Any experienced entrepreneur knows that print still rules. You may have awesome online campaigns but nothing beats a powerfully-designed direct mail campaign to target your VIPs. There’s just something about receiving lovely mailers in your mailbox. It’s something that almost equates to opening Christmas presents in your pajamas. When your supporters and clients receive beautiful mailers, they’d find it really hard to resist your offer. They’d find it really hard to just throw away your mailers, too.
Take a look at these creative direct mail designs and you’ll understand why it’s never going to run out of style.
BMW TIRES DIRECT MAIL
The pull-tab mimics a BMW driving smoothly through snow. This alone gets the point across. And when they get to read the details, they’re already hooked.This campaign vastly increasing normal response rates and helping the client surpass their goals for the program.
FORD MATCHBOX DIRECT MAIL
Notice how the car gets longer when you open the matchbox. Like the BMW campaign above, this one also gets its point across without much effort.
MDVIP WELLNESS PLAN DIRECT MAIL
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Well this is one literal take on “saving life” but it’s a cute toy no one could say no to. After getting the inflatable and twirling it around your finger, there’s no way you won’t read the brochure.
EARTH HOUR CANDLE
To encourage corporate CEOs to celebrate Earth Hour, yellow candles in special packaging were sent to their offices. The message is clear the moment recipients remove the candle from the box. Corporate support increased 260% after sending this campaign.
LAVONLINE TOMATO SPLAT DIRECT MAIL
The campaign challenges recipients to smack the tomato. Although it gets flat, it bounces back to its original form in no time. And…it leaves no stain whatsoever. This is for a laundry shop that specializes on removing heavy stain.
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL CHOPSTICKS
Simple yet very clever. Pencils that looked like chopsticks with the following instruction written:
- Tuck under thumb and hold tightly.
- Write the Chinese government to help end torture.
- Don’t let human rights violations by the Chinese government give China a bad name.
- Take further action at amnesty.org/china
TELUS TURF MAILER
Telus, a wireless internet and TV provider, sent this mailer to NFL addicts. This gets the point across and could even make your cats happy.
BLOOD DONATION CAMPAIGN
This campaign is affordable yet catchy. The rubber baller is like a rubber used in wrapping the arm when blood is being extracted. When your campaign is affordable, you can send more without worrying about money.
WORLD WATER DAY CARD
To celebrate World Water Day, Green Belgium Mailing sent out a water-powered mailer. The letter inside could only be read when submerged in water. Just proves to show the importance of water. Nevermind that you’d be wasting some water while tying to read the card, though.
IBM SAND INVITE
IBM sent out a large box that contained a pouch of sand and a plain card. Invitees were instructed to pour the sand on the card. When dusted off, the sand that remained stuck to the card revealed a hidden message: IBM Opens in Qatar.
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James Hill is a veteran of the music industry. He first worked at Warner Reprise Records then later joined Interscope/ Geffen Records where he managed producers and songwriters and got his first platinum record for Keyshia Cole’s The Way It Is. He is now helping indie artists with branding and manufacturing through his company Unified Manufacturing, a CD/DVD/vinyl and merch company in LA.
