aQa Pickwick ‘Water Tank Reintegration Program’
aQa Pickwick - part of Douwe Egberts Nederland / Sara Lee
Issue 2 | July 2008
Agency
Proximity Amsterdam
Creative Team
F.J.M. Verlaat - Creative concept & execution (art);R. van der Velde - Creative concept (copy);J.E. de Jager - Creative concept & execution (copy)
Production Team
Marcel Kremer, FHV BBDO
Other Credits
M. Kors - Strategy
Date
October - November 2006
Background
aQa Pickwick, part of Douwe Egberts Nederland / Sara Lee, supplies drinking water systems to businesses. It is an innovative system that connects directly to the mains water supply, adding refreshing minerals to the water to provide clean drinking water. aQa Pickwick were experiencing difficulties expanding into the 15,000 unit water cooler market, which is dominated by water coolers using water tanks. They selected 2,000 companies currently using water tanks and asked Proximity Amsterdam to develop a direct marketing (switch) campaign to provide them with leads for a six-month free trial, including free installation.
Idea
Water tanks need to be changed regularly, are heavy and impractical and require a lot of storage space. aQa Pickwick, however, in connecting directly to the mains water supply, removes the need for tanks. Proximity Amsterdam’s idea was based on the premise that, while these tanks were no longer required for cooling water, they could still serve a purpose. The mail piece introducing the aQa Pickwick water system launched the ‘aQa Pickwick Water tank reintegration program’, including a free former-water tank wastepaper bin and instruction sheet to create other useful everyday items. The accompanying letter includes a unique code, which prospects can check on the website to see if they have won one of 20 free aQa Pickwick systems.
Results
The mailpack has exceeded expectations, generating a 122% score (target = 100%) so far. The aQa Pickwick sales team is still following up on leads. Two companies have won a free aQa Pickwick system via the website. The concept generated a lot of buzz, both within aQa Pickwick itself and in the market. One competitor - a manufacturer of water tanks - responded too. He was not pleased. Proximity Amsterdam and aQa Pickwick agreed to send the company a large bouquet of flowers. In a water tank.
Target Audience
Facility managers at companies using water tanks.
Size
2,000 packs
Our Thoughts
Once upon a time you got your water from the tap. Then along came the water cooler. Now aQa Pickwick are trying to persuade Dutch businesses to go back to mains water again. The only problem being, what can you do with the plastic bottles from your old cooler system? Loads of things, obviously. The idea of ‘alternative uses for the bric-a-brac you’re left with once we’ve come in and modernised you’ isn’t new but at least the creative team seems to have had fun.