Exodus Travels

Background

Sustainability is at the core of activity and adventure travel company Exodus Travels. They aim to give back far more to the planet and its ecosystems than they take. This philosophy extends to their advertising and marketing.

In 2023 Exodus Travel partnered with Webmart to optimise their existing acquisition direct mail with the aim of amplifying response rates while reducing the campaign's carbon footprint. 

Solution

Leveraging their innovative Carbon Calculation service ‘Ecometrics’, Webmart embarked on a comprehensive journey to mitigate the campaign's carbon emissions. The process involved a systematic 'calculate, mitigate, offset, communicate' framework. 

Calculate 

Employing Ecometrics, Webmart meticulously calculated the campaign's entire carbon footprint, attributing carbon values to each aspect, from plates and paper to printing and finishing. Every client estimate featured a standard price alongside a carbon-neutral price, reflecting Webmart’s commitment to transparency.

Mitigate

The 'mitigate' phase engaged clients in optimising carbon reduction without compromising response rates. Tailoring this approach for Exodus Travels involved refining data to enhance accuracy and reducing the carbon impact by targeting responsive audiences. Concurrently, Webmart re-engineered the product, transitioning from a 6pp A5 landscape leaflet in an envelope to an environmentally conscious Maltese cross format, minimizing paper consumption.

Offset

Webmart’s process resulted in a real-time carbon offset report, not only for the current campaign but also aggregating the offsets from all campaigns. This consolidated reporting enabled Exodus Travels to seamlessly address Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) requirements, reinforcing their commitment to sustainability and responsible practices. Employing Webmart's carbon-neutral postage solution, Enviromail, ensured sustainable mailing. This not only offset carbon but also raised recipient awareness through its PPI logo, conveying Exodus Travels’ commitment to the environment.

Communicate

Finally, Webmart furnished Exodus Travels with comprehensive reporting, empowering them to include these reductions as part of the broader greenhouse gas protocol measurement framework. This holistic approach culminated in a campaign that not only achieved results but also fostered environmental responsibility and awareness.

Results

Webmart's partnership with Exodus Travels on this campaign set a high benchmark for sustainable excellence in the direct mail sector. 

The campaign achieved significant measurable improvements:

Carbon Emission Reduction: A remarkable 57% reduction in carbon emissions was attained, equivalent to a decrease of 1,064kg. This reduction was a result of meticulous planning, refined data usage, product reengineering, and conscious mailing practices.

Response Rate Enhancement: Despite the focus on sustainability, the campaign successfully improved response rates. This is particularly noteworthy as traditionally; environmental adjustments might be assumed to potentially hinder such metrics.

Positive Stakeholder Perception: By embracing sustainable practices, the collaboration demonstrated a commitment to responsible business conduct, enhancing both Webmart’s and Exodus Travels' reputation in the eyes of stakeholders.

The campaign served as an educational platform, raising awareness about environmental impacts and promoting responsible consumer choices. The use of the Enviromail PPI logo ensured the environmental consciousness of the campaign was in front of every recipient.

Source: SMP Awards 2023