Vertbaudet Case Study

 

An Insight driven acquisition approach

Vertbaudet is a cataloguer offering clothing for children aged 0 – 12 years. Its parent company, Redcats (UK) operates three other major mail order brands: La Redoute, Empire Stores and Daxon.

The challenge

Vertbaudet had been experiencing highly variable and unpredictable campaign results. They needed a planning strategy which would enable them to maximise response, minimise costs and most importantly create a long-term sustainable acquisition programme.

Our solution 

Detailed analysis drives our strategy 
Thorough analysis was conducted on four years of selection and response data which revealed that data sources were highly variable and had frequently changed. By dropping lists after one-time usage, factors such as seasonality, selectability, creative work and competitor activity had not been accounted for and there was little learning about the key data variables. Response One set about creating a strategy to measure and factor in these aspects into the planning process. 

Maximising the value of all existing data
Niche data had proved to be very responsive and it was therefore critical to maximise the value of this vital, but limited data source. Vertbaudet’s offer is segmented by the age of the child. Lists were therefore overlaid with the child’s age to improve targeting, multi usage permissions were obtained and data was phased across the entire campaign to reduce wastage of names.

Creative thinking identifies brand new data sources
New data sources were identified such as prenatal data. These were combined with the niche lists to increase core data volumes, and create a sustainable source that provided the foundations for accurate forecasting and planning.

Bespoke technology improves efficiencies
A bespoke system was built to automate the complex campaign management process of receiving, validating, analysing and transferring files from multiple sources. The process has significantly reduced campaign lead times, whilst ensuring a strict adherence to data hygiene and compliance principles.

Results

  • Campaign costs minimised - through exceptional negotiation and innovative buying strategies
  • Improved list prices and usage terms - achieved by using the overall buying power of the Redcats group, rather than striking deals for each individual brand in isolation
  • Significant uplift in campaign performance – through sophisticated analysis techniques, state of the art forecasting and the extensive expertise of R1’s strategists and planners
  • Reduction in lead times - through advanced bespoke automated technology
  • Spring/Summer Campaign Results - Uplifts (compared to 2004) of 32.87 per cent in 2005 and 22.38 per cent in 2006
  • Autumn/Winter Campaign Results - Uplifts (compared to 2003) of 35.11 per cent in 2004 and 48.09 per cent in 2005