This campaign for our client Drummer and their charity client Compassion had been discussed for some time, with all parties looking at what could be achieved using digital print and programmatic direct mail. Compassion is a world-leading child sponsorship charity, with projects covering 28 countries worldwide. UK sponsors are encouraged to write to their sponsored child and, in turn, receive handwritten responses. Historically, this had been a manual process with child letters posted back to the UK, which Kingsline would scan and send to the sponsor with a digitally printed cover letter. While the system worked, it was subject to extensive delays, high postage costs, and had limited marketing opportunities.
Designing a format that could carry a handwritten letter
After much collaboration, Kingsline designed a format in which the child's handwritten letter could be digitally printed, with a bespoke letter and latest news, alongside variable writing paper, depending on the child's age and gender. The setup was complex, with many stakeholders from creative, data specialists, and technical experts involved. The proofing process took around four weeks, with extensive testing of data receipt and mapping of variables.
The result
The result is a completely unique piece of communication, providing the sponsor with a tangible set of information specific to their sponsored child, country, and project. Timings have vastly improved (from 3-4 months to 1 week), as well as significant reductions in postage costs and carbon footprint.
