Eighty thousand charity Christmas cards have been distributed to staff at banking organisation Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) across the UK by Adare using its marketing communications portal, MC²
Printing Talk, December 07
The HBOS Foundation ran a Christmas card design competition for its employees' children earlier in the year, with Hector Maclennan (aged seven) winning with his robin design against 1,000 other entries. With all proceeds from the sale of the cards donated by HBOS, matched by the HBOS Foundation and given to the British Heart Foundation, Women's Royal Voluntary Service and the Family Holiday Association in partnership with Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the company challenged Adare to develop a web-based ordering system to maximise sales.
Using MC², Adare's on-line marketing system, the solution was taken from concept to build in four weeks, allowing HBOS employees to not only order and pay for cards on-line but also to personalise the messages inside.
The cards were digitally produced on the fleet of iGen digital printers within Adare's new Park Mill Multimedia Communications Output Centre in West Yorkshire and distributed to HBOS employees across the country before December 1.
June Love, IT director at Adare, explained: 'Approximately 60,000 users were given access to order the 2007 HBOS Christmas card, so it was imperative that the site was easy to use and fast, with a high standard of visual presentation.
By using the flexibility of MC², the HBOS Foundation was able to test the prototype very quickly and also make changes to layout right up to the launch date.' Angela Tinker, head of HBOS Foundation, commented: 'With a fantastic festive design from Hector, this year's card has raised over GBP65,000 for colleagues' chosen charities.
We are able to raise so much money from the sale of these cards as, unlike most charity cards where a very small percentage of the profit on a card goes to charity, double the full card price goes to our charities as we match every pound spent by colleagues.' She continued: 'Adare was able to provide a complete ordering, secure payment, print and distribution system in just 12 weeks from start to finish.
The bespoke website made it easy for our colleagues to place orders.' Adare currently manages all printed marketing literature and related services for HBOS, including the production and supply of all continuous and specialist print, such as statements and PINs.
