Thursday 11th March 2010 10.32am
Post your Events NB Group develops first sustainable direct mail campaign
A North East marketing firm is leading the way with environmentally friendly direct mail campaigns that are saving clients’ money at the same time.
Earlier this month (June 2009), Team Valley-based NB GROUP, which specialises in multi-channel marketing campaigns for a diverse range of clients, completed its first direct mail campaign to meet rigorous new environmental criteria introduced by Royal Mail in April this year.
It meant that as well as being greener, the campaign, on behalf of Europe’s only major off-price retailer, TK Maxx, was also eligible for a 4.7 per cent discount on Royal Mail delivery costs.
The campaign is one of the first Royal Mail Sustainable Mail Products in the country. The criteria ensure the materials used come from sustainable sources and that production processes – including data processing – demonstrate practical efficiencies and waste management.
John Horn, NB GROUP’s Customer Services Manager said the campaign helped reinforce NB GROUP’s already impressive green credentials, which includes ISO 14001 accreditation for production processes like printing, personalisation and mailing.
He said: “We’re thrilled to get our first campaign approved under the new Royal Mail product for environmental sustainability.
“We’ve been working very hard to minimise our environmental impact for a number of years now, and meeting the Sustainable Product’s criteria so quickly after it was established shows just how keen we are to continually improve our green performance.”
He added that poorly executed Direct Mail campaigns can have a detrimental environmental impact through wasteful paper use, inefficient production methods and poorly thought out logistics and delivery.
He added: “By meeting Royal Mail’s Sustainable Mail Product, we reduce waste and optimise efficiency at every single stage of the process. We’re looking forward to doing this for more clients in the near future.”
The TK Maxx campaign delivered 148,000 mail pieces designed to look like a designer handbag to customers throughout the UK. The aim of the campaign was to encourage customers to shop online for discount-priced designer handbags on the retailer’s website.
Royal Mail’s Sustainable Mail Product is the first service available to advertisers that is consistent with the British Standards Institute Standard for Environmental Performance for Direct Marketing. The standard, PAS 2020, was developed following collaboration across the direct marketing industry and has the backing of the Direct Marketing Association, Royal Mail Acxiom and the advertising organisation ISBA.
Gillian Lyall, Communication Solutions Director of NB GROUP, was an active player in the steering group that established PAS 2020, representing the interests of the mailing house sector.
She said: “A lot of hard work went into making this standard possible and being part of such a worthy project was a great privilege. There was a real enthusiasm in the group and it was incredibly motivational to ensure NB GROUP was at the forefront of the initiative so we can help our clients achieve their environmental goals.”
Matthew Neilson, Head of Environmental Solutions at Royal Mail said: “Royal Mail is committed to helping businesses improve the environmental performance of their direct mail campaigns and Sustainable Mail has had a tremendous response since it was launched in April.
“Not only does Sustainable Mail help firms reduce waste, improve recyclability and the sustainability of their direct mail activities, but it also saves them money with prices up to 4.7 per cent lower than normal Mailsort tariffs.’
As well as specialising in direct mail and printing, NB GROUP also has a dedicated multimedia marketing team that develops integrated digital campaigns for national and international clients, with a particular expertise in the pharmaceutical sector.
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