Strategic Report Our Business Areas
T H E H OME S T O R E
E-commerce Marketing In 2022, we successfully integrated Relish within the Group and saw 77% growth in Leafletdrop, processing over 100 million items since the inception of the platform. At the start of the year there was a rebound in marketing spend, pandemic reopening of the economy. This move from product to experiential consumer spending was also a factor behind the cooling of online purchases. Additionally, consumer spend restraint accelerated over the year due to higher costs as inflation hit double figures. This economic instability saw marketers reduce spend or postpone planned campaigns. particularly in travel-related promotions following the post For Relish, our online sampling business, clients were impacted by a shortage of stock arising from supply chain issues. Stock allocated for sampling or marketing activity was diverted to be sold directly to consumers. Despite the uncertain economic background and numerous challenges, we are pleased with the resilience of our E-commerce Marketing business over the year and it is well positioned to grow with an economic recovery in the UK. Spend on direct mail advertising rose in 2021-22. The Advertising Association/ World Advertising Research Centre (WARC) reported that expenditure (which includes production and elements of postage) increased by 13.7% in real terms from £0.95bn to £1.08bn. This compares to a 31.2% decrease in the previous year.
Our Leafletdrop offering continues to perform strongly as marketers become more self-reliant and with the trend of SMEs accessing self-serve marketing platforms. In 2022 we passed the landmark of processing 100 million items since the inception of the platform.
Through integration of the Relish team into the Group we have now started to realise the benefits of being able to offer new routes to market through in-parcel sampling. Several customers from across the Group have now used the Relish service. Our Leafletdrop offering continues to perform strongly as marketers become more self-reliant and with the trend of SMEs accessing self-serve marketing platforms. In 2022 we passed the landmark of processing 100 million items since the inception of the platform. The team continued its award-winning streak securing the Gold IPM COGS award for Best Service Provided in Response to Covid-19 for The Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Additionally, it won a Bronze DMA Award for e-commerce brand Oddbox, for an eco-friendly and targeted campaign to support its expansion plans into new operating areas. We are confident in the growth potential of E-commerce Marketing as the competitive landscape for advertising spend is changing. Marketers are becoming more sceptical about the efficacy of a digital only approach. Whistl’s participation in the Advertising Association’s AdNetZero project underscores our commitment to providing clients with sustainable solutions that support the climate ambitions of both UK Government and businesses.
LEAFLETDROP TARGETING, PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTION OF DOORDROPS VIA OUR INTUITIVE ONLINE PLATFORM
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Whistl Annual Report 2022
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