The Rank Group is overhauling the personalised marketing strategy for its Mecca Bingo and Grosvenor Casino brands by implementing a Web-based, cross-media marketing platform from Inc Direct.
The “Web-to-media” tool combines SMS, point of sale, email, direct mail and marketing material to enable club managers to maintain regular contact with their customer base. The tailored solution allows orders to be placed and downloaded via the Web on an on-demand basis, enabling strict control of costs and content while maintaining branding.
With more than 130 clubs across the UK, and more than 22 million customer visits per year, both Mecca Bingo and Grosvenor Casinos need to respond to local and regional events that appeal to their customer base. The Inc Direct solution provides up to 95% of its content as variable digital output to appeal to the target audience on a personal level.
David Bealing from the Rank Group said: “This marketing platform allows club managers to promote and publicise themselves in a highly flexible way, while still maintaining the brands values. The solution devised by Inc Direct allows each club to control its marketing spend, respond to local or regional needs and appeal to customers across a number of channels. We believe it will deliver a cost effective and highly versatile way to promote Mecca Bingo and Grosvenor Casinos across the UK.”
Inc Direct recently signed off a £1m investment in two new Xerox iGen4 digital printing presses, adding to its existing suite of Xerox iGen3s. Managing director Noel Warner said: “The deal with Rank Group is a significant contract for Inc Direct and with a number of other wins in the travel and luxury brands sector puts us on target to double turnover to £10m by the end of our next financial year. Despite difficult conditions in the print and direct marketing industry, our in-house capability combined with our unrivalled strategic thinking sets us apart and has been a major contributor to our continued success.”
The Rank Group, formed in 1995, traces its roots back to movie giant J Arthur Rank. Until the start of the 21st century, the group still held a plethora of leisure interests, including Rank Advertising, Universal Studios Florida, Pinewood Studios, Odeon cinemas, Butlins, Warner and Haven Holidays.
It now concentrates solely on gaming through Grosvenor and G Casinos, Top Rank and Mecca Clubs. Its online gaming division Rank Interactive acquired the Blue Square gaming business in 2003.
