Client Coupons
Issue 22 | March 2012
Agency
OgilvyAction GmbH Düsseldorf Germany
Creative Team
Executive Creative Director: Martin Seele; Managing Director: Dietmar Bauer ; Associate Creative Director: Stefan Hilchenbach; Copywriter: Mike Dawe, Christian Metz; Idea & Concept: Martin Seele
Production Team
Artworking: Redworks GmbH Dusseldorf; Audioproduction: Sprachlabor Audioproduktionen GmbH Düsseldorf; Post Production: Congaz Audio Visual Company GmbH Düsseldorf; Filmcut: Congaz Audio Visual Company GmbH Düsseldorf
Date
August 2011
Background
OgilvyAction Düsseldorf is the home of brand activation. So, if they were going to market themselves to clients then they really had no alternative but to use the traditional tools of the trade.
Idea
Almost all of the agency’s exisiting and prospective clients were familiar with the coupon as a technique for acquiring new customers and building loyalty so the agency created a number of coupons it was sure its clients would want to redeem.
Want a bigger logo? Send in the coupon.
Want the agency to work up one of your own ideas, no quibbles? There was a coupon for just that.
Want the agency to stop arguing, right now, instantly? There was a coupon.
A ride on the company boat? You know what to do.
A book of coupons was mailed out to a list of current and desired clients.
Results
87% of those mailed redeemed one coupon. Over 50% have redeemed two or more so far and just about everyone mailed said they would be using a coupon at some stage in the future, as and when they needed a nice starburst on their ad, or a week’s work placement for their kids.
Our Thoughts
Most agency self-promotion is woeful. The big creative shops have an excuse in as much as they are good only at expensive broadcast media and don’t know how to do direct marketing. Most agencies tend to do …nothing. So full marks to Ogilvy Düsseldorf for having an idea that was relevant and fun.
I have seen some agency mailings that have barely been able to disguise their contempt for their clients but this, by contrast, is gently self-mocking and that is what would have made it charming and amusing to its recipients.
I wonder which was the most redeemed coupon of them all? My guess is it was the ‘Stop arguing NOW’ card.