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Wunderman ME Dubai strikes Gold in Cannes Lions Direct June 22, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising, Marketing , trackback

Creative Directors here in the UAE are usually surprised when I tell them I am more interested in DM than in press or TV, as a creative advertising copywriter. The ‘response’ bit of DM fascinates me, since I saw sacks of ad coupons arriving at Wunderman Delhi after one of our successful DM campaigns. I have probably read Claude Hopkins too devoutly and thus believe that advertising is nothing without measurable response.

So it’s great feeling when I see creatives doing well in DM - like winning a Gold for the region at Cannes.

Friends from Wunderman’s (ME) Dubai office - Kerry Platts, Pooja Chandani and Richa Khan - have struck Gold at Cannes Lions in the Direct category with their direct mail entry for Microsoft. Mayura Sandeep of Ikon, another good friend, had buzzed me on this and then I found the news on Tim Burrowes’ blog entry in the Campaign blog. Tim is posting bits on the winners there, he filled me in with more info.

It’s a good idea I think, the Microsoft one. The task was to get people to understand the risks of using pirated software, and buy licensed software. So, prospects were mailed handwritten envelopes with CDs like the ones friends pass around with pirated software. When the CD was loaded, the computer crashed, to the utter shock of the recipient. Moments later, the offer of the mailer - a discount on Windows Genuine Software - flashed on the user’s screen.

The response rate? Close to 10%. Which is amazing!

Great going, guys - you’ve done great - for the region, and for the DM world.

The Wunderman ME Dubai team for the Cannes’ winning entry:
Kerry Platts, Creative Director
Richa Khan, Head of Copy
Pooja Chandani, Creative Group Head
Sara Hughes, Client Services Director
Eiad Rayyis, Interactive Director

There’s more good news for the UAE at Cannes. Have you heard it?

Comments»

1. Jump Images - August 30, 2006

Wunderman are absolutely incredible!
Congratulations on the win!