Royal Mail fights to keep public onside

Royal Mail tonight launches its first advertising campaign in 18 months in a bid to boost its brand credentials before the market is opened up to competition next year.

The company, which handles 83 million items a day for 27 million UK addresses, hopes the campaign will boost its brand credentials and link Royal Mail to the “magic of mail” as the company’s monopoly on home delivery is broken in January.

4pm: Royal Mail tonight launches its first advertising campaign in 18 months in a bid to boost its brand credentials before the market is opened up to competition next year. By Stephen Brook.

Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, the advertising agency that created the campaign, said the advertising would make Royal Mail “fit for competition” and would reignite the public’s “latent affection” for the company.

The agency has created a giant letterbox to feature in all print, TV and online communications.

“This is a unique position for a client to be in and Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO was determined that the advertising would play its role in having a brand fit for competition,” said Farah Ramzan Goland, the chief executive of AMV.

“The work does a fantastic job of dramatising something that is generally taken for granted – Royal Mail offers the people and businesses of the UK a seamless mail service wherever you are.”

The campaign kicks off with a 60-second advert from tonight. It shows a postman trudging through all types of weather to deliver post to family homes, which are adorned with giant letterboxes.

“We deliver to every home and business in Britain – so if you can’t take it personally, we will,” the narrator states.

Three shorter 30-second versions of the commercial will be seen soon.

“Royal Mail has been preparing itself for the introduction of full competition for some time. Naturally we want to cement our position as market leader by having advertising that communicates the impressive service we offer the UK each and every day,” said Tom Hings, the head of brand and advertising at Royal Mail.

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