Center Parcs: TEAR-OFF LETTER

Credits & Description:

Category: Flat Mailing

Advertiser: CENTER PARCS

Product/Service: HOLIDAY PARK

Agency: RAPP

Date of First Appearance: Mar 5 2009 12:00AM

Entrant Company: RAPP, Amstelveen, THE NETHERLANDS

Creative Director Art: Robin Pas (Rapp)

Creative Director Copy: Serge van Wijngaarden (Rapp)

Art: Ramelan Sajid (Rapp)

Account Director: Otto Smit (Rapp)

Project Manager: Jiska Mensink (Rapp)

Media placement: Direct Mail - Direct Mail - 05-03-2003



Describe the brief/objective of the direct campaign.

Center Parcs, a well-known company with rental homes in holiday parks, uses mainly Direct Mail to get their offers across. Throughout the years mailings proved to be the most successful in generating bookings. But so not to overload their existing customers with an endless stream of paper, we combined two separate offers in one mail pack. Meaning we had to get both the spring and the summer deal across in one letter.



Explain why the creative execution was relevant to the product or service.

Direct Mail is the main driver for Center Parcs’ communication and turnover. Every two months they send out differentiated mailings to their existing clients. The mailings always have the same gridded form and composition, contributing to the solid and reliable image of the organisation. We wanted to stick to their tradition, but were also looking for a distinguished way to bring across two very different deals, as spring-bookers hardly come over in the summer and vice versa. Now each target group can focus on the half most relevant to them.



Describe the creative solution to the brief/objective with reference to the projected response rates and desired outcome.

We didn’t want to cram the letter with offer-boxes and special deals. But knew that our budget was limited. Therefore we created a unique mailing that communicates both the spring and the summer offer… in one letter. The letter can be read as a whole, addressing both seasons, but it can also be torn down the middle, creating two separate letters. Both halves can then be read on their own – each focusing on its on season with its own offer.
In line with this approach, the enclosed brochure has two covers (spring and summer) and reads both ways.



Describe the results in as much detail as possible with particular reference to the RESPONSE of the target audience including deliverability statistics, response rates, click throughs, sales cost per response, relationships built and overall return on investment.

The response on the Center Parcs mailings is not very high but very stable, never exceeding a 2,3% book-rate. This mailing scored 6% above target and contributed to a positive, creative perception of the brand – as the reactions they received showed. ‘Funny’, ‘brilliant’ and ‘nice work’ were just a few of the catchphrases coming in through the call-centre and the e-mail.