By Published On: September 29, 2015

Deluxe Corporation, long known as a check printer and marketing partner for financial institutions, hired d.trio to promote their newly acquired Deluxe Rewards loyalty solution to several different vertical markets. While Deluxe Rewards is unique (offering customers loyalty benefits to companies without the usual liabilities), the assignment did come with some challenges. To engage a hard-to-reach audience of C-level decision makers, it was essential to not only express the benefits of Deluxe Rewards, but to do so in a fresh way that would build excitement and enthusiasm for the product.

Our strategy leveraged the power of storytelling. To show potential customers how Deluxe Rewards could impact their business, we created a series of journals—one for each vertical market. Built on the theme, Inspiring Everyday Engagement, each journal used sketches, photos, and handwritten entries to tell the story of a fictional consumer. The stories revealed how each person’s rewards program made a positive difference in his or her daily life. In a creative and tangible way, the journals demonstrated the power of Deluxe Rewards to influence buying habits, increase customer loyalty, and change customer behavior.

The campaign consisted of three separate 3-dimensional mail drops, each designed to look like a book and highlight a different product benefit. Email follow-ups, unique landing pages, and a video supported the mailings.

Here’s the work:

Because the recipient was likely unfamiliar with Deluxe Rewards, the first package served as a teaser to introduce the program and establish credibility while setting the stage for future mailings. It encouraged recipients to visit a landing page and view a video that d.trio created. The package also included a pen, inviting people to “Write your brand into your customers’ life story.”

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The second package included an industry-specific journal written by a fictional consumer. The handwritten journal showed recipients how Deluxe Rewards could drive their customers’ behaviors as a result of the program. A bookmark was sent as well, printed with the call to action.

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The final mailing featured an origami “money man” to communicate in a fun way the profitability potential of an engaged consumer in addition to the high ROI from a well-run loyalty program. The package also included a stand so that recipients could display their “money man” as a conversation piece, helping to extend the life of the campaign.

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About the Author: cat-tonic

cat-tonic
Born of curiosity and enthusiasm, we’re a scrappy group of smart, passionate marketers who work hard and play hard. We show up every day and fight for our clients who are making the world a better place. We listen with curiosity, explore deeply, ask hard questions, and sometimes put forth ideas that might make you squirm. Because we believe the status quo is good for growing mold but not much else. The way we see it, change is the way forward and the magic happens when curiosity, math, science, instinct, and talent intersect.
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