insight driven / profit led / effective

Case Study: Toys... Not just for Christmas

The Challenge

Traditionally, Wilkinson has retailed toys only in the run-up to Christmas.  Customer research in 2007 revealed that Wilkinson customers wanted to be able to purchase toys in-store throughout the year.

In response to this demand, Wilkinson proposed launching a toys range in 30 of its stores, selected based on strong toy sales performance over the last two Christmas seasons as well as feedback from customer surveys and focus groups.

To make the most of this opportunity, our client knew they would need to generate awareness of the year-round toy range, drive footfall and achieve real shelf appeal to convert customers once in-store.

Because the range would be launched in selected stores only, marketing would have to be at store level rather than national and the budget for the campaign was limited.

The solution

Knowing that this is an extremely competitive market, Forum started by exploring the potential audience for the new toy range to ensure that we could achieve maximum impact in the target market on a limited budget.

Armed with this insight, we proposed a door-drop campaign distributed through local free press, targeting households fitting the Wilkinson family customer profile.  The leaflet would communicate the addition of the year-round toys range to existing customers and promote the toys range as a new reason to visit Wilkinson for prospects.

To cost-effectively extend the reach of the awareness campaign, and attract passing trade, we also proposed window posters to be featured prominently in each store.

The creative execution involved the development of brand characters which would appeal to a range of ages, using colours and patterns associated with primary learning, while playful copy, communicated the Wilkinson ‘Toy Story’ quickly and clearly. 

Promotional materials featured a treasure-hunt themed competition, which required customers to visit the toy aisle in-store to post their entry.  A family fun day at each store offered pr opportunities and the potential to exploit pester-power to boost launch day sales.

The Result

Wilkinson reported higher than average footfall levels in the launch week and store managers reported great feedback from the customers enjoying the launch day activities.

Post launch sales performance has resulted in a roll-out to all of Wilkinson's larger stores where the toys range can be accommodated.

Case Study: Growing Success

The Challenge

When Wilkinson introduced a range of 387 own-brand gardening products in 2005, Forum designed the packaging, which a household name brand supplier subsequently described as looking “better than most of the brand leaders.”  

This packaging was still contributing to continued sales growth, when in 2008 Wilkinson extended the range and requested a packaging refresh.  Wilkinson wanted to take the opportunity to introduce the new Wilko logo and to reflect changing trends in garden products, particularly in fertilisers and composts, and to emphasise on-pack key product benefits. 

The refresh needed careful handling to ensure that the 248 new and updated products would create a suite with sections of the range which require little or no change, so that the entire range would retain a cohesive on-shelf presence.

The Solution

Building on the successful packaging already implemented, Forum identified that simplifying the overall design could allow key product benefits to be communicated more quickly and effectively to result in a better customer experience and increased sales. 

Forum introduced slightly more contemporary typography, brighter colour ways and bolder photographic imagery, maintaining the balance between shelf-impact, clear, concise product information and communicating consistent brand values across the range of new and existing packaging.

The Result

Launched in February 2009, it’s still early days but Wilko is expecting to announce continued growth for its own brand garden range at the end of the key sales period.  James Moore, Wilko Own Brand Manager said  “Our long standing relationship with Forum means they have an in depth understanding of our business and more importantly our customers. They are a no nonsense organisation with creative designers who take time to understand the brief before putting pen to paper ... to come up with the goods without [unnecessary] cost.”

Case Study: Record Breaking Retail Stores

The challenge

With ambitious growth targets Wilkinson planned to launch 23 new stores in 2008 and asked Forum to create a through-the-line campaign for a launch programme which would begin with the opening of Wilkinson’s 300^th store in Clifton Moor, York.

Wilkinson wanted to promote each opening and secure each store as a regular destination to achieve budgeted average basket spend, total weekly footfall, total sales and average basket value and contribute to overall revenue plans.

Each new store presented different challenges with those in out of town shopping requiring a different approach to those on the high street or secondary positions.  In addition, the size of the new store, local audience and proximity of competitors would affect the decisions on media and creative focus.

The solution

Forum developed concepts with the flexibility to accommodate different product ranges and messages to accommodate each individual store’s offering and customer profile, while promoting Wilkinson core brand values consistently and cost effectively.

The campaign focused around Wilkinson’s key messages of value and range, which Forum presented in rhyming ‘triplets’ to appeal to new and existing customers.

Forum worked with Wilkinson’s marketing team, to identify postcodes, demographic profiles and media, to target the right audience, in the right way, at the right time for each individual store.

Depending on the store profile, a bespoke media plan began up to 16 weeks prior to opening day, with building banners and window friezes, as well as window posters in adjacent stores during shopfit.   On-site activity was followed by ‘Opening Soon’ ads, advertorials and pr in local and regional press with support from outdoor media. 

Press advertising stepped-up at launch week to include front page or wrap, complemented by brochure inserts as well as radio advertising and pr, to secure maximum exposure.  

Each store open day was celebrated with roadshows and innovative promotional and experiential activity to encourage passing trade into store.

Follow-up campaign of between four weeks and one year duration were planned on a store by store basis to boost footfall and sales during key seasonal events for example in the run up to Easter, Halloween and Christmas.

The result

The Clifton Moor store broke company records on both opening day and opening week for footfall, overall sales and highest average basket spend.  Customers were queueing to shop and enjoy the entertainment throughout launch weekend. 

All subsequent store launches have met or exceeded targets, with positive feedback from the Executive board, Management teams, staff and customers.

Case Study: Making Friends Abroad

The Challenge

UKTI is a national organisation which provides business opportunities, expert trade advice and support to UK-based companies wishing to grow their business overseas, as well as practical assistance to international companies establishing and expanding their business in the UK.

Forum was engaged by the East Midlands division of the organisation to deliver a regional campaign which would strengthen its brand and raise awareness and understanding of its services among its target business audience across Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire

The Solution

While accepting that we would need to work within UKTI’s existing corporate identity, Forum proposed a move away from UKTI’s traditional corporate photography and language. 

We believed that a friendlier, less intimidating approach, incorporating an element of humour, would encourage more enquiries from new sources while boosting awareness of the range of UKTI services among businesses which might have had some previous contact with the organisation.

We worked with UKTIEM to identify a range of Midlands businesses which had benefited from the services of UKTI, and developed a series of four mini case studies to communicate key messages and explain services in a way which would involve the reader and lead them to request further information.

To generate impact, we used light-hearted illustrations alongside humorous headlines which would appear out of context in a business environment.   Readers would have to look to the accompanying case study to satisfy their curiosity. 

This creative strategy was designed to increase awareness and also increase exposure to key messages which might otherwise have been overlooked by readers with some prior knowledge, and perhaps preconceptions, about UKTI.

The media team had researched the circulation of key local and regional press titles across the East Midlands, to reach the widest area and largest audience possible within the available media budget.

Recognising that quality of circulation rather than quantity would be key to reaching a relevant and receptive business audience, the refined media plan included titles with a high ABC1 and commuter / business readership and a higher editorial ratio, as well as targeted business editions and inserts.  

With a plan in place to reach the most likely to respond to messages about export and investment information and opportunities in their area, Forum booked a series of half page and fractional colour ads over a 4 week period.

The Result

Commenting on the success of the campaign, Simon Grandidge Marketing & Events Manager for UKTI in the East Midlands said  “Forum proved themselves to have true creative flair and produced a real eye catching campaign very different from our normal approach. Subsequently we have commissioned them to produce publications and look forward to building the relationship in future.”