Case Studies

Full Direct Mail Solutions for The Ambassador Theatre Group

About the Client

The Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) are the global leader in live entertainment with close to 50 venues across Britain and the United States. They are internationally recognised as a leading producer of award-winning shows and are the market leader in theatre ticketing services.

Details of the Work

ATG operate 26 regional venues, each promoting shows and events for their theatre. They send out a dedicated “What’s on guide” for each Venue 3 times a year. This brochure needs to be sent out in the most cost effective and environmentally sustainable way, while showcasing the vibrant and dynamic artwork that each venue uses. Costs are a vital consideration; the supplier must look to ensure that each venue gets maximum response and return on their investment.

The Solution from CMS

Central Mailing Services were awarded the exclusive contract to look after not only the print, fulfilment and mailing of all ATG venue’s direct mail, but also the contracts for individual show mailings, membership card distribution and ticket mailings. CMS were able to demonstrate significant cost savings for the group and our extensive capacity for digital printing and high-speed enclosing ensured that even at peak seasonal times, all show mailings are dispatched to a strict SLA.

With a dedicated Account Management team looking after all the venues, each marketing manager’s specific requirements are processed quickly and efficiently. The most cost-effective solution for the brochure mailings was to move to Paper wrapping instead of envelopes. This brought several crucial advantages for the Theatre group. Firstly, using Paper wrapping allowed the venue to mail to more records, as the unit cost per printed wrap full colour bleed to edge was far cheaper than an overprinted envelope. The enclosing speed increased since the personalisation to the outer was carried out in line. In addition, the robot stacker at the end of each of our 4 lines ensures the fastest possible way to tray the mailing.

We also carry out a lot of pre mailing data work, making sure to cleanse the data fully and supress any records that have been returned to CMS. This is part of our returns management service.  We also provided the end client with reporting that gave the predicted land dates for the end recipients. This information was invaluable for the theatre Box offices.

The Result

ATG have seen a vast improvement in timelines and dispatch speed thanks to CMS. The Campaigns have been well received by the end theatre goers and the production companies have welcomed the extra coverage the use of full colour paper wrap printing has given them.

The competitive prices and postage rates in conjunction with the data work have provided ATG Group with significant cost savings, allowing the theatre’s marketing budgets to go further and promote more shows.