Building Loyalty by Transforming Marketing at Aeroplan

Bridges Horizon and Unica® Corporation helped Aeroplan transform the way they manage marketing campaigns. By redesigning their processes and implementing a world-class software solution (Affinium® Plan® by Unica® Corporation), Aeroplan significantly improved their ability to manage highly targeted, cross-channel marketing programs.

Situation

In the more than 20 years since its inception, Aeroplan has grown into Canada's premier loyalty marketing company. Aeroplan's millions of members earn Aeroplan Miles with its network of more than 60 partners, representing more than 100 brands, in the financial, retail and travel sectors.

"Keeping up with the growing demands on our business is critical to our success," said David Klein, General Manager, Marketing Planning. Increased competition in the travel and hospitality industry was pushing Aeroplan and its partners to respond by more precisely targeting its members with customized communications (in part with the help of Unica® Corporation's Affinium Campaign solution). At the same time, Aeroplan needed to increase its flexibility and responsiveness in order to react more quickly to swiftly changing market conditions and the demands of its partners.

Solution

Klein said, "We knew that transforming marketing at Aeroplan was going to be a two-pronged effort. We needed a combination of process redesign and software automation." Aeroplan began looking for marketing consultants who were experts in complex, multi-media marketing campaign production, and also a world-class software solution to support the process changes that would be made. Aeroplan found exactly what it was looking for in Bridges Horizon and Unica Corporation.

The solution encompassed Process Reengineering and Marketing Automation across four key Management areas, including: Project, Financial, Digital Asset and Change. Starting with the re-definition of the marketing department's business processes, the team at Bridges Horizon mapped out the interaction between the database marketing group (CRM), outside creative agencies, printing, email and web production suppliers and internal customers to provide this key client with a seamless end-to-end marketing management system.

"We knew that acceptance of the new process and technology would take time and careful planning," said Natalie Chaurette, Director, Campaign Management. "A key to the successful adoption has been the execution of a change management and communication plan, along with extensive training and a phased-in approach to implementation. By effectively matching their marketing experts with our own internal Marketing Services team, Bridges Horizon was instrumental in helping us achieve this revolutionary cultural change."

Results

As a result of Bridges Horizon's work, and the automation enabled by Affinium Plan, Aeroplan is now able to effectively communicate with members, balance partner needs, deliver on partner agreements and measure program results. More importantly, the dialogue-based marketing communications are relevant, timely and highly targeted.

"It feels like a completely different operation - like a well-run machine," said David Klein. "Standard processes are now in place for designing, tracking, executing and measuring all partner programs. All member communications are managed in one central location providing Aeroplan with visibility across programs and partners. The Marketing Services staff is more efficient, creating higher-quality work in less time and at lower cost."

For more information on this business case please view our Aeroplan business case (PDF) .