Success story: Stonegate Group
Stonegate Group, the UK's largest pub company, found a refreshingly cool way to achieve an 81.5% email open rate (that's 4x the industry average!) and an astonishingly high voucher redemption rate with their unique surprise and delight campaign thanks to the power of real-time technology, Acteol CRM.
Challenge
- Finding innovative ways to promote new drink offerings while enhancing customer experiences
- Capturing customer data (new and existing)
- Creating an instantly redeemable voucher that would land in the customer’s inbox in real-time to encourage them to move from the ice cream van to the venue immediately
Implementation
- Stonegate deployed a branded ‘Slug & Lettuce’ ice cream van to promote their new summer cocktail menu with free ice cream samples
- QR codes on the van linked to landing pages where customers could opt-in for a free cocktail voucher
- Acteol's Real Time Events Module seamlessly integrated customer data and triggered real-time delivery of cocktail vouchers
Results
- 81.5% email open rate (4x industry average)
- 0% unsubscribe rate
- 35% voucher redemption rate (7x industry average)
- 100% Email Quality Score (EQS)
Background
Stonegate Group is the largest pub company in the UK and manages a diverse portfolio of venues, including popular brands like Slug & Lettuce, Be At One, Popworld, and Walkabout. With over 1,300 sites managed through the Acteol CRM platform, Stonegate is committed to delivering fantastic customer experiences.
Surprise and delight strategy
To launch Slug & Lettuce's new summer cocktail menu, Stonegate created a unique surprise and delight campaign – a branded ice cream van touring the UK. Stationed outside Slug & Lettuce venues, the van offered free ice cream with flavours inspired by the new summer cocktail menu and the original Pornstar Martini. The campaign successfully built excitement and raised brand awareness, but the ultimate goal was to collect customer data and encourage immediate venue visits. Acteol CRM with the Real Time Events Module helped turn this fun idea into a reality.
Real-time rewards
Apart from the ice cream, customers also received a voucher for a free cocktail available immediately at the nearest Slug & Lettuce venue. To claim their reward, they simply had to scan the QR code on the van and enter their details on the dedicated landing page. The Real Time Events Module was crucial for the entire process, as it automatically triggered the voucher email the moment a customer opted in. At the same time, the offer was set up at their POS. By making the process seamless and in real-time, customers were encouraged to act right away to redeem their free cocktail voucher.
Outstanding engagement
The campaign exceeded expectations:
- High open rates – The real-time voucher emails had an exceptional 81.5% open rate, 4x higher than the industry benchmark
- Customer satisfaction – 0% unsubscribe rate indicating strong customer approval
- Instant redemption – 35% of customers redeemed their vouchers on the spot, proving the power of real-time rewards in driving action
- Top quality score – The campaign achieved an impressive 100% EQS, reflecting positive customer engagement
Key learnings
This campaign was a tremendous success for Stonegate Group, who are now rolling out Real Time Events for many other campaigns, including digital gamification. Here are a few key learnings to note:
- Surprise and delight works – Unique campaigns generate customer excitement and boost brand awareness
- Seamless data capture – Incentivised opt-ins powered by QR codes offer an effective data collection strategy
- The power of immediacy – Real-time reward delivery creates a sense of urgency, driving higher redemption rates
- Customer-centricity wins – Focusing on positive, frictionless experiences fosters loyalty and engagement