Which? subscriber acquisition direct mail campaign

This is the story of rebuilding a subscriber base and revitalising one of Britain’s best-loved and most important brands.

It’s a story of a journey that has taken six years to date, which has at its heart direct marketing discipline and data insights that readers will recognise. But it differs from many other direct marketing-led successes in the lead media channel that has driven that success.

In 2005, Which? faced a marketing and business challenge. For the previous 20 years, they had recruited subscribers only via a prize draw mechanic. This was communicated in direct mail, with approximately 5 million mailings sent each year. Response rates, ROI and subscriber numbers had fallen steadily over the previous few years.

Which?'s primary objective was simple  – reverse the long-term decline in new members. But within this were three other key asks:
• Get consumers who knew the Which? brand but thought it wasn’t relevant to them to reappraise it
• Radically change the main marketing message moving from prize draw and replacing it with brand-led messages
• Maintain marketing returns on investment

After more than 10 years of decline before 2005, subscriber numbers are sharply up, and revenue is up by nearly 50 per cent. There has been growth year on year every year since the journey started.

The first phase of pure direct marketing activity alone doubled response and tripled ROI year on year.

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