Mail Unleashed with Rory Sutherland Ep 1: Improve brand loyalty and retention with Lis Barton
Jul 17, 2025
Lis Barton, former CMO at MoneySuperMarket who scaled loyalty programs across brands like Barclays and Audi. She recounts standout direct mail wins: EasyJet’s Flight Club loyalty pack and a compassionate Miscarriage Association mailer. The conversation highlights why fewer, higher-quality mailings can build stronger emotional connections and measurable retention.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Bring Direct Mail Discipline To Digital
- Apply direct mail discipline to digital: target ruthlessly and be efficient with spend rather than blasting cheaply.
- Treat digital as not-free; focus resources where personalised impact justifies the cost.
Spend On Impact Not Just Low Cost
- Use higher-cost channels like direct mail selectively for high lifetime value customers to maximise conversion and ROI.
- Prioritise impact over cheapness when the long-term value justifies a thoughtful, targeted approach.
Flight Club Loyalty Pack
- EasyJet sent a laser-cut, personalised Flight Club pack to high-value customers to make them feel special and noticed.
- The physical pack bumped on the doormat, drove opens, and created an emotional connection that email hadn’t achieved.