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Creative Concept Winner 2025 – Congratulations, Hugendubel!
A mailing that creatively breaks boundaries – and truly impressed us.
With our award series, we celebrate outstanding direct mail campaigns that have thrilled us through exceptional concepts, execution, or performance. We’re kicking things off with a company that stands for both tradition and innovation: Hugendubel.
Who is Hugendubel?
Founded in 1893 and still family-owned, Hugendubel is one of Germany’s largest book retailers. What sets them apart? Their consistent ability to combine tradition with modern brand thinking.
Hugendubel lives and breathes omnichannel:
Customers encounter the brand not just in over 100 stores across Germany, but also in the webshop, the app, on eBook.de, on lovelybooks.de – the largest German-speaking book community – and on social media platforms like TikTok.
The result? A seamless and consistent customer experience across all channels.
The CRM Mind Behind the Magic: Michael Lau
One of the key figures behind the scenes is Michael Lau, a creative CRM strategist at Hugendubel. With a sharp instinct for brand, audience, and feasibility, he and his team developed a direct mail campaign that truly stands out – in the best ways.
What Does the Creative Concept Award Celebrate?
This award is dedicated to campaigns that go beyond the ordinary. We’re looking for concepts that are bold, fresh, and maximally creative. It’s about ideas that push the boundaries of what direct mail can do – whether through clever messaging, standout design, or smart audience targeting.
And most importantly: campaigns that spark a genuine “wow” moment.
The Award-Winning Mailing: Creativity on Point
The winning campaign from Hugendubel is a perfect example of how creativity and customer focus generate real attention. The campaign centered on a smart selection of seasonally relevant, book-adjacent products – ranging from foreign-language titles to toys and thoughtful gift ideas.
It reflects a deep understanding of customer needs – based on years of experience in physical retail and enriched with insights from digital channels. This 360° view of the customer – across stores, webshop, app, eBook.de, LovelyBooks, and social media – flows directly into Hugendubel’s campaign planning.
Why Hugendubel Won
- Customer-centric thinking:
Product selection and messaging were tailored precisely to seasonal interests and audience needs. - Omnichannel excellence:
The campaign leveraged insights from all customer touchpoints – from in-store to TikTok. - Bold creative choices:
The team didn’t stick to standard formats – they carved out their own creative path. - Flawless execution:
Design, tone, and timing worked in perfect harmony – making it a campaign that truly sticks in your mind.
Our verdict:
Congratulations to Hugendubel – and thank you for this creative inspiration!
You’ve raised the bar for what direct mail can be.
Do you want to know who won the “Creative Concept” category of the optilyz Direct Mail Automation Awards 2024? Take a look here.
