Promo - February 2008 - (Page 31)

DIRECT MAIL ‘It’s challenging to design something that’s creative and still stay within postal regulations.’ —Linda Belcher package’s look. Even customers said it needed modernizing. But the prospect was scary. Should the color blue, a mark of instant consumer recognition, be tinkered with? Valpak took no chances: It turned to its core customers—women age 25 to 54—to choose the design. A posting at Valpak.com asked visitors to choose one of 10 new looks, and some 10,000 people voted. Interestingly, 24% were men, and 50% of all voters were between age 18 and 44. “In less than 30 days we knew there was a winner,” says Melissa Fisher, Valpak’s senior vice president of marketing and communications. It all came down to two big changes: a bold, simple design replaced a busy, text-heavy look and a darker, more vibrant blue replaced the lighter blue. The new design began appearing last month. Valpak conducts quarterly studies on certain design elements. “We’re always monitoring the product to make sure it’s relevant,” Fisher says. “We want to know if we’re delivering value. Do they recognize us? Do they think we have something new and exciting inside?” Valpak includes a promo on the envelope to get people to open it. The January mailing featured a sweepstakes tied to CBS’ popular crime drama “CSI” offering a trip to New York. Recipients can enter offline or at Valpak.com. frightened by the screaming,” Del Genio recalls about his previous job as a copywriter. He is not alone. There’s no shortage of tales of legendary battles—art directors rewriting copy, copywriters dumping on design. And while some of these relationships end bitterly, others, as difficult as the process may be for some, produce extraordinary packages. Not that copywriters want their designers to be yes men. Strong differences of opinion—professionally applied—can be an important cog in the wheel of success. Some creative tension is good for the process,” Del Genio says. “You just have to manage it so it doesn’t get out of hand.” Digital printing has aided the creative process by allowing as much personalization as available data permits. It’s popular with automakers like General Motors, which collects reams of information from its OnStar in-car safety and security system, such as how many miles are on the car and when it’s due for scheduled maintenance. “We have a better understanding now more than ever of who we’re mailing this offer to, down to very detailed types of things,” says George Gier, executive vice president and creative director of Aspen Marketing Services. “You can design or write your piece directly to recipients, almost like you’re speaking to them one on one.” One last bit of advice: Always keep in mind the U.S. Postal Service’s rules for dimensions, and—oh, yes—rates. Because the more you try to make a piece stand out in the mailbox, the more risks you take. “It’s challenging to design something that’s creative and still stay within postal regulations,” says Linda Belcher, managing director at Catapult Marketing. But fear not. Because, as she’s quick to add, direct mail is “still a good bang for your buck.” l P 31 This mailing reaches moms with 18-month-olds and includes specific tips for that age. One suggests that it’s a good time to introduce a few simple words in Spanish, like el pelo (hair) and el pie (foot). Also included are coupons for savings on Pull-Ups Training Pants. BEHIND THE SCENES Does the creative process cause tension between copywriters and art directors? “People in the office would be “I don’t recommend that type of relationship because it really is wearing,” Del Genio says. “We did some really exceptional work together and I suppose that’s what matters. Some of [my former colleague’s] comments were legitimate. It was tough to take, but it was true.” Promo / WWW.PROMOMAGAZINE.COM / february 2008 http://Valpak.com http://Valpak.com http://www.promomagazine.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Promo - February 2008

Promo - February 2008 Contents Editor's Note Reality TV Products Rebound - Soon? The Real World Young But Not Stupid Social Tease Health Quencher How Effective? Big Game in Big Easy Commentary Mailbox Marketing Q&A: Coke's Kruse Control Gift-Card Monte Room Service The Agency Center Resource Center Can't Beat Loyalty Index of Advertisers

Promo - February 2008

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