How real-time Out-of-Home (OOH) and round-the-clock collaboration led to £millions in Royal Mail stamp sales and made them cool to a new generation.
The use of stamps and stamp collecting was in severe decline, with consumer preference towards email, text and social media. Stamps were losing saliency, and the future of stamp collecting was looking bleak.
As the Official Stamps Supplier of the 2012 Olympics, Royal Mail saw a great opportunity to make stamps relevant again by printing special edition celebratory stamps in tribute to each Team GB and Paralympic GB Gold Medal winner.
In a Royal Mail first, the celebratory stamps were made available by lunchtime the following day.
Rapport’s challenge was to make the public aware of the chance to own a unique piece of Olympic history.
“We’ve won the Olympics, we’re going to be on a stamp”, exclaimed Team GB athlete Sophie Hosking!
The way in which the UK press, the London 2012 commentary team and the athletes themselves embraced the idea of the stamps proved that this marketing strategy captured the nation’s imagination, making Royal Mail an exciting, interesting and unique part of their Olympic experience.
According to research, the Royal Mail campaign prompted the highest advertising awareness rate across the Games period.
Over £21m of stamps were sold (75% above expectations) and new collectors of stamps grew by 20%, with a younger and more female profile meaning that the campaign delivered against its objective of attracting a new generation of stamp collectors.