Hyundai launches UK mail campaign as it scoops Marketer of the Year award in the US

by Noelle McElhatton, marketingdirectmag.co.uk 09-Nov-09, 14:01

LONDON - A new direct marketing campaign for Hyundai, one of the UK's best selling car makers, encourages recipients to determine what's important to them when choosing a car, using a branded highlighter pen.

Carlson Marketing, the agency being acquired by Nectar's Canadian parent Groupe Aerplan, was asked to bring to life everyone's different criteria and show how Hyundai can help then pick out the ones that matter most.

In August, Hyundai sold more cars to UK customers in August than any other brand, overtaking Ford and Vauxhall.

The car maker has just won Marketer of the Year in the US, as voted for by the readers of a US advertising magazine for its "frontal assault on a recession that was not dampening consumer enthusiasm but drowning it".

Carlson's brief sprung from research showing that people are now taking, on average, only 1.4 test-drives, suggesting the process now acts as a confirmation of their decision rather than a trial.

Aimed at warm prospects, the pack features the branded highlighter, which arrives in a moulded plastic outer with a leaflet sitting behind.

The piece leads with the line "The Hyundai range. Now with even more highlights." The leaflet folds out to reveal key Hyundai features and information about the range. Recipients are encouraged to interact with the pack: "Now it's time to put pen to paper and decide what really matters to you."

Continuing the theme, the DM closes with a form where prospects can highlight their test drive preferences and send back to Hyundai.

The work, which breaks this wek, builds on an online tick box campaign that began in May this year and is currently achieving a 20% conversion rate.

Andrew Cullis, marketing Director of Hyundai, said the campaign was part of "an overall increased investment in developing Hyundai's lead management programme converting initial interest into quality leads for our dealer network".