Merging data, technology, and QR codes in a locally executed, nationwide campaign for customer acquisition for Subway™.

Precision provided a hyper-localised and digitally activated direct mail campaign for customer acquisition and local engagement.

A highly localised and relevant approach

The goal was to empower each franchise owner by targeting typical Subway™ customers within a 10-minute walk-time of each store, delivering a personalised message and tailoring pricing for maximum effectiveness. Precision implemented a digitally connected and 100% trackable printed mailer which incorporated dynamic, personalised QR codes. Over 2,027 stores, 4.5 million mailings were sent out, with a total of 9 million unique QR codes auto generated and printed, making each of the 4.5 million mailers unique and measurable. This led to a game changing, 14% redemption rate, and a 38% conversion rate for the Subway™ Rewards App.

Each flyer featured six unique, personalised to store QR codes, including household address, local store details, and the localised offer highlighted on the mail piece. This innovative approach combined the tactile nature of direct mail with digital tracking, offering consumers more choices and providing the client with a highly localised and relevant campaign.

Digitally activated tool

The challenge was to customise hundreds of artworks with localised store information, including personal details and per-store price points. Precision Connects™ facilitated a per store nominations process, streamlining store interaction, and ensuring brand consistency. Subway™ Connects transformed a traditional direct mail piece into a digitally activated tool. The campaign successfully utilised the resurgence of QR codes with personalised, dynamic content, creating a direct and interactive dialogue with consumers. The approach not only revitalised static advertising but also provided consumers with more options to place orders directly with their local Subway™ store. Scanning personalised QR codes not only acted as a value exchange through rewarding homeowners with a Free Side upon app download, but also tracked the actions of the individual targeted households.

This innovative approach provided Subway™ with detailed insights into voucher redemption all through a single scan, including:

• Real-time tracking, including the specific household.
• Whether the meal deal was redeemed.
• The price point of the meal deals.
• The time of day of redemption.

Subway™’s pioneering mailing campaign exceeded expectations, with voucher-driven sales experiencing a threefold increase. The weekly sign-up rate for Subway’s app in the UK surged by nearly 200% compared to digital marketing alone. This approach to the campaign, driven by the synergy of data and technology, demonstrates that mail, especially when digitally activated, holds a valuable position alongside digital marketing for customer acquisition.