2021 Silver Best Customer Retention or Loyalty Programme

Agency: Digitas UK

Client: Lexus UK

Campaign Name: Experience Amazing

Campaign Overview

The challenge was to develop customer communications that live up to the ‘Experience Amazing’ ethos and drove sales - Japanese spirit was the inspiration.

Strategy

Luxury car buyers are seduced by highly emotional, stylish films that make lofty claims about the experience of driving and ‘owning a brand’.

But all too often the ownership experience doesn't match the promise, offering instead dry, product-focussed customer comms.

The comms were inspired by the concept of Omotenashi - the uniquely Japanese spirit of hospitality that pervades every aspect of Lexus' ability to create amazing experiences for its customers, from the way cars are designed to the way motorists are greeted by a dealer.

Two strands of Omotenashi were particularly relevant to direct customer communications to make a connection:

• Anticipation of a customer's needs - intelligent data cues to be there for customers almost before they realised their needs themselves

• Attention to detail - seeking to deliver little touches that made a difference, offering a sensory experience

The principles guided the entire programme of owner communications.

Using data such as owner profile and tracked online behaviour their needs could be anticipated to deliver 'Amazing' work in key moments, with exceptional craft.

Creativity

Every touchpoint from the moment a Lexus was purchased was crafted so owners could 'Experience Amazing' beyond driving. By using data to anticipate customer needs the campaign team engaged their senses at key moments.

All communications were crafted using the same Omotenashi experience principles. Highlights from the range included:

Onboarding - in the countdown to taking delivery, a short series of emails featuring video tutorials to excite and educate new owners, so they could master their new car's advanced multimedia experience before it arrived.

Welcome - an elegant and sustainable bamboo box containing the customer's new keys together with all the information they needed to start making the most of their new vehicle.

Lexus Care - timely email reminders based on the car's service schedule, enhanced with personalised content to help keep their driving experience feeling ‘Amazing’.

Repurchase - as customers consider replacing their Lexus, a combination of intelligent data cues (e.g. owner profile, tracked online behaviour) and over 300 different creative variations created a simple, timely communication.

Results

Engagement rates across the programme have been consistently strong, with email open rates as high as 89%, and an average of 67% (+34% vs. Lexus benchmark).

Clickthrough rates have also hummed, with a high of 43% and average of 18% (+20% vs. benchmark).

Impact on customer retention in sales performance:

• Recipients of targeted repurchase emails three times more likely to purchase than customers not receiving the emails

• 52% of repurchasers bought the model featured in the personalised emails

• Lexus UX targeted direct mail recipients over three times more likely to buy than the contro

The Team

Digitas UK - Tim Clegg, ECD - Leah Mammoliti, Art Director - Chesney Payet, Copywriter - Phil Webb, Copywriter - Dan Bale, Designer - Gabriella Bocchetti, Designer - Marius Bartsch, Client Lead - Dean Westomoreland, Account Manager - Jennifer Shaw, Account Manager - Alexandra King, Account Manager - Natalie Conway, Account Manager - Phil Cragg, Strategy - Alison Loader, Project Manager - Mark Teece, Creative - David Finch, Creative