Caledonian MacBrayne – Go West

Brief: Caledonian MacBrayne is one of Scotland’s iconic brands and is the operator of a 30-strong fleet of ferries servicing 25 different routes along Scotland’s Hebridean and Clyde islands. In excess of five million passengers and 1.1 million vehicles are carried annually on sailings ranging from five minutes to over five hours. In 2009, uncertainty over the global economy was beginning to bite and the weakness of Sterling made holidaying abroad significantly more expensive. In addition, the airline industry had been quick to respond with a glut of cheap flights. Amidst this uncertainty, CalMac recognised the need for a more targeted Direct Mail campaign and we were briefed to develop and produce this.

Creative: Although Direct Mail was no newcomer to CalMac’s marketing plan, we approached it from an entirely new angle. We gave the piece the title Go West with CalMac and out went the traditional approach of listing the company’s fleet, routes and timetables and in came a brand new positioning in which Scotland’s islands became the real stars of the show. We introduced CalMac as the natural means for holidaymakers and short-breakers alike to experience, explore and enjoy the Hebridean and Clyde islands.

Result: The project investment on Go West with CalMac paid back over four times and the percentage of CalMac passengers citing ‘holiday/short break’ as their reason for travelling rose from an average of 40% to 68%. As bookings increased, so too did the onboard sales of food, drink, magazines/newspapers, books and souvenirs.