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ESB claims e-marketing success
Wednesday, June 26 2002
by Andrew McLindon


An e-marketing campaign for ESB has produced response levels twice as high as
similar initiatives, according to the company behind the promotion.   

On-line strategy and content agency Amas said that the campaign generated a
response level of 18 percent. This, it said, is twice the average success rate
for comparable e-marketing campaigns and more than six times the success rate for
similar off-line campaigns.   



According to Amas, the aim of the campaign was to create interactive
relationships with teenagers and to draw them into the ESB Web site. "We
targeted teenagers who had taken part in coaching courses run by the Irish
Basketball Association, so we knew they already had an interest in basketball,"
explained Maeve Kneafsey, joint managing director of Amas.    



Kneafsey added that the campaign began with a postcard entry campaign, and
respondents were then invited to participate in an SMS competition, ESB Power
Dunk. This linked to the ESB's basketball microsite, which contained content such
as an interactive game, downloads, e-cards and insider information on
international and local basketball players.   



As a result of the campaign, the ESB has created a permission-based database,
which it plans to use to send basketball updates to this audience. Part of the
objective of the initiative was to help the ESB deepen relationships with a key
customer group as it prepares for the deregulation of the electricity market.



Marketing via SMS is a relatively new phenomenon, and a recent report from IDC
has cast doubt on whether it will have long-term value. According to the research
group, mobile users may increasingly ignore mobile advertising as its novelty
wears off.    



Kneafsey admitted that such as risk does exist, but said it could be avoided if
e-marketing campaigns are handled correctly.    



"There is always a chance e-marketing could go the way of direct marketing,
which has suffered in recent years, particularly in the US, by its over-use. But,
if we don't abuse the mobile audience by not bombarding them with messages and
make sure we have their permission before sending them such messages, then I
think it will continue to have a life," she commented.    



"For instance, the success of the ESB campaign was due to the fact that we sent
messages to the right audience, didn't text them frequently, and gave them
relevant and specific information," added Kneafsey.    



Amas was established last year by former media executives Kneafsey and Aileen
O'Toole.