Nudes
Issue 19 | June 2011
Agency
The Jupiter Drawing Room, Cape Town
Creative Team
Creative Director: Ross Chowles; Art Director: Andrew Lang; Copywriter: James Armstrong
Production Team
Art Buyer: Julie Gardiner; Production: Janet Baird; Client Service: Renee Franklin; Artist Co-ordinator: Neil Williamson
Date
February 2011
Background
ODAC, an advocacy group that fights corruption, couldn't get in touch with corporate decision-makers to speak to them about instituting whistle-blowing policies in their companies.
Over a decade’s worth of letters and direct mail brochures hadn't worked, so it was decided to send something a little bolder.
Idea
Classic nudes were repainted featuring the heads of South Africa's top CEOs and hand-delivered, together with messaging on provenance cards that related the feeling of being exposed in art to their companies being exposed for improprieties in the media.
Results
Receiving a nude painting of themselves stirred most of the recipients. From a previous call-back rate of 3%, 60% of recipients started conversations with ODAC.
Our Thoughts
A recent research study commissioned by Pitney Bowes concluded that:
• Direct mail is still the most effective way to reach senior contacts in B2B prospect organizations, according to 56% of European and 53% of US companies.
• 35% of European B2B firms declare that their most valuable customers are ‘least likely’ to prefer e-mail contact.
• Personalised mail is used by 62% of European and 67% of US B2B firms specifically to ‘make customers and prospects feel more special and valued.’
• 53% of European B2B companies believe that removing direct mail from their marketing mix would substantially damage business lead generation.
The point being, if you want to reach decision-makers, mail is more likely to get to them than any other medium. Especially if you are sending them paintinghs of themselves stark-bollock naked.