HypoVereinsbank (UniCredit Group) with professional email marketing

Effective workflow and consistent design

HypoVereinsbank is one of the leading financial institutions in Germany and a member of the UniCredit Group. HVB has more than 730 branches, with over 4 million private customers. Its core competencies include retail and corporate banking, real estate financing, investment banking and asset management.

The challenge
In 2006, HypoVereinsbank took the decision to make greater use of its newsletter communication. The email broadcast of the various divisions previously had been based on an internal solution. Both private customer and corporate customer newsletters were sent. At the time, the newsletter covered a wide variety of subject matters - including news and product information in the field of finance and real estate, analyses and IPO reports as well as press releases and investor relations. The objective was to expand and optimise the entire email communication process by outsourcing it to a specialist. HypoVereinsbank looked at several professional solutions.

The solution
HypoVereinsbank chose optivo and its professional email marketing solution optivo® broadmail. The decision followed a comprehensive consultation process in which both the technical and creative aspects were taken into account. With optivo® broadmail HVB staff has round-the-clock, browser-based access to the email marketing system. Thanks to the ASP (Application Service Provider) model, there are absolutely no additional costs for hardware, software or maintenance. At the same time, HypoVereinsbank always has access to the latest version and
the newest functions.

As Michael Ebeling, who is responsible for online marketing in HypoVereinsbank's Corporate Identity division, says: "We recognised that we needed to make our newsletter communication more professional. The decision to go with optivo® broadmail based on the competent assistance that we received and the overall package. We were particularly impressed by the simple workflow and the convincing design concept. The decision that we took has been confirmed by the results that we have achieved."

Intuitive user interface
Today, HypoVereinsbank regularly broadcasts around 10 different newsletters (both English and German language versions) using optivo® broadmail. The financial institution benefits particularly from an intuitive user interface which is characterised by the breadth and depth of its functionality. Staff in the various departments has been able to make productive use of the email marketing system from the outset.

Colour palette based on a central template
HypoVereinsbank makes use of design templates for its entire newsletter communication, ensuring an easy and effective workflow. The templates allow staff to create professional newsletters without any prior knowledge of HTML. The basic design was set up once according to the HVB specifications. When creating new mailings, the required texts are simply entered and images uploaded. The system creates ready-to-use newsletters consistent with corporate design from this data. It is an approach that enables even complex layouts to be implemented with ease. The newsletter creation is quick and less prone to error.

The colour palette is specified in a central template. The design can be changed by the HypoVereinsbank departments by selecting their own division-specific colour scheme with a mouse click.

Successful with split testing
Another special feature is that the bank benefits from broadcasting the newsletters in advance to small groups of the complete distribution list ("split testing"). It involves sending different versions of the main mailing to selected recipients, with key data such as opening and click rates being collected before going ahead with the "real" broadcast. Even minor adjustments to the subject line, text or graphics often result in a significant difference in performance. After sending the test mails, the "most successful" version is sent manually or automatically to all remaining recipients.

Dynamic creation of graphics
Moreover, a graphics generator is available to create complex headings, buttons and graphics. This innovative function can be used directly in the user interface, and creates the graphical elements dynamically. Graphics and buttons are generated quickly in the look and feel of HypoVereinsbank without having to employ a graphic designer - saving time and money.

HypoVereinsbank and optivo have enjoyed a very successful partnership since 2006, and there are plans for a further expansion of the cooperation.

Customer feedback
"We rate optivo as a first-class partner providing professional email marketing services. Besides the simple and effective workflow, we have been particularly impressed by the competent support. Thanks to the ASP model, we always have the latest functions - at no extra cost."
Michael Ebeling, Corporate Identity / Internet, HypoVereinsbank