Vodafone operates in a highly competitive industry – telecommunications – and is largely differentiated by price and network experience by customers. What’s more, Vodafone is viewed as a global machine rather than a company that cares. This created a huge challenge to Vodafone’s consideration, acquisition and retention targets when they couldn’t compete on price, could not affect the experience and their audience didn’t emotionally engage with them.

So how do you make your existing audience feel valued and loved while creating a ripple effect to prospective customers? Vodafone already had its customer loyalty programme, Fantastic Fridays, in place and this was having a positive effect on retention and acquisition. But to hit their ambitious targets, they needed more.

Vodafone found that as a scheduled benefit, Fantastic Fridays had become an expected part of being a Vodafone customer. To achieve targets, they needed something different and something surprising. Playing on the behavioural economics principle of reciprocity, they decided to surprise and delight their customers with a whole heap of rewards all at once that they could share with friends.

So the ‘Summer of Rewards’ DM was created. In an environment where digital mailboxes are full of junk, the Summer of Rewards mailer was a highly-crafted, stand-out physical mail pack that was a source of delight for customers and a key driver of customer retention and acquisition, as the voucher benefited friends who may not be with Vodafone.

It consisted of a series of highly desirable and generous vouchers from carefully selected New Zealand partners, thereby creating a local connection, with the most valued receiving an even bigger treat.

The campaign was a smashing success, delighting customers and partners alike.