The document summarizes a campaign by Queensland Teachers Credit Union (QTCU) to increase awareness and membership among teachers. QTCU faced challenges including a modest budget and small number of teachers in its database. Its strategy was to create an "opted in database" through a staffroom makeover competition that encouraged teachers to vote and spread awareness. QTCU sent a fabricated "you've got to see this" email to teachers to kick off the campaign and foster word-of-mouth sharing. Over 1000 schools participated, QTCU's teacher database grew significantly, and millions of consumers were exposed to the campaign's messaging.

1. Using Email BEFORE
your campaign
Russ Vine
Managing Director
Junior
EMSA 2011 | Innovation and Inspiration
October 19 | Brisbane Powerhouse | Queensland

2. Background
• Queensland Teachers Credit Union
• Formed 1965
• Nicer way to bank/lend money
• Gets popular
• Makes huge fuss it’s not just for teachers
• Uncovers odd problem
• Fixes problem with innovative campaign
• As explained by this short video…
EMSA 2011 | Innovation and Inspiration
October 19 | Brisbane Powerhouse | Queensland

3. EMSA 2011 | Innovation and Inspiration
October 19 | Brisbane Powerhouse | Queensland

4. So how the hell did we come up with that?
• Best explained when the campaign is reviewed using
traditional case study headings:
– Problem
– Insight & Strategy
– Creative Solution
– Results
EMSA 2011 | Innovation and Inspiration
October 19 | Brisbane Powerhouse | Queensland

5. Problem
• 1,700 schools in Queensland.
• Only 1,500 teachers in the database.
• Modest budget.
• No hero rate or hot offer to lead with.
• Finance = Low interest category.
• ‘Nice’ brand values.
EMSA 2011 | Innovation and Inspiration
October 19 | Brisbane Powerhouse | Queensland

6. Strategy
• Reaching teachers not the problem
but signing them up on the spot
unlikely.
• Developed a strategy to create an
‘opted in database’ rather than aim
for ‘ready to go leads’.
• Win win would be if we could
improve awareness and image
along the way.
EMSA 2011 | Innovation and Inspiration
October 19 | Brisbane Powerhouse | Queensland

7. Insights
• Teachers have a very high sense of
professional identity.
• Teachers are in their most teacherly
mode when they are together
• Where to get them all in one place?
Schools!
• Where to get them thickest on the
ground? The staffroom!!
EMSA 2011 | Innovation and Inspiration
October 19 | Brisbane Powerhouse | Queensland

8. Creative Solution – Part II
• So we want talk money, to
teachers, in their staffroom.
• So lets offer them a cash prize.
EMSA 2011 | Innovation and Inspiration
October 19 | Brisbane Powerhouse | Queensland

9. Creative Solution – Part II
• So we want talk money, to
teachers, in their staffroom
• So lets offer them a cash prize.
• So lets offer them a cash prize to
make over their staffroom.
EMSA 2011 | Innovation and Inspiration
October 19 | Brisbane Powerhouse | Queensland

10. Creative Solution – Part II
• So we want talk money, to
teachers, in their staffroom
• So lets offer them a cash prize.
• So lets offer them a cash prize to
make over their staffroom.
• So lets offer them a cash prize to
make over their staffroom
depending on the most votes they
can raise!
EMSA 2011 | Innovation and Inspiration
October 19 | Brisbane Powerhouse | Queensland

11. Creative Solution – Part III
• Adopt a fund raiser mentality.
• Create a sense of competition
around the competition.
• Email participants with updates of
who else is doing what else to raise
votes.
• Provide leaderboards and ‘tips’.
EMSA 2011 | Innovation and Inspiration
October 19 | Brisbane Powerhouse | Queensland

12. Creative Solution – Part I (The Prequel!!)
• What else could we do to give the
promotion a little zip?
• To research a mega staffroom is to
trawl for ‘best staffroom in the world’
– Which reminded us of all those ‘you’ve
got to check this out’ emails that people
love to send you.
– Especially when they relate somehow to
your job!
EMSA 2011 | Innovation and Inspiration
October 19 | Brisbane Powerhouse | Queensland

13. And a ‘pre campaign’ primer email was born
• Sent to 40 or so teachers in the first
instance.
• Breaks every rule in the social
media code of conduct.
• Produced exactly as any ‘normal’
person might produce it.
• Except it is a complete fabrication!!
EMSA 2011 | Innovation and Inspiration
October 19 | Brisbane Powerhouse | Queensland

14. The results
• 1024 out of 1700 schools in Queensland participated.
• Number of teachers on QTCU database rose from 1,500
to just over 17,000.
• Over a million consumers exposed to messaging.
• 40,000 unique votes cast.
EMSA 2011 | Innovation and Inspiration
October 19 | Brisbane Powerhouse | Queensland

15. And if there is a moral to this case study
• Email is a brilliant marketing channel.
• But it is also a way of life.
• Our original computer enabled means to disseminate the
things that make us smile or think of someone else.
– More personal then facebook
– Certainly more permanent
– And (for professionals at least) viewed more often
EMSA 2011 | Innovation and Inspiration
October 19 | Brisbane Powerhouse | Queensland