National Geographic Society
As previously reported in Direct Newsline, the National Geographic Society has updated its familiar invitation-style package with a timely new premium, a map of the Afghanistan/Pakistan region, accompanied by its standard world map premium. The National
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Geographic Society’s order form has also been reworked with an ink-jetted message that reinforces the new incentive, plus an insert that explains the usefulness of the new premium for staying informed. The two free gifts are highlighted on the envelope face with a round sticker, leaving the primary design element, a shadow box, ready for a new teaser, namely, "Exclusive $19 Introductory Offer!" To illustrate how radically times have changed, only a year ago the shadow box promoted a very different premium, the Titanic Collectors Edition Book, which capitalized on the success of the epic romantic blockbuster movie.
Shiny Brite
In the spirit of decking the halls – not to mention the roof, the tree and the table -- Christopher Radko presents Shiny Brite, a new catalog filled with old time holiday adornments. To educe the necessary nostalgic sentiment, the catalog’s "Sneak Preview" issue
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takes on the appearance of a photo album that has been decorated with a picture of "Grandma's House" on the cover, dated 1947. Continuing with this theme, items for sale throughout the 28-page book are presented as mounted photographs and are often juxtaposed with vintage 1940’s black and white photographs. Shiny Brite’s merchandise is based on popular vintage decorations, but while the products may cause consumers to wax nostalgic, the prices will ground most firmly in the present. Strands of tree lights, like the Twirl-Brite light set, cost $29.95, and a 20-light Bubble-Brite tree is priced at $174.95. As an incentive, a free box of vintage-style tree tinsel is offered with orders over $75. Online ordering is also available.
Carolina Gardener
A subscription offer from Carolina Gardener smartly targets horticulturists of the Southeastern region. The #10 package face addresses locals of the area directly ("Written by and for gardeners like you who live right here in the Southeast!"), while a window on the back exposes a lush garden scene. Regional egos are stoked in
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the sales letter with copy like "Those of us who live in the Southeast are the envy of gardeners everywhere." Carolina Gardener uses a cash offer of $19.95/$35.95 for 7/14 issues. Two premiums are offered with payment: the 2002 Gardener's Almanac and the 2001 Annual Manual. Unusually, one page of the four-page sales letter is dedicated to Carolina Gardener's Book Shop with 15 book titles available. Mixing in extra merchandise in a subscription offer is not always a good idea, as too many decisions or options can depress response. However, this may not be as much of an issue for Carolina Gardener, as the magazine's cash-only offer is not geared toward high-impulse responders anyway. The books range from $10.95 to $19.95 each; a 10% discount is available for those who subscribe to the publication.
The direct mail pieces appearing in Mail Stream are tracked and analyzed by Paradysz Matera, New York, through its online competitive direct mail and e-mail tracking tool MarketRelevance located at http://www.MarketRelevance.com/newsletter.cfm.
