2013 Gold Best Data Strategy

Client easyJet

How did the campaign make a difference? Around 40% of customers coming to easyJet.com know they want to travel, but are unsure where to. This campaign analysed data to understand travellers and used this insight to more than double conversion rates. The framework for this new approach was produced and tested while delivering a 67:1 ROI.

What details of the strategy make this a winning entry? In a dramatic shift for easyJet and the airline sector, this strategy moved from the obvious tactic of sales-driven, batch-blasted emails and actually reflected the human truth about travel: travellers care more about their holiday experience than they do about how they get there. Analysing transactional, personal and channel data uncovered patterns for a communications strategy and superimposed individual preferences for a personal approach. This included two levels of booking classification (a broad business/leisure level and a micro-classification within each) to identify segment needs. Correlation analysis tailored offers to individual characteristics. Different content lenses were then superimposed, based on data insights: season, duration, party type, destinations and interests. Dynamic content based on past booking behaviours served up experiences travellers want, from last-minute city breaks to the next half-term holiday. Intelligent use of data allowed offers from airports they travel from, at a budget based on what they'd paid previously. Finally, a handy inspiration tool allowed them to search destinations based on the experience they wanted.

How did creativity bring the strategy to life? The campaign talked to people a people, rather than numbers in a database, consumers customers on a journey. Marketing speak was replaced with real insights and the most relevant inspiration and information. Imagery reflected the specific journey. All of the targeted suggestions took travellers to the 'inspire me' tool where the breadth of options available was fully tailored and personalised with destinations from their preferred departure airport, with prices based on what they'd paid previously. Booking options are just one click away.

Results The campaign doubled customer engagement with the email (expressed as the click rate) and quadrupled conversion (expressed as unique bookers who received 'Inspire me' v. unique bookers from the newsletter). Including personalised airports doubled engagement and increased conversion by 60%. Having the price present increased engagement by 70% and conversion by 42%, except for the French market where no price converted 15% more. The campaign achieved an overall campaign ROI of 67:1.

Team Tony Miller – Managing Partner, Harriet Grange – Account Manager, Anna Tongue – Planning Director, Lauren McIlroy – Planner, Tania Mag – Head of Data Planning, Ingo Auer – Associate Creative Director, Sarah Wood – Senior Digital Copywriter, John Pain – SQL Data Insight Analyst, Winston Malcolm – Senior Data Engineer, Lis Blair – Head of CRM, Natalie Hutton – CRM Strategy & Planning Manager, Barbara Cant – CRM Manager, Ben O'Brien – Analyst, Chris Long – Project Manager, Dan Salter – Analyst