Marketing Blogs
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by Online Editor | Scotlandon Aug 15 |
We can sell anything but ourselves: Australia Post respond to 'Open Up To Mail' critique
In the August '08 issue of Marketing magazine, Andy Pontin, CEO of Clemenger Proximity, argues that Australia Post's recent print campaign 'Open Up To Mail' spends too much time apologising for the industry and not enough time encouraging. To read Andy's article from the August issue, click the icon below:
In response to Andy's piece, Australia Post's Mark Roberts, manager, mail marketing has written his own short post, so read it below and make your own mind up about the 'Open Up To Mail' campaign:
The campaign is targeted at non-users of mail who don't have mail on their channel-planning radar, often because of some negative perceptions about its creativity and effectiveness, especially in light of the growth of digital. Andy is a passionate direct marketer - not the target market for this campaign. It's about the people who don't even realise direct mail is a legitimate marketing channel. The people who have been caught up in the digital wave and think that anything paper-based is old fashioned and ineffective.
Andy has awarded the campaign an "A" for awareness, however the "F" for desire is unfair given he hasn't received the direct mail pieces (arguably the most important element of the whole campaign - but not sent to him as that would be preaching to the converted). The press element is all about getting awareness, with a creative concept that jolts people out of their traditional channel-planning haze and gets them to reconsider mail. The direct mail component demonstrates the benefits raised in the press - by showing people what they can do with mail we're encouraging them to imagine and see the possibilities for their own products. It's also unclear if Andy has visited the campaign website (openuptomail.com.au), which expands on the key elements introduced through the press and direct mail - so in short, he's not seeing the whole integrated campaign.
As far as waving the white flag with our creative concept, perhaps Andy has been caught up in the notion of doing something that's cool, rather than what works. Rather than being apologetic, this campaign idea reveals a truth about direct mail based on the audience we are trying to reach. Once we have the attention of the reader the body copy clearly goes into sales mode and provides key reasons to consider mail. Given the target audience and the weight of other media channel campaigns recently in the market, we needed something that would stand out, and make people stop and rethink their attitude to mail. We didn't want to go out with a campaign that was obvious, or that made people think "well of course you'd say that" - we needed to challenge.
And by all accounts, we're starting to do just that. Despite Andy's concerns, this campaign has a large number of supporters across the direct mail industry, who have joined with us to wave the flag for direct mail - and in our eyes and theirs, it's certainly not a white one.
"Andy is a passionate direct marketer - not the target market for this campaign." Not being in the target market is irrelevant. Most DM campaigns are created by people who are not in the target market. The notion that you can't understand the market unless you're in the audience is wrong.
"Andy has been caught up in the notion of doing something that's cool, rather than what works." Cool and "what works" are not mutually exclusive, or related in any way. The sign of true talent in any sphere of marketing or advertising is to be able to combine the two and DM is no different.
The Australia Post campaign is a dud from a creative point of view. It will unfortunately reinforce perceptions within the wider marketing industry that direct mail is dull and boring.
First, let me say I have the utmost respect for Andy Pontin. I was in the ADMA crowd cheering loudly when he reminded a room full of clients that agencies were in business to make money as well. Hoorah!
However, I think he's way off base with his analysis of the recent 'Open up to mail' work.
The crux of Andy's argument is 'It's not as cool, but it works" is apologetic. Andy quotes 'AIDA' (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) – a very old-fashioned way of constructing a selling argument.
I've found Steve Harrison axiom of 'Relevant abruption' far more effective in building response driving work today. Fundamentally, we need to jolt our audience into considering (or in this case, reconsidering) our proposition. But we can only do that in a truly effective way if we're relevant.
So is 'It's not as cool, but it works" abruptive? Does it jump off the page? Of course it does. No-one has spoken to Marketing Managers like this before (at least I've never seen it).
Marketers can easily get carried away with the latest, funkiest, and yes coolest media option. What this campaign does beautifully is deposition not only the other media, but the idea of cool itself.
Is it relevant? Yuppers! It's what most Marketing Director are already thinking. We've got them nodding before reading the first line of copy.
And, in the ultimate test of relevance, it's topical. We are moving into a time when effectiveness and accountability are going to keep most Marketers awake at night.
But then as Andy says "a bit of good, honest debate is healthy." Right back at ya!
Encouraging active rejectors to reappraise their views is never an easy task - getting people to listen in the first place is a challeneg in itself. By starting from the prejudice of the more extreme rejectors, Aus Post stand half a chance of getting them to assess their views, and maybe take a fresh look at why and how direct mail works - the underlying message of the campaign.
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