White, very white

Background

Terinsa is a no-nonsense brand of paint that offers good value for money. They wanted an email campaign to let hardware stores and distributors know about their new, longer-lasting whiter-then-white enamel for metal and wood.

Idea

Using the databases of the country’s 142 largest wholesalers, what appeared to be a completely blank email was sent out.

To stimulate curiosity, the only copy that could be read as the line: "If you want to get to know a very white white, click here and drag to the end of the email."

In performing this action, now the type – set in white on white – began to reveal itself. Reversed out were details of the new product’s virtues, a pack shot plus price deals and a call to action.

Results

Within a day, 30% of the database had clicked and dragged on the email. The idea was suffieicently engaging for recipients to phone Terinsa to tell them how much they had liked the idea.

Within a week 42.6% of the database had opened the email. Given that the average response rate to an email often next-to-nothing, this was an exceptional result by any measure.

Our Thoughts

For me, any piece of communication has to be branded, relevant and memorable if it’s to be effective. A lot of young creatives think the job is just to produce something memorable. It isn’t. You can go to a party with your willy hanging out and you will cause quite a stir but you shouldn’t expect to be invited back. It’s the same with advertising. If you are both surprising and relevant, then that’s how you create communication that’s branded and which cuts through.

I went to a Halloween party where almost everyone was dressed as a vampire except for one person wearing everyday clothes. “I’m a victim,” he explained.

Relevant, memorable and I remember the guy’s name, so branded as well, like this idea for Terinsa from Proximity Colombia.