Telekom Deutschland, one of Germany’s top mobile network providers, wanted to launch a concept that would position it as a responsible brand which cares about sustainability.

The ‘We Care’ initiative encourages Telekom Deutschland customers to trade-in their old smartphones for a ‘fair’ price. These handsets are then fully reconditioned and brought back to the market in biodegradable packaging.

In particular, Telekom Deutschland wanted to promote the service to people aged 28 and younger but knew that younger people tend to ignore traditional forms of communication. So, it turned to Sinch, a messaging and cloud communications business.

Usually, Telekom Deutschland would rely on standard SMS or email to inform its customers about launches and promotions, only occasionally creating videos or adverts. This time, Sinch decided Telekom Deutschland need an engaging video suited to multiple channels.

Sinch enabled Telekom Deutschland to connect with customers directly in a personalised fashion, communicating their first name, current device, and an individualised offer. This SMS plus personalised video approach was A/B tested against a standard SMS.

The We Care personalised video delivered a 45 per cent open and watch rate, with Telekom Deutschland’s sales conversions doubling compared to that of the standard SMS. On the back of the results, Telekom Deutschland turned the trial into an ongoing program to support its initiative.

“Sinch helped us drive increased customer engagement through personalised video messaging, which resulted in significantly improved open rates and an increased conversion to sales,” said Lutz Heinel, Head of Creation Center Dialog at Telekom Deutschland.