Mosquito Netting
Rogers Rocket Hub
Issue 30 | March 2014
Agency
Proximity Canada
Creative Team
Art Director Jamie Lirette Copywriter Graham Mutch Associate Creative Director Dan Gaede Creative Director Trent Thompson SVP, Creative Director Scott Pinkney
Production Team
Sr. Print Production Manager Ellie Lee Account Supervisor Megan Epstein VP, Group Account Director Diana Brink-Gourlay
Other Credits
Senior Vice President & General Manager, Brands & Marketing Communications Shelagh Stoneham Director, Brands & Marketing Communications Alisa MacKay Marketing Communications Manager, Brand & Marketing Communications Andrew Rusk
Date
June 2013
Background
Per capita, Winnipeg has the largest cottage-owning population in Canada. And Winnipeggers love their internet as much as their cottages. But, they've never been able to enjoy both at the same time, since cottage country is too remote for traditional internet. The Rogers Rocket Hub offered a great solution for wireless hi-speed internet, but there was very little awareness of either the brand or the product.
To tackle both problems, Winnipeggers were targeted with direct mail just before the first long weekend of cottage season.
Idea
Manitoba is known as the "mosquito capital of Canada". Winnipeggers even jokingly refer to the mosquito as their provincial bird.
So, when Winnipeggers received a self- mailer wrapped in real mosquito netting, it was immediately recognisable to them. The message, "Going to the cottage? Don't forget to pack the net" was a bit of wordplay they understood immediately.
It helped that on the very day of the mail drop, local media reported a record explosion of mosquitoes in the province. This serendipity allied to a relevant idea helped results exceed all expectations.
Results
The call volume compared to the previous communication was exceeded by 200% and the netting piece pulled in an impressive 50% lift over the control piece in market at the exact same time.
Our Thoughts
Canadians are no different from anyone else in wanting to get away from it all but still remain in touch with the internet.
(I speak from personal experience since
I am writing this comment as Directory’s Guest Editor in a cottage of my own whilst the Caribbean sun shines outside!)
This mailing may be simple but it cleverly connects an audience need with another big reality of Winnipeg...the mosquitoes. (Again, I have experience). The city is said to have more mozzies than any other city in North America. So this mailing is entirely relevant to its target. And therein lies the value of mail. It allows you to talk about specific things to specific people
in a way that is specific to them. It’s nice work that netted loads of new customers.