This reminder email campaign from ING Direct struck a chord for Richard Gibson. The key message is to remind the recipient of the end of the current tax year, with a clear call to action around the date, the bank’s ISA product and the corresponding interest rates. Interestingly the email was the third stage, following on from two direct mail packs.

Creative

The clean and simple layout rendered perfectly in my email client. The images, subject line, branding and call to action all appeared above the fold.

As a consumer it delivers the impression of clear intent for communicating. As an email marketer it appears that the creative was fully tested before the campaign was launched ensuring time spent on constructing the message is not wasted and response maximised.

The offer, in the form of the interest rate as well as a higher rate for savings customers, the call to action and the ability to respond via multiple channels make the recipients response straightforward. The branding within the email creative is clear and consistent with the direct mail packs already received as well as the look and feel of their website.

Timing

From the perspective of the recipient the timing of the whole campaign appears to be well thought out, with direct mail in the weeks leading up to the new tax year, and email arriving in the last week in March. The creative draws reference to the direct mail appropriately; “We contacted you recently to let you know that there is still time to take advantage of your tax-free savings allowance for 2009/2010…”

My impression as a recipient is that the brand has my attention, and I need to review their offer carefully and take the appropriate action. My overall assessment as a marketer is that of a planned approach using multiple direct response channels to maximise effectiveness.

Richard Gibson
Channel Relationship Manager, UK
Return Path