Tag Archives: direct mail

by | Wednesday, June 12, 2013 · 8:46 pm

Direct Mail Campaign Combats Doggie Poop

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We’ve heard it said that direct mail is not very effective. While it is true that a direct mail sent to the wrong person is just ‘junk mail’ there are other examples of extremely effective direct mail campaigns. By using direct mail, companies (and other organizations) make a direct one-to-one contact with a target market. When correctly targeted with the right message to the right audience, a direct marketing campaign can be a powerful tool.

Case in point: Combatting a rise of doggie poop in the town of Burnete, Spain, on the outskirts of Madrid. Doggie poop? Yes, you read this correctly. The town Burnete had seen an increase in unwanted dog mess. They had combatted it with clever, broad campaigns in the public such as motorized – and plasticized – dog poop (you have to see it), but after a while, the effectiveness decreased. What to do next? A direct mail campaign aimed right at the offending dog owners was developed by agency McCann Madrid.

With a limited budget to fight the growing mound of – well, you know what was growing – 20 volunteers patrolled the streets watching for offending dogs and owners. Politely asking the dog’s name, then matching the name with the town’s database, owners received hand-deliveries of special packages containing their pet’s poop. The end result was an estimated 70% reduction in the amount of doggie poop on the streets of Brunete.

Watch this creative campaign and consider how direct mail can be used to implement public service campaigns.

Group Activities and Discussion Questions:

  1.  Show the video: http://creativity-online.com/work/council-of-brunete-poo-express/31781
  2. How does the direct marketing approach contrast with broader PSA campaigns?
  3. What was effective with this campaign?
  4. Divide students into teams. Have each team select a PSA type of campaign. (Ex: responsible drinking, smoking, seat belts, litter, etc.)
  5. Have each team develop a direct marketing campaign for their selected PSA.
  6. What are the key messages? Target market? Packaging for mail campaign?

Source:  Creativity-online.com, 6/7/13

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by | Monday, January 28, 2013 · 2:54 am

Daily Emails Swamp Inboxes

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Have you noticed the volume of emails from retailers lately? Check you inbox. Count the number of emails from retailers that contain offers, sales, promotions, and reminders. Customers are getting more emails than ever before and it is easy to understand what is behind the increased volume; according to the Direct Marketing Association, email offers and reminders generate an average of $39.40 in sales per dollar of advertising.

Although most consumers like to be notified about a new deal or sale, they also don’t want to be annoyed or have mailboxes fill up with solicitations. When retailers over-do it with emails, consumers retaliate by opting-out of all communications with a retailer and its partners. The result is that retailers are now employing more sophisticated techniques and strategies, and are targeting customers with information that is of interest to them instead of sending out bulk emails.

According to the Direct Marketing Association, tailored emails can outperform social media for driving consumer action. One key to success is having the email and message be relevant to the individual consumer, but without overkill on frequency lest the consumer hits the “opt-out” button for future communications. To keep their email distribution high, many companies are adding addresses by asking customers for their email address when checking out at the brick-and-mortar stores, offering to send receipts via email as well as upcoming offers and deals.

 

Check your email – what is in your in-box today?

 

Group Activities and Discussion Questions:

 

  1.  Have students save all the email offers that they receive. (Can do this for a week, month, or make it a semester-long project.)
  2. What are the emails? Offers?
  3. Were there items that were in shopping cart but not purchased?
  4. Were there new offers from retailers that you have never shopped at before?
  5. What are the main messages? Are these effective?
  6. How can companies increase their email distribution lists?

 

Source:  Minneapolis Star Tribune, 12/18/2012

 

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