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BACKGROUND:

To celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee, Pantone created a Queen shaped colour guide. To ensure maximum exposure and engagement, they used direct mail.

Rather than targeting creative directors or design agencies with a mass direct mail campaign, Pantone targeted media publications and bloggers in order to attract a huge amount of PR. This strategy also ensured the resulting social media hype, which grew the campaign’s awareness exponentially. In doing so, Pantone extended the reach of the campaign far beyond that of an ordinary direct mailer.

OBJECTIVE:

Pantone worked with design agency Leo Burnett London in order to create a unique piece of memorabilia that celebrated the Diamond Jubilee as well as grab the attention of new and existing customers in a way that was both original and surprising. Pantone has been the definitive authority on colour within the printing industry for decades, and the omnipresence of their iconic swatch books in design studios worldwide has been a source of inspiration for generations. To remind their target audience of the capabilities of their colour matching system, Pantone decided to colour match a variety of the Queen’s most famous monochromatic outfits worn throughout the 60 years of her reign.

“Building true brand engagement is about creating dialogue. Don’t consider direct mail or email or web in isolation, but consider the right combination to achieve the best response” 

Kevin Slatter, Director of Data & Analytics at Geometry Global

METHOD: 

A limited edition queen-shaped swatch book was created with each outfit painstakingly matched by Pantone’s colour expert technicians to the exact Pantone reference, date and location where each was worn. Each of the 60 cards in the spiral guide shows Queen Elizabeth II in the same formal suit with only the colour changing.

Leo Burnett approached Buckingham Palace with the concept which was so well received it was made an official piece of Diamond Jubilee memorabilia and became royally endorsed. An ultra-short run of 60 copies were produced and sent out to a highly targeted mailing list consisting of media publications including magazines and newspapers, influential design bloggers and prominent designers.

“Our 7 colour HP Indichrome Pantone emulation process was capable of matching all 60 colours, exactly. From Primrose yellow to Lilac Snow, the palette subtly evolves yet always regal” 

Precision Printing

RESULTS: 

Within 24 hours the campaign had been written about in over 1.2 million website and blogs with #pantonequeen trending on Twitter. Numerous design publications also covered the innovative direct mailer which ensured it had maximum publicity with a targeted audience of existing and potential Pantone customers. Since Pantone only produced a small run for the Direct Mail campaign, printing and shipping fees were kept to an absolute minimum, translating into an incredible return on investment.

CONCLUSION: 

The Pantone Queen is a great example of how brands can combine the power of print and direct mail with the mass reach of online media. By targeting media publications and bloggers instead of customers, Pantone were able to extend the reach of its campaign far beyond what they could have expected to achieve with an ordinary direct mailer.

Direct mail continues to play a significant role in the marketing mix, offering more personally relevant content to customers and converting brand awareness into action. Creative Direct Mail, such as the Pantone Queen, has the ability to create a lot of online buzz and pushes the message out to a far greater audience.

Direct mail and online media, particularly social media, should be considered complimentary mediums as they greatly improve the effectiveness and reach of campaigns when used in conjunction. Direct mail is personal and more engaging whilst social media such as Facebook, Twitter and blogs offer a better platform for discussion and mass reach. Integrating the two mediums is a logical step for any brand to strive for as it reflects the multi-channel world in which we all consume content in.

Thanks to Kellie Northwood, Executive Director of VoPP/Two Sides Australia for allowing us to republish this case study, made available to us as Foundation Sponsors of TSA Limited, the publishers of the VoPP (Value of Paper and Print) report. Find out more via www.valueofpaperandprint.com.au.

CASE STUDY 1:
Ogilvy Brazil & Life Support Group: ‘This Poster is HIV Positive’

Agency Ogilvy Brazil partnered with organisation Life Support Group to deliver a consumer education and awareness campaign in São Paulo, Brazil.

OBJECTIVE:
The campaign set out to break down the stigma and confusion surrounding HIV/AIDS and how the virus is transmitted.

METHODOLOGY:
Posters were created that contained 1 drop of blood from an HIV positive individual and distributed throughout São Paulo. The text on the posters read, “My measurements are 40 by 60 centimetres. I was printed on high brightness paper. And my weight is 250 grams. I’m just like any other poster. Except for one thing: I’m HIV positive.. I’m living with the virus. At this point you may be taking a step back, wondering if I offer any danger.”

RESULTS:
The campaign was effective at educating readers that HIV can’t survive for more than an hour outside the human body, so like the poster, HIV positive individuals are completely harmless. The campaign provided highly emotional responses from the public, with some touching and even kissing the poster after reading it, proving that the message was received and the misinformation was corrected.

“The poster humanizes the problem and brings people together for the cause, showing that it’s possible to live in a prejudice-free society.”

Aricio Fortes, Ogilvy Brazil’s Chief Creative Officer

CASE STUDY 2:
New Zealand Rugby Union & Adidas: ‘Bonded by Blood’

The New Zealand Rugby Union partnered with Adidas New Zealand to produce a campaign that exemplified how supporting the All Black players is in New Zealand’s DNA.

OBJECTIVE:
To create a poster that reflects the unwavering depth of support from All Blacks fans, as part of Adidas New Zealand’s annual limited-edition posters.

METHODOLOGY:
All Blacks players each donated a sample of blood that was combined with ink to produce 8000 special edition posters. The digitally imposed posters featured the All Blacks team performing the haka in Fiordland National Park. Slogans such as “Stand in black. It’s in our blood” and “Rugby. It runs through your veins” were used in the campaign. These ‘Bonded by Blood’ edition posters came with a certificate of authentication and given to those fans who purchased an All Blacks jersey.

RESULTS:
The posters were very well received within the community, achieving the goal of enhancing national pride and connection with the All Blacks team. This campaign allowed the All Blacks to acknowledge the depth of support received by fans over the years, and cultivate a strong sense of community.

“Adidas believes rugby is an essential part of New Zealand’s DNA and we wanted to show how the players and their supporters are inextricably linked – how supporting the All Blacks is in our blood.”
Craig Waugh, Adidas New Zealand’s Marketing Manager

CONCLUSION:
Both of these campaigns are excellent examples of how companies are pushing the limits with print, yielding results. Incorporating blood into the posters ink created a strong tangible and sensory experience, forging a deeper emotional response to the campaigns. Thus generating both a memorable and impactful experience. Using print media to appeal and relate to consumer’s senses proves much more effective than just using images and text to get the message across. Print allows brands to communicate their values and message in a highly engaging and emotional manner.

Thanks to Kellie Northwood, Executive Director of VoPP/Two Sides Australia for allowing us to republish this case study, made available to us as Foundation Sponsors of TSA Limited, the publishers of the VoPP (Value of Paper and Print) report. Find out more via www.valueofpaperandprint.com.au.