We were over the moon to pick up five awards at this month’s national Data and Marketing Association (DMA) Awards. We took the top spot in the ‘Travel and Leisure’ category for Cunard: Navigating the Route to Recovery campaign, and secured further wins in Marketing Automation, Data Storytelling, Customer Journey and Integrated Campaign categories with McDonald’s campaigns.

At the core of the GOLD-winning Cunard campaign was giving Cunard customers ‘permission to daydream’. Delivered through their letterbox was an ‘Invitation to Exploration’. Gilt-edged, on heavy stock, and worthy of a place at the Captain’s Table – this beautiful piece inspired guests to look ahead with positivity. It reminded them of the reasons they loved to travel with Cunard and encouraged them to start dreaming about their next voyage. Over £2m incremental revenue was attributed to the campaign, resulting in a 25:1 ROI.

The SILVER winner in Best Customer Journey and SILVER winner in Best Use of Marketing Automation was our Feel-Good Customer Journeys campaign. We were briefed to establish the My McDonald’s app as the customer’s channel of choice. To inspire and incentivise people to come back to the My McDonald’s app again and again, we used early behaviour data signals to determine customer propensity to use the app. Then, we worked to overcome inertia and reinforce frequent use with an automated nudge programme running on Adobe Campaign, which adapted in real time to customer response. ROI stands at 50:1 and growing.

BRONZE in Best Data Storytelling was our App Anniversary Programme for McDonald’s. It was developed to celebrate customers’ first year of being part of the My McDonald’s app family and show an engaged audience what they already mean to the brand, while encouraging them to try more of the menu. We celebrated each customer’s individual relationship with McDonald’s. Playful storytelling turned data into a picture of their own unique McDonald’s story and encouraged exploration of how that compares to other customers. Designed to recognise and reward, this bright, graphic thank-you note stands out in a busy inbox and generated a 14% increase in order frequency, amongst other results.

And BRONZE in Best Integrated Campaign was I’m Lovin’ It Live. Customers flocked back to McDonald’s when restaurants reopened after lockdown one. But with digital targets under pressure and another lockdown looming, we needed an activation strategy to boost adoption and retention on the My McDonald’s app and give customers a lift. As part of an all-agency team effort, including Leo Burnett, Red Consultancy and OMD, we launched I’m Lovin’ It Live – a once-in-a-decade live music event hosted via the My McDonald’s app and supported by a series of generous digital offers and moments to motivate downloads and ordering. All while bringing back the feel-good factor in the safety of customers’ homes. In response, we saw a 304% increase in app acquisition, 178% increase in app orders, and ROI of 44:1.

The five awards mark the most received in one night over our 29-year history. The DMA Awards is the annual best in class awards covering all areas of direct marketing across the UK.

James Ray, our CEO, summed up what this meant to us all: “What a fantastic result for our brilliant Armadillo team and our clients, Cunard and McDonald’s. It’s so incredibly well deserved and I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved together.”

See all of our award-winning work in full.

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