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DHL

From brand confusion
to a unified customer story.

The challenge.

DHL’s UK divisions were competing for attention — and sometimes, with each other. A lack of clear service propositions was confusing customers and blurring the lines between DHL Express and DHL eCommerce UK.

The eCommerce team needed to differentiate their brand, define clear customer value propositions, and create messaging and experiences that resonated with distinct audiences.

The impact.

We helped DHL eCommerce UK find its voice within the global brand, starting with stakeholder workshops and audience research to identify real customer needs. We needed to define a direction by developing a distinct brand narrative and strategic framework aligned with DHL’s global identity but tailored to eCommerce UK.

AI-enhanced data analysis was used to build six detailed customer personas — replacing assumptions with actionable insight. We created value propositions for each audience type, making DHL’s message relevant to micro-businesses, side-hustlers, and consumers alike. Focusing on the creative, we delivered a brand template, content direction, and UX guidance to align marketing, sales, and creative teams around a single story.

Data-driven, AI-Enhanced.

Traditional, workshop derived personas are often subject to bias. Our AI team drew on DHL’s internal data sources (CRM, GA4, email content and so on) and overlaid external data to create a set of unbiased, market-derived audience personas that provided the marketing and sales teams with next-level audience insights.

The creative.

With a strong brand story, clear customer propositions and confident creative direction, DHL eCommerce UK’s marketing team commissioned Sky AdSmart to produce a series of ads designed to perfectly resonate with each audience.

Our brand strategy and customer insight gave DHL’s content team the confidence they needed to update key sections of their website – rewriting content and optimising customer journeys.

What they say

“With a clear brand story and sharper customer insight, our marketing team finally had the confidence to communicate what makes DHL eCommerce UK different — and why it matters.”

Andy White, DHL eCommerce Head of Marketing

Results.

This project has created a unified brand expression that differentiates DHL eCommerce UK from DHL Express, while providing DHL with clear, data-backed propositions for every key audience.

They can offer an improved customer experience across digital and campaign touchpoints, building on a foundation that inspired new creative, including Sky AdSmart ads built directly from the strategy.