New Land Rover Defender was about to launch after a two-year hiatus. It was markedly different from its predecessor. Though it had the same iconic shape, it was a more refined, modern and luxurious version of the original rugged off-roader, with a significantly higher price tag.

Our audience of forty and fifty-something active explorers, though in the market for a durable SUV, didn’t believe New Defender was as capable as its predecessor. We needed to convince them it was the most capable Defender ever.

More importantly we needed to persuade them to connect to our New Defender experts at Land Rover retailers. Once in contact, these experts could answer their questions and help them on the journey to purchase. Our goal was to use this customer-focused experience to gain 100 additional Defender sales from 5,000 prospects.

The journey began when a strangely shaped pack landed on your doormat. Its content provided a 45° perspective of the world, as though viewed from a New Defender. Every page featured both ‘view from the window’ images and copy at a 45° slant, immersing you in a life experienced at that incline.

Rich storytelling and tactile finishes replicated the textures used on the vehicle and the terrains it could master. We introduced New Defender’s distinctive design, state-of-the-art technology and personalisation options, highlighting that it was supreme off-road and sublime on-road.

The culmination was an intriguing replica of the New Defender’s switch gear. When turned 45° and pressed, this interactive button triggered an immediate response to the customer.

A Defender expert then called to begin the conversation; helping them to find out more about New Defender and start the journey to purchase. All from the simple push of a button.

Our active audience wouldn’t waste time reading emails, responding to sales calls or trawling through information online and filling in forms.

Getting their time and attention, plus overcoming their scepticism about New Defender, was our challenge.

The first step was to ‘cut though’ digital overload by getting something physical into their hands. Once we had their attention, we could prove that New Defender was ‘Capable of great things’ by demonstrating that it could handle the ultimate torture test – a 45° incline.

Following this, an innovative and industry-first use of technology was applied to connect the customer journey across channels. The experience had to not only be intriguing, but also easy and seamless, from offline into digital and onto the retailer.

This audience appreciate sustainability so anything we sent had to be recyclable or reusable.

Innovative technology managed the personalisation and complexity required to deliver an excellent customer experience.

For the prospect, this process was as effortless as driving New Defender on rough terrain. Pressing the button triggered an email and SMS confirming a New Defender expert would be in touch, whilst simultaneously sending the customer’s details to their local retailer, who called them within 24 hours.

In the background, our tech-enabled button used unique radio transmission technology to instantaneously turn the button push into a command to our CRM and lead management systems. This bespoke technology and process was specifically created for this customer experience.

It was GDPR-compliant and happened in real time with no need for customer sign-up, no form-filling, pre-interaction process or Bluetooth, tethering, or wifi connection. We even checked programmatically that recipients had the right signal strength before sending. This easy, joined-up customer journey drove leads to retailers.

Our industry-first application of smart digital technology to an offline communication created an exciting and technologically-advanced customer journey from direct mail, into online, and onto the retailer.

Using the strengths of old and new media together, customers received an excellent and effortless experience. Plus, for sustainability, the pack was easy to return to us for reuse.

It enabled us to match our Defender experts at Land Rover Retailers with New Defender prospects so they could begin conversations about New Defender.

From a mailed volume of 5,000 contacts, an impressive 2,508 leads were generated; a response rate of over 50% - massively exceeding our target - with even more walking into retailers to enquire.

Our initial target of 100 sales (10% response rate) was smashed resulting in 246 orders. The campaign generated an unprecedented ROI of 49:1.