Mail Stream: February 17
Thompson Touts “2 For The Troops”
Cigar purveyor Thompson & Co. offers consumers a chance to enjoy its cigars while also letting the U.S. troops know that they care in a recent insert promotion. The two-panel piece arrived in a package from Cheaper Than Dirt, a seller of ammunition, gun gear, and shooting supplies. The front of the insert features the familiar header “Special Cigar Offers Not to be Missed” and a photo of the Simply the Best Sampler ($24.95 for ten brand-name cigars). A yellow box reads “2 For The Troops” alongside a photo of three servicemen. Smaller copy explains that for every sampler purchased “we’ll send two bonus cigars from you to our troops overseas!” The multichannel retailer markets its cigars via catalogs and online as well as through inserts and space advertisements and has previously used the cigars for soldiers promotion in other mailings. The bottom of the piece displays a toll-free phone number and the website ThompsonSpecials.com plus a promo code for ordering from this insert. Inside, Thompson’s usual installment billing on orders of $99 or more is presented. The piece also uses Thompson’s customary tactic of emphasizing how much the consumer can save on each item. For instance, a Barrel Humidor Combo with 100 Cigars is listed at $139 along with a $299 “compare at” price. Additional products include a Cohiba Lonsdale Grande 5-pack ($29) and the Powerhouse 25 Sampler ($29.95). The back of the piece also lists the company’s mailing address and shipping charges.
Earthjustice: Ensuring Ecological Balance
Public-interest environmental law firm Earthjustice recently mailed a new fundraising piece geared towards preserving the lives of endangered species, particularly of the gray wolf. Previous promotions from the organization focus more broadly on global warming and government negligence of environmental issues, but Earthjustice has honed in on the story of a wolf who was caught and then killed just after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service dropped the gray wolf from the Endangered Species List. Instead of more plain envelopes with messages like “Inside: The Truth About Global Warming” and “Time Sensitive Petition Enclosed,” the package features an image of a wolf against a snowy landscape with the copy “They Called Him Limpy.” Inside, the promotion includes a letter chronicling Earthjustice’s history in its fight for environmental changes and its efforts to make the government reinstate federal protections under the Endangered Species Act and restore ecological balance to the American West. An enclosed insert reiterates Earthjustice’s efforts to help wolves as well as American pika, and marine mammals. The insert also lists some of its well-known clients such as Defenders of Wildlife, Greenpeace, and Natural Resources Defense Council. Earthjustice includes two petitions addressed to state senators, asking that they pressure the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to maintain protection of wolves. The ask ladder is set at $15/$20/$25/$50/$100/other and donors of $15+ receive a tote bag premium. Donations can be made by mail or online at Earthjustice.org.
Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Debuts with Soft Offer
Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade magazine recently mailed a double-postcard offering a free copy of its premier issue. From publisher Hoffman Media LLC, the title is a spin-off of the Food Network show Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee. The magazine offers projects and recipes that follow the celebrity chef’s trademarked “70/30 semi-homemade concept,” combining “70% ready-made products with 30% fresh creative touches.” The mailer proclaims “Free Premier Issue Invitation” with a sample cover image featuring headlines such as “76 Fast Recipes,” “20-Minute Meals,” and “Pink it Up! Decorating Ideas.” Inside the fold, six images of easy projects are accompanied by copy that reads “Simple Solutions for Dramatic Results.” A short blurb explains the 70/30 concept and details the contents of the magazine, including “delicious recipes, time and money saving techniques, and Sandra’s tried-and-true entertaining secrets.” The reply card presents a soft subscription offer of $19.98 for seven issues (one free). The piece requests a response within ten days.
The direct mail promotions appearing in Mail Stream are tracked and written up by ParadyszMatera, a media brokerage services company, through its MarketRelevance(tm) Promotion Library. Click here to visit their site: ParadyszMatera.com.
