Welcome to Mail Stream, a weekly column appearing every Friday that details the newest and most notable direct mail promotions hitting mailboxes. The column is brought to you by Paradysz Matera and Direct Newsline.
FIRST USA:
This credit card marketer has mailed a new promotion for the Expressions Platinum Visa which offers 37 different card designs that help recipients "show off their style." While multiple designs are nothing new to the credit card industry, they are uncommon for First USA which typically offers only a handful of options. In fact, the high number of choices included in this piece is a rarity for any credit card mailer and is closer in spirit to offers for custom personal checks. A sampling of First USA's graphic choices includes "Furry Friends," "Beautiful America," "Cute Kittens" and Raphael's ubiquitous "Cherubs." Though the primary focus of this promotion is self-expression, a notable financial incentive is also provided: 1.9% fixed APR for six months with balance transfer.
THE BOTTOM LINE BOOK OF FREEBIES:
A recent magalog from Bottom Line Books targets savings-minded seniors in search of the ultimate bargain. 
The Bottom Line Book of Freebies is a new guide that contains "more than 3,001 secrets" for obtaining a wide variety of complementary products and services for spendthrifts over the age of 50. The magalog is fashioned in classic Boardroom style with bold copy, tons of teaser, a free American Bargains book premium and a trial offer that uses installment billing to deliver a more palatable price point (3 payments of $9.99 each). In a most interesting promotional twist, the "12 Fabulous Freebies" promised on the magalog jacket turn out to be "Freebie Vouchers" that appear throughout the mail piece. Framed in broken coupon lines intended for clipping, these vouchers provide advice, telephone numbers and addresses for a variety of free services ranging from legal counsel to obtaining celebrity autographs.
PATAGONIA:
A new women's-only catalog from Patagonia puts a positive spin on women, the outdoors and sports. The 10.88" x 8.5" book follows the lead of other female outdoor apparel spinoffs from L.L. Bean and Sierra Trading Post, not to mention catalogers like Athleta and Title 9 Sports. The catalog's lengthy introduction proudly positions Patagonia's merchandise in the light of women's contributions to the world of outdoor sports and Patagonia's own success as a socially progressive company. Elsewhere, the book possesses the same look and feel of the company's regular offerings. Forty-four pages of smartly designed clothes are interspersed with extreme sports photography, features on women's sports pioneers and an occasional plug for careful environmental management.
About Mail Stream
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. Market Relevance, located at www.MarketRelevance.com, tracks and archives more than 25,000 direct mail pieces and e-mail promotions annually generated from dozens of direct marketing categories including the catalog, publishing, fundraising, dot-com and financial industries. The pieces are scanned as images and are analyzed for changes in creative, copy, offer and type of incentive or promotion. The results are recorded along with the piece's in-home date.
