Frequently Asked Questions

Why Underwired?

Because we’re the best at making our clients money, and we’re nice people. Oh, see what you mean – we’re called Underwired because we specialised, when we started, in below-the-wire (as opposed to above the line or below the line) marketing. And we wanted the name to be memorable. We own the Trade Mark for Underwired in Europe and New Zealand (we also own the European Trade Mark for eCRM*).

What is eCRM?

Our managing director made the first concerted effort to define it in Wikipedia in 2003. Since then the definition has been refined and now covers almost all of the many, many different definitions people use, including the software ones that don’t apply to what we do. We define it as retention-oriented, digitally-delivered, segmented marketing. You could call it online relationship marketing, digital direct or eDM. In any case it relies on data, segmentation, great comms planning and perfectionists to deliver it.

How do you spell x’s name?

Most people, especially at Campaign, make it up. Nobody minds. Tim Williams appears to be immune. So far.

Do you do campaigns outside the UK?

We’ve produced sites in fourteen languages, for a very wide variety of markets. We have an office in Brussels and run pan-European campaigns and build international sites for clients like ASICS, Peugeot and The Economist.

When did you start doing eCRM?

2003, when we came up with Virgin Holidays’ eCRM programme, quickly followed by VSO’s. Earlier that year we agreed it was the way we wanted to go and hired the best person we could find – the guy who’d come up with Tesco’s eCRM strategy. He was our planning director four years; we now have the quiet but wonderful Tim, previously Head of Customer Insight at Three and Head of CRM at B&Q.

Is it really true Virgin made £3m in sales from one email?

Yes. The first one we sent as part of the eCRM programme made £3m in sales. We now offer all our clients a payment-by-results service if they want it.

How do I start with eCRM?

Come to Underwired, we’ll help. We’ll need to understand your data and your customers, and your commercial goals so we can help you achieve them. It starts with a nice chat with one of our nice people – try Emma on 020 70 600 400, or take a look at eCRM.co.uk to see how the process works in practice.

What’s the difference between email marketing and eCRM?

Some bits, often the principle bits, of eCRM can be delivered by email. Often when a client hires us, we’re hired to transform an existing email marketing campaign into eCRM. In essence eCRM is segmented so that every piece of communication is relevant, timely and productive. It can be delivered by email, SMS, websites, social media or, in theory, pigeon. Above all it’s auditable to commercial results – whether that’s engagement, brand consideration or £s.

I’m perfectly happy.

Excellent. So are we. Though we want to grow, and we’d love it if you got in touch because we can generally make our client millions and it would be a shame not to try. Emma again: 020 70 600 400, or use the contact form.