Repositioning a 90-year-old members’ club for the 21st century
Our brief
Founded as the Civil Service Motoring Association (CSMA) in 1923, our client has a long history providing deals, days out, advice and travel inspiration to the public sector. In 2016, the organisation rebranded as Boundless to better reflect the diversity of their 250,000 members, and the range of commercial partnerships they now offer. Our challenge was to carry this rebrand through to the much-loved, award-winning members’ magazine, building loyalty among older (more motoring-focused) members, as well as a new audience of young families. At the same time, Boundless needed a digital content strategy which would drive affiliate revenue and new member acquisition.
Our solution
Talking to Boundless members and monitoring online comments, we identified a tension between the highly aspirational new brand and the warmth and community values of the existing club. Our content strategy was to bridge this gap, delivering more meaningful, relevant content alongside contemporary photography and illustration.
We carried out a full content audit, and delivered a creative refresh focused on five editorial pillars – Motoring, Travel, Community, Experience and Family – where Boundless had clear authority. We brought a range of new voices into the magazine – including a column by TV motoring presenter Vicki Butler-Henderson – and gave much greater coverage to member content and the club’s local and special interest groups, the emotional heart of the organisation. A major reader survey, and a special motoring supplement, helped refine this strategy and build appeal across multiple audiences.
At the same time, we are developing a digital content programme focused on search insights in order to build organic traffic, and driving increased revenue through creative advertising solutions.
The results
The magazine’s new content mix has delivered fantastic engagement levels across both traditional and new target member groups, and is driving product uptake which delivers income directly to Boundless:
- 41% of members are avid readers (up from 30%)
- Our 2017 survey showed that over £500K of holidays were sold via the magazine in the first half of the year
- Most commonly, members attribute a value of £2 – £2.99 to each issue of the magazine, which is 58% of the total membership fee
- Print to digital reader journeys have increased almost eight-fold in 2018
- Our website content is attracting new audiences for Boundless with SEO driven traffic rising from 2% to 16% in the first half of 2018
Awards
