R.O.EYE - Digital Agency Showcase

This is the third post in The Candidate's Digital Agency Showcase. The digital showcase aims to highlight the great work of digital agencies from the past year. We have had two great posts already, which have showcased the work of Venn Digital and Online Ventures Group.

It is now the turn of performance marketing agency, R.O.EYE to be in the spotlight. R.O.EYE was founded in 2004, and it was established upon the focus of results ethic, hence the name R.O.EYE (a play on the term ROI, "return on investment"). R.O.EYE is built around using digital performance to drive top line revenue growth, alongside bottom line savings. 

R.O.EYE are recognised as the UK's foremost Independent Affiliate Management Agency. However, they also provide comprehensive digital performance services in Social Media, Email Marketing, Mobile and Lead Generation. 

The company has continued to grow and expand since their establishment in 2004, with offices now in London and Berlin as well as their headquarters in Manchester. R.O.EYE works with some of the most well known brands, which include eBay, Virgin Holidays, Google, Blackwell's and Scholl. 

Representing R.O.EYE in our Digital Agency Showcase is Managing Director, Gavin Male.

Gavin Male joined R.O.EYE as Managing Director in September last year. With a wealth of experience in building and growing digital marketing agencies in the UK and Europe, Gavin decided to move to R.O.EYE because of the huge potential he feels the company has, to make a major impact in the UK and European performance-marketing sector. 

Thank you Gavin for taking part in The Candidate's Digital Agency Showcase. 

1. Hello, and thank you for letting us interview you for our digital agency showcase. What is your main job role and responsibility at R.O.EYE?

As Managing Director at R.O.EYE I have a responsibility for all elements of running the strategy, product design and services of the agency. I don't have specific client responsibilities myself, but I get involved and help out with a number of areas. I help out with current client reviews and optimisation through to new business pitches and sales promotions. 

2. Please could you pick a case study from 2012 and explain why you have chosen it to represent R.O.EYE's work?

I have chosen to demonstrate the work that R.O.EYE completed for Blackwell's Books, a leading academic book retailer and a recognised brand. Blackwell's are a longstanding client with R.O.EYE and upon our recommendations, have recently implemented a number of alternative technologies to improve affiliate sales.

3. What brief were you initially supplied with and what objectives did the R.O.EYE team devise when briefed?

To provide background, R.O.EYE started working on an affiliate programme for Blackwell's in August 2009. The programme had continued to grow, but a change in company objectives required more dynamic approaches to be made.

Looking into the core programme and seasonality, one area that needed to change was the reliance on new terms and the academic year for affiliate sales. 

Essentially, the brief was to ensure the programme grows without cannibalising the current one.

4. What campaign strategy did R.O.EYE devise to answer the brief and objectives that were set?

It was decided to create new technology implementations on the Blackwell's website with a focus on Basket Abandonment, Voucher codes, which had previously not been done exclusively, but mainly focusing on retargeting.

In addition, there was going to be attention given to providing a greater product range through the affiliate programme, such as e-readers. This would be key to ensuring affiliate programme growth from Blackwell's.

5. How did R.O.EYE implement the campaign strategy?

R.O.EYE had previously worked with the industry's foremost retargeting partner, we already had a good relationship in place, and we built on this to secure a smooth implementation of new technologies.   

Additionally, we also picked partners, tested, monitored the new technology for the new affiliate programme, and then launched it.  

We worked closely with Blackwell's to ensure the implementation was effective. The creative was made to Blackwell's specification, and R.O.EYE provided full technical support and testing for implementation client side. 

6. Could you tell us what results were derived from the campaign strategy, and any positive feedback that you received from the campaign?

R.O.EYE doubled the percentage of affiliate web sales within six months, plus 193 per cent uplift from same time period last year. 

The successful client-agency relationship has been instrumental to the great results. Blackwell's are a great client to work with as they are very open to new ideas and approaches. They listen to our advice and make decisions based upon our recommendations.

We are a specialist digital performance-marketing agency, and if we are allowed to utilise the best technologies and different methods available, then we can really impact a client's online advertising where it counts - the bottom line.

7.Could you give a top tip to any perspective digital marketing candidates who would like to work in an agency like R.O.EYE's? 

My advice would be to keep on top of the industry.  Read the industry press and blogs, and immerse yourself in what you want to do.  No amount of qualifications or experience make up for a lack of business acumen and the more you monitor and involve yourself in this fast moving industry the better placed you will be to succeed for yourself and your clients.

Thanks to R.O.EYE and Gavin Male for taking part in our Digital Agency Showcase.

The Candidate's Summary:

We would like to congratulate R.O.EYE for their successful affiliate programme for Blackwell's. The Candidate believes that this case study highlights the importance of demonstrating return on investment and the  close relationship between client and agency.

Blackwell's clearly listened carefully to the advice given by experts, and R.O.EYE understood the brief required.

The Candidate wishes both R.O.EYE and Blackwell's all the best for 2013.