendar itself. The pack was accompanied by a personal note.

The mailer received excellent feedback and was well received. While quantifying results of a corporate exercise like this is imprecise to say the least, one of the clear indications of its effectiveness was the many requests of additional copies that came in from clients and associates.

It was fully in keeping with the objectives and helped reinforce the eco-friendly credentials of the client. Overall it was an excellent example that demonstrated the fact that corporate objectives too can be effectively addressed by direct mail.

K T Sandip

Executive Creative Director

Publicis Singapore

The Mail:

Objectives:

To create a calendar that people actually use and make a corporate statement at the same time.

Approach:

A direct mail piece that combines the utility of a calendar with an engaging and involving story of eco-sensitivity. 4,000 were sent out.

Results:

Excellent feedback and demand that far outstrips the availability - another important reflection of corporate responsibility. There was no call to action thus no tangible results were derived.