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optilyz Direct Mail Automation Awards 2026: International Growth – Congratulations, GOLDNER!

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Boundless customer loyalty from day one: How GOLDNER inspires club members across seven European countries with a personalized welcome letter.

Our annual awards celebrate outstanding direct mail campaigns that stand out through exceptional concepts, excellent execution, or strong performance metrics. In the "International Growth" category, we focus on companies that use direct mail strategically to expand their presence across borders and target customers in various markets with high local relevance. This year, the award goes to an absolute pioneer in personalized customer loyalty: GOLDNER.

Who is GOLDNER?

For many decades, GOLDNER has stood for sophisticated, perfectly fitting women's fashion in the premium segment. The brand is renowned for its unique fit expertise and first-class service for customers who value style and quality. To bring these values to life in customer communication, the traditional company has been using optilyz's marketing automation since April 2025 to support exclusive touchpoints, such as the "Goldner Club," with a physical and personal touch.

The year 2026 marks an exceptionally special milestone for the company: GOLDNER is celebrating its 100th anniversary! This century-long success story began in 1926 when the brothers Heinrich and Christian Wirth founded a wholesale linen business, laying the foundation for the company we know today. When Klaus Wirth took over the business in the 1970s, he and his wife Sibille transformed it into a thriving mail-order fashion brand for women over 50. He was deeply inspired by his grandmother Margarethe - a resilient widow with four children who ran a haberdashery store in Münchberg during the 1920s. For a hundred years, the brand has lived a legacy of liberating fashion, supporting women on their journey toward independence.

What defines the "International Growth" Award?

The "International Growth" Award recognizes companies that successfully leverage direct mail in an international, multi-market strategy. The challenge lies in structuring campaigns so they can be scaled efficiently across multiple countries while remaining highly relevant to the individual local recipient through precise personalization.

Why GOLDNER Won

GOLDNER convinced the jury with the sophisticated concept and impressive international reach of its welcome letter for new club members. The campaign shows how a tangible first contact can strengthen customer relationships from the very first second. The key success factors:

• Appreciation from the Very First Moment: The welcome letter combines essential program information with genuine, tangible appreciation, creating an emotional and memorable entry into the Goldner Club.
• High Relevance & Personalization: Each customer is welcomed personally. In addition, their individually selected benefit is presented in a clear, understandable, and attractive way, conveying the feeling of being part of something special.
• Audience-Focused Tone: Through a friendly, emotional tone and a clear structure, customer loyalty is sustainably strengthened right from the start.
• Scalable International Rollout: The welcome letter is sent fully automated to club members across seven European countries: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, and Finland.

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The strong performance metrics of the nominated mailing prove that this combination of international scale and personal touch is a resounding success:

• Success Rate: 3.4% – 13.6%

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GOLDNER impressively demonstrates how an automated, physical welcome greeting fosters sustainable growth and loyal customers across borders. Warmest congratulations to the entire team on winning the International Growth Award!

Want to leverage direct mail automation for your international growth strategy? Let’s explore together what is possible for your business. Book your meeting here.

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