Ep 13: Mail's trust advantage in banking with Margaret Jobling
In a world of rising digital scams, why does a simple piece of mail still reassure banking customers? Chief Marketing Officer at NatWest, Margaret Jobling, joins Rory Sutherland for this episode of Mail Unleashed to talk about the power of mail in the financial services. Throughout this episode, they discuss: NatWest’s sponsorship of Team GB at the Paris Olympics Why 71% of people trust physical mail Real data that shows mail outperforms email in response rates How mail still reassures customers in a world of rising digital scams Plus, they explore why mail is such an important touchpoint in banking, and how it helps you target the right moments. 00:00 Intro 00:41 Welcome to Margaret 01:25 Margaret talks through NatWest’s sponsorship of Team GB at the Paris Olympics 03:27 Direct mail’s role in building trust and authenticity in the financial services 05:32 Physical mail helps you target the right moment & how it has helped NatWest achieve long-term marketing impact 09:51 In a world of rising digital scams, mail can offer reassurance for banking customers 11:14 Why multiple touchpoints are important for NatWest and why mail is one of them 12:53 Data that shows campaigns with mail are more likely to show ROI benefits 15:42 Margaret’s experience with mail at Centrica and NatWest: how mail had the best response rates 18:46 Gen Z are more responsive to physical mail than you'd think 20:46 Outro Margaret Jobling is Chief Marketing Officer at NatWest Group. She is an experienced FTSE 100 business leader with a strong record in consumer goods and utilities. She specialises in customer experience, marketing transformation, consumer products, and insight-driven decision-making. Known for her strategic leadership and for driving measurable results, she consistently delivers impactful, customer-focused change across complex organisations. Follow Margaret. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-jobling-9741b513/ Follow Rory. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rorysutherland/ X - https://x.com/rorysutherland Watch the full episode. Website - https://www.marketreach.co.uk/mail-unleashed/margaret-jobling-natwest YouTube - https://youtu.be/rviRRSyQK7A Curious about the power of mail in your marketing mix? Follow us for fresh inspiration and real-world examples that show how mail delivers impressive business results. ⬇️ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketreach-from-royal-mail/ X - https://x.com/MarketreachUK Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/p/Marketreach-100057126832884/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@marketreachuk
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Ep 12: Ogilvy's Kate Wheaton on using personalisation for more engagement
Want to find out how mail can add value to a campaign and target your consumers? Ogilvy One’s former Head of Strategy, Kate Wheaton, joins Rory Sutherland on this Mail Unleashed episode, to share how mail has helped contribute to their success over the years. Together, they discuss: What makes mail a unique and irreplaceable part of the marketing mix Kate’s career journey from a small telemarketing & direct mail agency to Ogilvy One Why direct mail can build brand trust and grab attention How mail has earned its place in the mix in an increasingly digital world To find out what the future holds for this effective media channel, listen to the full episode. 00:00 Intro 00:41 Kate’s marketing journey from a telemarketing and direct mail agency to the Tesco Clubcard 02:06 Why a customer perspective is so important when choosing the right marketing medium 03:27 Kate’s examples of effective direct mail - Lloyds Bank & ME+EM 06:05 The relationship between mail and brand trust – The Change for Life campaign 09:06 Has marketing got an efficiency and cost cutting problem? 11:10 Outro Kate Wheaton is the former Head of Strategy at Ogilvy One, with a career spanning some of the UK’s most successful loyalty programmes. She’s worked with leading brands like Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Boots, and BA, blending strategic rigour with creativity to build modern loyalty experiences that drive engagement, retention, and long-term brand love. Follow Kate. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/katewheaton/ Follow Rory. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rorysutherland/ X - https://x.com/rorysutherland Watch the full episode. Website - https://www.marketreach.co.uk/mail-unleashed/kate-wheaton-ogilvy-one YouTube - https://youtu.be/lM_2njydRCE Looking for innovative marketing ideas to spark your creativity. Follow us to get those creative juices flowing. ⬇️ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketreach-from-royal-mail/ X - https://x.com/MarketreachUK Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/p/Marketreach-100057126832884/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@marketreachuk
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Ep 11: Why top brand loyalty programmes feature mail with Natalie Milner
Is mail the key to building and maintaining strong customer relationships? In this episode of Mail Unleashed, former Group Membership & Loyalty Director at the AA, Natalie Milner, shares insights from her career, as she and Rory Sutherland sit down to discuss: The importance of making sure that customers feel valued Two examples of successful direct mail campaigns from Wickes and Loaf How mail can make customers feel appreciated Natalie’s experience with mail at the AA Tune in to find out why top brands are turning to mail for their loyalty programmes. 00:00 Intro 00:41 Welcome to Natalie 01:25 Natalie's first example of a successful mail campaign – Wickes 04:50 Natalie's second example of a successful mail campaign – Loaf 06:00 The AA and direct mail 06:51 The importance of having a holistic view in media selection 09:03 Why physical marketing makes an impact 12:09 Outro Natalie has years of experience working for big name brands like the AA, Curry’s plc and Wickes. She helps organisations transform their brand and customer experience by integrating media and connecting touchpoints to acquire, engage and retain more customers- increasing loyalty. Follow Natalie. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-milner-b65a601/ Follow Rory. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rorysutherland/ X - https://x.com/rorysutherland Watch the full episode. Website - https://www.marketreach.co.uk/mail-unleashed/natalie-milner-cmo YouTube - https://youtu.be/VVfz9WBaVxA Want to see how mail delivers big results? Follow us for fresh ideas and standout success stories. ⬇️ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketreach-from-royal-mail/ X - https://x.com/MarketreachUK Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/p/Marketreach-100057126832884/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@marketreachuk
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Ep 10: Mail is a ‘super touchpoint’ with Andrew Tindall
What is a super touchpoint and why are they so powerful? In this episode, Rory Sutherland is joined by Senior Vice President at System1, Andrew Tindall. As an effectiveness pro, Andrew knows that mail does not only drive sales, but it also grabs attention, builds awareness and trust, with physical impact that lives on in the home. Together, Andrew and Rory talk about: What makes System1 different from other market research companies How understanding behavioural science can enhance your marketing performance Stats from the Effie Worldwide database such as, “90% of campaigns using mail drive a direct sales impact within six months” What a super touchpoint is and why mail can be classed as one The importance of trust in marketing Plus, they share why mail’s physicality can surprise and delight your customers. 00:00 Intro 00:41 Welcome to Andrew – what is the origin of System1 and what makes them different from other market research companies? 03:17 How understanding behavioural science can help marketers choose the right media 05:33 Direct mail is effective and demonstrates costly signalling 07:16 Andrew and Rory discuss why mail grabs attention and is kept, felt, and remembered 09:33 What is a Super Touchpoint? Andrew draws on research from Effie Worldwide database to highlight mail's ability to build strong brand awareness and drive sales 15:14 Why mail allows you to be creative – examples from Hiscox and The AA 16:54 The potency of the unexpected: why the physicality of mail surprises and delights 18:24 The importance of trust – what System1 is doing to measure it, and how mail can build it 22:10 Why marketers should judge success based on attentive reach, not cheap CPMs 24:30 Outro Andrew Tindall is the Senior Vice President at System1. He is a marketing effectiveness expert, specialising in how creativity and emotion drive results across media. He partners with top global brands and agencies to scale effectiveness insights, publish award-winning thought leadership, and deliver practical, accessible advice that helps brands make creativity work harder. Follow Andrew. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-tindall X - https://x.com/andrewtindall_ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@andrew.tindall Follow Rory. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rorysutherland/ X - https://x.com/rorysutherland Watch the full episode. Website - https://www.marketreach.co.uk/mail-unleashed/andrew-tindall-system1 YouTube - https://youtu.be/YqIAMN0Bs1Q Curious about the power of mail in your marketing mix? Follow us for fresh inspiration and real-world examples that show how mail delivers impressive business results. ⬇️ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketreach-from-royal-mail/ X - https://x.com/MarketreachUK Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/p/Marketreach-100057126832884/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@marketreachuk
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Ep 9: How AI powers direct mail to drive results with Luke Whitehorn
Does AI have the potential to supercharge direct mail and improve results? Yes, it does, and you’ll find out why in this Mail Unleashed episode with Luke Whitehorn, Marketing Director at Domestic & General. Throughout this episode, Luke joins Rory to talk about the power of mail. Together they discuss: Luke’s journey from working in a call centre to rising to Marketing Director at Domestic & General Data from Domestic & General that shows how effective mail can be Why personalised mail can build brand trust AI’s potential with direct mail marketing Luke’s experience working at Christadelphian Meal-a-Day Plus, they share real stats that show how mail has helped Domestic & General keep 86% of their customer base. 00:00 Intro 00:41 Welcome to Luke – his journey from the call centre at British Gas to Marketing Director at Domestic & General 03:21 Build trust – the importance of personalised mail for marketing something intangible 05:05 Is mail effective? Luke has 30 years of data that shows how effective it is in the marketing mix 07:20 Luke and Rory discuss “The Halo Effect” of direct mail and its lasting impact 09:33 Why direct mail works for insurance brands 11:11 Direct mail is a blank canvas for marketers to get creative 13:13 What potential does AI have in the world of direct mail? Propensity modelling, GenAI testing, and attribution models 17:56 Luke's experience working as Marketing Director for the charity Christadelphian Meal-a-Day 20:48 Outro Luke Whitehorn is the Marketing Director at Domestic & General. He is a passionate marketing leader with a background in customer experience and digital growth. He blends data and empathy to drive personalisation, build high-performing teams, and deliver results. From brand campaigns to data science, Luke brings strategic thinking and heart to everything he does, inside and outside of work. Follow Luke. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-whitehorn/ X - https://x.com/LukeWhitehorn Follow Rory. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rorysutherland/ X - https://x.com/rorysutherland Watch the full episode here: Website - https://www.marketreach.co.uk/mail-unleashed/luke-whitehorn-domestic-and-general YouTube - https://youtu.be/NrdoCcfAI78 Thinking of including mail in your media mix? Follow us on our socials for more great examples of why mail can have a lasting impact. ⬇️ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketreach-from-royal-mail/ X - https://x.com/MarketreachUK Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/p/Marketreach-100057126832884/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@marketreachuk
Welcome to Mail Unleashed. Hosted by marketing legend and Vice Chairman at Ogilvy UK Rory Sutherland, this series goes in-depth with some of the world’s top marketing greats about their experiences with the hugely effective marketing channel, direct mail.
Mail Unleashed is brought to you by Marketreach, champions of mail media. We help brands and agencies unleash the magic of mail.
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