Miele looks to fund marketing with customer events
Miele, the German premium domestic appliance manufacturer, is funding its 2010 UK marketing budget through money it earns at events in its new London Gallery.
The brand has invested £500,000 in opening the gallery and aims to take revenues from activities such as cooking masterclasses and put them directly back into the marketing budget.
Chris Wright, brand and communications manager for Miele UK, says the gallery will offer a new location for customers and dealers to try out the brand’s appliances, and receive lessons at the same time.
“This really is the core of our marketing efforts. As a premium brand, it’s important for us to let customers see our products in an environment as close to their homes as possible. There is great demand for the courses we run with well-known chefs, and it is a powerful cross-selling opportunity for our dealers,” he says.
Wright is confident there will be interest in the activities, which will take different formats and look at the full range of appliances.
Its Experience Centre, located at Miele UK headquarters in Abingdon, near Oxford, is visited by 25,000 customers every year and has already been used to boost the brand’s estimated £3m ad budget.
Miele is currently seeking an agency to develop a CRM programme to increase loyalty, improve cross-selling and encourage customers to recommend the brand to others.
