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18 Mar 2020
by Bexley Fisher and Megan Mason

Case study: how Nestlé utilised technology to increase diverse pensions engagement

In 2020, we launched a dedicated website area, assets equipped with QR codes, and an eye-catching online journey for Nestlé’s Member Nominated Trustee (MNT) selection campaign. This digitally-led campaign replaced the use of more traditional mailings to attract potential trustees and increased engagement by over 170%.

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A continual struggle 

Nestlé, with a pension scheme comprising of tens of thousands of members, has historically struggled to attract diverse and numerous applications when looking to appoint new trustees. Applications have usually been few and far between, and those submitted are typically from males over the age of 40. This general lack of interest and diversity is an issue affecting pension schemes across the industry. Considering the important role of trustees and their need to represent, and act in the best interest of all members of a pension scheme, the relevance of this issue can’t be ignored.

How Nestlé used technology to facilitate diversity and engagement

Past campaigns to attract applicants to Nestlé’s trustee positions have been exclusively print-based. We worked with Nestlé to develop a new solution with its own distinguishable brand and clear member journey from start to finish. This comprised of:

  • a move away from ‘traditional’ print-based comms – this new campaign was almost entirely digital and fully utilised a unique brand created for the campaign;
  • development of bespoke, campaign-specific web pages to host all relevant information in one easily accessible location;
  • the inclusion of QR codes in the digital and (limited) print comms to take members directly to the MNT web content;
  • Nestlé’s use of Workplace to promote the campaign over the course of the month; and
  • production of a suite of videos featuring current trustees that were placed throughout the crafted digital journey. These allowed quick access to bite-sized information about the benefits of being a trustee.

The results

The technological approach in this campaign has been largely successful in increasing member engagement in the MNT election process. In the month that the registration window was open, there was a 173% increase in submitted applications compared to last year’s campaign.

Other statistics have also been promising, showing the bespoke MNT webpages in particular to be a success. Bounce rates (rate of users visiting a web page and then leaving without interaction) on interactive pages have been below 30% and analytics have shown that 65% of active members have followed the digital journey completely from site entrance to submitting a form.

This new campaign approach has also successfully attracted a more diverse population of members to register their interest, with 32% of the registered population being under the age of 50. 19% of those registered were also women. This is a promising start and further analysis of statistics and member responses will hopefully see even more diversity in future campaigns.

Much of this campaign’s success is owed to the simplified member journey. Members needed only scan a QR code or follow a direct link to land on a bespoke site with numerous sources of information, from which they could easily fill in and submit an application form. An extra advantage to an entirely digital member journey is that engagement is more easily trackable and available for post-campaign analysis.

This campaign has not only encouraged a diverse set of people to think about applying to be trustees, but it has given trustees a relatable identity and helped give many members an insight to the importance of trustees and their role.

The recap

The aim here was simple – increase understanding and engagement in order to provoke direct action. To achieve this, we made sure aims were clear, journeys were simple and that the use of technology was employed to increase ease and efficiency.

Messaging was tailored and relevant and, like visuals, was consistent and recognisable throughout the campaign. There’s no reason the strategies and tools used to provoke action here, in the niche field of pension trustee recruitment campaigns, can’t be used to provoke action in the wider pensions and benefits world, just as they’re used in the wider marketing world already.

Want to increase pension engagement? Make the journey to do so easy and minimise the amount of hoops members need to jump through; make sure information is balanced with the ‘what’s in it for me?’ idea; use videos where possible to efficiently provide information; and keep your audience in mind throughout.

The authors are Bexley Fisher, support consultant, and Megan Mason, communications consultant at AHC, A Gallagher Company.

This article is provided by AHC, A Gallagher Company.

In partnership with Gallagher

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