Royal Mail has launched its first major TV advertising campaign to attract parcel businesscustomers in almost five years which will run throughout March featuring real postal workers.
The TV spot targets especially online retailers ranging from large businesses through to SMEsand eBay powersellers. It highlights independent research claiming that online shoppers trust RoyalMail to deliver their orders more than any other national parcel company, with 76% of them beingmore likely to use a particular online retailer again if they deliver through Royal Mail.
The 40-second ad was broadcasted yesterday for the first time during England’s World Cup warm-upagainst Denmark on ITV1 promoting Royal Mail as the trusted parcel delivery partner for onlineretailers.
The postal operator stressed that the parcel operations are becoming an increasingly importantpart of its business now accounting for 51% of its revenues, as its half-year results revealedearlier.
The Group’s parcel operations have been boosted essentially by growing online sales as onlineretailing accounted for 9.6% of the UK’s total retail sales in 2012 and is expected to grow to12.3% in 2017, according to Euromonitor Passport Data 2013.
Royal Mail’s annual tracker study looking at the expectations of the British SME onlineretailers also revealed that more than half (56%) of them are increasingly confident about theirsales growth in 2014. In addition, six in ten (59%) of the online retailers who export aretargeting international sales growth this year.
The company also plans a direct mail campaign highlighting to decision makers in largebusinesses as well as SMEs and eBay powersellers how it has helped companies of similar sizes. Itwill be supported by national press, digital and outdoor advertising.
Mike Newnham, Royal Mail’s Chief Customer Officer, said: “This is Royal Mail’s first TV adspecifically targeting business customers for five years. Through the TV ad, we are promoting RoyalMail’s leading role as the parcel delivery partner for online retailers and emphasising the trustshoppers place in us to deliver the items they have ordered.”
