Five Cent Direct Mailing

I received this direct mail piece this morning and saw a nickel inside the window. The envelope that the charity annual fund came in, stated:

The enclosed nickel can help save a child's life.

Exactly how many nickels did they send out in this promotional event? If it's guilt they are trying to bestow, this direct mail FAILED! I'm a little more upset that for an annual donator to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society it feels like a bribe after reading this.

But in the letter itself, it contradicts the previous statement:

You and I both know that a single nickel won't go far in the fight againt blood cancers.

I'm now a little upset and confused. If that's true, I'd like to know who managed to sell the idea of passing out nickels?

A little math for you. I gave fifty dollars the previous annul fund. 1 dollar = 20 nickels, so 50 dollars = 1000 nickels.

A direct response mailing can get somewhere between .50-1.00% response. This direct piece was probably more targeted to those who have donated in the past, I would assume 1.00-5.00%. If assuming 5% return rate you'll get 50 nickels (responses) back or $2.50. Although that 5% you'll probably get a variety of enclosed amounts on average, let's say $15.00. For a grand total of $752.50! (Of course the more mailed out the more responses.)

So a campaign that would yield little over $750.00 probably cost at least $1000 to propose.

I guess I can use the nickel towards a postage stamp, along with my donation.

My math maybe wrong on this. I kinda just went on a rant, but I'm just saying, hypothetically!

More than Meets the Eye

In a campaign to create more hype around USA Network's hit espionage show, “Burn Notice,” mailed out 14,000 “FYC” (For Your Consideration) press kits, printed in invisible ink. The elaborate kits, produced by TDA Advertising and Design, each have a slip-cover, 3-panel, hardcover kit holding a UV flashlight and the instructions:


Step 1: Use this flashlight to reveal hidden text.
Step 2: Deny you ever used this flashlight.


Across all three panels, no other words or images are visible, except under black light – at which point photographs of the lead actor and supporting actress, a list of six potential “Drama Series” Emmy nominations, and four press blurbs (e.g. “The show floats along on a spy’s handbook. Narration that sounds remarkably convincing.” – L.A. Times) come into view. Also, tucked into a slot are 4 DVDs with this season’s 12 episodes, plus written synopses.

The hour drama about an ex-spy runs Thursdays at 10PM EST on USA Network.

Great execution for this direct mail kit. Out-of-the-box thinking but practical for reading? Probably not, but will get the show some great buzz.