Brightening up inboxes for Dulux Ireland

Brief

Dulux Ireland, a leading paint and coatings brand, approached Red C, a specialist email marketing agency, to address a growing challenge in their eCRM programme. Despite having a substantial email database, the brand noticed that engagement was declining. Their active subscriber list was shrinking as more contacts became inactive, with subscribers failing to open or click emails over extended periods.

The primary objective for Red C was to develop a robust planning and strategy approach that would re-activate lapsed subscribers, optimise engagement across the email programme, and deliver actionable insights for future campaigns. The goal was not simply to clean the database but to re-establish a connection with subscribers, providing content that would inspire interaction and drive measurable results.

Approach

Understanding the Challenge

The first step in the project was to gain a comprehensive understanding of the email database, subscriber behaviour, and previous campaign performance. Red C analysed open rates, click-through rates, and engagement patterns, identifying that a significant portion of subscribers had not interacted with any email communication for several months.

This insight formed the foundation for our email marketing planning and strategy. The programme required a targeted approach that would re-engage inactive subscribers with relevant and compelling content, while also identifying those who were unlikely to respond, to improve the quality and deliverability of the database.

Designing a Re-Engagement Programme

To address these challenges, Red C developed a structured three-step re-engagement campaign. The campaign combined well-crafted email marketing templates with expert email marketing design and copywriting, tailored to appeal to different segments of the audience.

Each email in the series was designed to provide value, inspire curiosity, and encourage subscribers to re-engage with Dulux Ireland’s communications. The content strategy focused on highlighting areas of strong interest among the audience, balancing inspirational content with practical advice and promotions.

  1. Email One – Inspiration Through Colour
    The first email centred on Dulux Colour of the Year, highlighting trending shades and innovative applications in home décor. The creative design used striking visuals and engaging copy to capture attention, encouraging recipients to explore new ideas for their interiors.

  2. Email Two – Luxury and Specialty Products
    The second email showcased MODA, Dulux’s premium paint range available exclusively in Ireland. Through carefully crafted design and copywriting, the email highlighted the unique features of the product, its luxury appeal, and practical uses. Clear calls-to-action encouraged subscribers to learn more or request samples, providing an accessible route for interaction.

  3. Email Three – Outdoor Inspiration
    The final email in the re-engagement series focused on exterior projects, featuring Super Garden, a garden and landscaping makeover show in Ireland that used Dulux products. This email combined aspirational imagery with actionable content, demonstrating the benefits of Dulux Weathershield products while promoting the brand’s expertise in outdoor paints.

Across all three emails, the email marketing design and copywriting was carefully structured to maintain consistency, readability, and brand alignment. Visual hierarchy, engaging photography, and persuasive messaging were used to guide the reader through the content and towards clear conversion points.

Leveraging Popular Content

In addition to the three core re-engagement emails, Red C incorporated high-performing content pieces that had previously driven engagement. This included:

  • The digital Dulux Let’s Colour magazine, a resource known for its inspirational and educational content.

  • The Dulux Weathershield guide, which had consistently attracted high volumes of clicks.

By integrating these well-loved resources into the campaign, Red C ensured that subscribers were presented with familiar, valuable content that had a proven track record of engagement. This combination of fresh and established content maximised the likelihood of re-activation.

Engaging Subscribers Through Feedback

To gain deeper insights into subscriber behaviour and preferences, Red C designed an online survey to accompany the re-engagement campaign. The survey asked subscribers to share their thoughts on previous emails, identify the types of content they were most interested in, and indicate how they would like to engage with future communications.

To encourage participation, the survey offered a 50 Euro Dulux voucher as the top prize, with 100 runners-up receiving a free roller tester through a code included in the third email. This incentive strategy was designed to increase response rates while also rewarding engagement, further enhancing the campaign’s effectiveness.

The survey provided valuable qualitative insights, helping to inform future email marketing planning and strategy by identifying the types of content most likely to resonate with subscribers. These insights enabled Red C and Dulux Ireland to tailor future campaigns more effectively, ensuring higher engagement and conversion rates.

Continuous Optimisation

Red C’s role as an email marketing agency extended beyond the creation and deployment of the re-engagement campaign. We implemented ongoing monitoring and optimisation processes, reviewing engagement metrics in real time and adjusting tactics as required.

Open rates, click-through rates, and survey participation were tracked and analysed to identify patterns and opportunities for improvement. This iterative approach allowed Red C to refine email marketing design and copywriting, optimise subject lines, and ensure that content resonated with the target audience.

Furthermore, the modular design of the email marketing templates provided flexibility to test different creative approaches and content structures, enabling the client to respond quickly to performance data and market trends. By maintaining this agile approach, Red C ensured that the email programme remained both relevant and effective.

Strategic Impact

The Dulux Ireland campaign highlights the importance of a comprehensive and well-executed email marketing planning and strategy. Red C’s approach demonstrated that re-engaging inactive subscribers requires more than simply sending additional emails—it requires insight, strategy, and creativity.

Through the careful design of email marketing templates, engaging email marketing design and copywriting, and a structured programme of testing and optimisation, Red C was able to transform a declining database into an active and engaged audience.

The insights gained from this campaign have informed ongoing communications, enabling Dulux Ireland to deliver content that is increasingly relevant, inspiring, and commercially effective. By continuously refining strategy and content, the client can maintain high engagement levels and maximise the value of their email marketing programme over time.

Conclusion

The re-engagement programme delivered impressive results. A total of 1,125 subscribers were successfully reactivated, representing a significant increase in the active database and a 60% growth in reachable targets.

In addition to reactivating dormant subscribers, the campaign generated valuable insights into audience preferences, helping to shape future email marketing planning and strategy. The survey results identified the types of content most likely to drive engagement, providing a roadmap for ongoing campaigns and content development.

The campaign also demonstrated the value of high-quality email marketing design and copywriting, with engaging visuals and persuasive messaging contributing to strong open and click-through rates. The combination of inspiration, practical advice, and promotions helped to build stronger relationships with subscribers, increasing brand affinity and loyalty.

By leveraging popular content such as the Dulux Let’s Colour magazine and Weathershield guide, Red C ensured that subscribers were exposed to materials they already valued, further boosting engagement and driving measurable results.

The partnership between Dulux Ireland and Red C exemplifies the impact of working with a specialist email marketing agency capable of delivering end-to-end solutions. By combining strategic planning and strategy, modular email marketing templates, and compelling email marketing design and copywriting, Red C successfully re-engaged a significant portion of the inactive database, increased reach, and provided actionable insights for future campaigns.

The success of this programme underscores the importance of:

  • Understanding audience behaviour and preferences

  • Creating a diverse, engaging content mix to drive reactivation

  • Designing visually appealing and persuasive emails that encourage interaction

  • Using data-driven insights to continuously refine strategy and optimise performance

Through a combination of creative execution and strategic oversight, Red C ensured that Dulux Ireland’s email programme could deliver measurable results, enhance subscriber engagement, and drive long-term value for the brand.

This case study demonstrates how a thoughtful email marketing strategy and planning approach, coupled with expert design and copywriting, can revitalise an underperforming email programme, strengthen customer relationships, and drive business growth.