Think print advertising is irrelevant? Think again. According to the Direct Marketing Association, mail campaigns draw a better overall response than digital channels. Continue reading
Category: Dimensional Print Marketing
It’s 90 degrees out – time to think about the holidays!
Last night I saw my first “back to school sale” television ad of the season, though my wife reported that they have been airing for weeks already. As a kid this was the worst feeling. You knew that the carefree days of summer were dwindling and any day now your mom was going to be dragging you out to buy Fall clothes, binders, pens and organizers. As an adult, I look forward to the autumn. The cool night air brings relief to the scorching hot days and humidity, and we are always thankful that our air conditioner survived another year.
With the unusually hot summer in the North East, it’s hard to imagine that 
marketers need to be thinking about the holiday season. Every year we try and remind clients that it’s time to begin planning for the holiday season and getting holiday card programs underway.
As you may know, we don’t send out your average holiday cards. Using one of our high-impact dimensional designs we try to surprise recipients every year with a unique and engaging design. This all takes time, however. Though our turnaround times have gotten shorter as our procedures have become more efficient, it’s important to leave enough time to plan and execute the perfect holiday card program.
Check out Susie’s featured video of the week for more on our high-impact holiday cards. You can also request samples today.
Magazine Inserts Offer High Engagement Opportunities
The past five years have been tough on the magazine industry. In fact, 2008 – 2009 saw sharp declines in magazine advertising. However, in the past two years the numbers have rebounded and marketers are returning to a trusted performer. If you look at the numbers you can see clear signs that some magazines are simply failing to keep circulation numbers, especially with all of the digital content that is available to readers. However, many specialty magazines are seeing increases in circulation. Fortunately, these are the magazines that offer the greatest targeting opportunities for marketers.
Structural Graphics has a long history with the magazine industry, creating
memorable and engaging high-impact magazine inserts. This isn’t to say we’re the only ones doing great magazine work. Check out this collection of amazing magazine inserts that are truly unique – and what’s more, many of them effectively bridge that fickle gap between print and digital. These aren’t the ads your grandmother flipped through, but if you’re nostalgic about this stuff, check out this great collection of old magazine ads from 20’s through the 70’s.
You may not realize how many marketing opportunities magazine inserts really offer. Through the years we have truly tested the limits of magazine binding to squeeze in every bit of impact we can get into such a small space. For example, we’ve used many non-traditional elements, like the fuzzy material we used to create this cool Tide insert. We have also never limited ourselves by the dimensions of the magazine, as is evident in this highly effective HBO Exploding page insert.
High-impact magazine inserts have a unique ability to engage the reader and drive consumer response. Nothing exemplifies this better than the McDonald’s coupon insert we produced for the launch of the Fruit and Walnut Salad. Working with DDB Chicago, we designed an insert that would “explode” open when the reader turned the page and deliver two coupons. We produced over 7 million inserts that ran in several Conde Nast publications. Though we don’t have exact figures, the piece resulted in extremely high coupon redemption rates. You can download the full case study for more details.
Check out more of Structural Graphics’ high-impact Magazine Inserts, or let us send you a few samples.
The Flapper keeps you cool
Sitting in my office today I slowly became aware of how hot it was getting. It turned out my wife adjusted the thermostat higher when she left with the kids this morning. Of course, we need to keep the kids cool, but don’t worry about me. I can work just fine in an 80 degree office.
Without thinking about it, I reached across my desk and grabbed a large 11” Flapper® we had produced for HBO and started fanning myself. The HBO Flapper, which was used to promote the HBO OnDemand service, features beautifully colors and large imagery of well-known characters like Homer Simpson and Shrek. I really liked this piece and had brought it home to show my daughter. As I was holding the Flapper, I began to fold it inward revealing the four unique panels. Even though I had held a Flapper before, many times, it’s just fun to do. The design is truly unique and is one of our most interesting and engaging pieces.
There is no one specific demographic that the Flapper appeals
to. Kids love it, adults and seniors love it; everyone seems engaged by it. For that reason the Flapper has been used very successfully across a variety of industries such as automotive, healthcare, entertainment and education.
What makes the Flapper unique is the way it folds continually into itself, revealing four separate selling panels for copy and artwork. It also mails flat making it economical for high-volume mailings. Lastly, it’s incredibly versatile. We have produced Flappers that were very small (3” x 3”), and larger ones like the HBO Flapper (8” x 11”). The folding mechanism works just as well either way.
The Flapper is one of Structural Graphics’ exclusive patented designs. Let us send you one to play with, inspire you, or keep you cool.
Article: Market With Messages That Tap Into Man’s Primal Urges
I wanted to share this article with our community because we talk a lot about how our work tells a story when delivering a message. Our high-impact dimensional print solutions are great at delivering marketing messages, but also in telling a story. In this article, the author talks about tapping into primal urges to deliver your message. In a slightly simplistic, but humorous way, he is talking about telling your marketing story in an easy to understand way.
Check out other articles on telling a story with your marketing:
Four Designs that Offer a Great User Experience
How direct mail can tell a story
Is Magazine Advertising Coming Back?
It was announced last month that Proctor & Gamble is shifting much of its TV dollars to magazine advertising. P&G is the largest national advertiser and largest TV advertiser; however in 2011 their marketing budget showed a 5.4% decrease in TV advertising, in favor of magazine. Marketing experts agree that the move is to focus on more targeted mediums. Magazine allows you to target very specific markets and demographics.
For an industry that has long been considered on the decline, does this signal a shift to more traditional and reliable marketing mediums? Sound off in our comments section below.
Read original story from the Business Courier
See examples of great Magazine Advertising
Being Different but ending up the same
A few weeks ago, while strolling past the House of Blues in Orlando, I was reminded of an important distinction when it comes to being different. The band playing the night I happened to walk by was Falling in Reverse. The crowd was wrapped around the entire building anxiously waiting for the doors to open. I saw at least a thousand people. Nearly everyone was decked out in full-blown “Goth.” Those of you not familiar with the look need only Google the term to see exactly what I mean. There were so many people sporting black shirts, black or purple dyed hair and painted nails and faces that those more conservatively dressed concert-goers stuck out like a sore thumb.
As we soaked in some of the best people-watching around, I turned to my wife and asked her why she thought people wanted to be so different. She turned to me looking a bit puzzled and replied, “What do you mean, they’re all exactly the same?” She was right; no one in the crowd was being different, at least not in their world.
When it comes to marketing, being different is usually a good thing. However, it’s easy to get caught up in trying to be different, stand out, get noticed, that you end up being exactly the same. I remember when mailers began using “Express Mail” look-alike envelopes for their mailings. Who’s going to ignore an important overnight express envelope? Then, the trend caught on and fizzled out just as quickly. I assume once people got used to seeing fake looking express packages in their mailbox, response rates began to drop.
People I talk to at tradeshows or in presentations want Structural Graphics to help them “do something different.” But, being different should not be the goal of your campaign. The goal is a higher response and return on your investment and to achieve that, you need to engage your audience. To engage your audience you need to be unexpected and relevant; not different.
There is no doubt we help our clients get noticed; sometimes by being different. Many of our packages stand out because they are dimensional and unexpected, but that’s not where all of the marketing magic is. We don’t create our designs just to be different, but rather to engage the recipient and drive a response. The designs we recommend, whether it’s a new custom solution or a proven classic design like the Flapper, are chosen for their ability to deliver your message in an impactful, engaging and relevant way.
For example, Drexel University wanted to capture the attention of college-bound students.
These students are used to receiving dozens of mailers from lots of different schools, so they knew they had to stand out. But they also had to be memorable and engaging. Drexel achieved this using our Flat Book-Cube design. It shipped flat but when the recipient opened it they were treated to a huge surprise as the piece jumped out at them. It got their attention and the campaign was a great success.
Essilor, the world’s leading provider of eyeglass lenses, was looking to promote a new brand along with a rewards program. They used the Rolling Cube design to grab the recipient’s attention, provide information about the program and drive them to a sweepstakes site. The integrated campaign was a success and garnered a 31% response rate. You can read more about the Essilor campaign in our case study.
My point was not to take you through a list of companies that have used Structural Graphics to build their brands, launch products, engage recipients and produce better ROI. It was to remind you that being different isn’t always that different. Your goal is to be engaging and relevant. When we were in Orlando I probably could have painted my nails black, worn some dark clothes and dyed my hair; and I would have stood out as we walked through Disney’s beautiful Downtown area, but if I had been there to see a concert at the House of Blues that night, I would have only been another face in the crowd.
To learn more about engaging your customers check out our Industry Specific High-Impact Marketing Guide. You’ll be able to download several case studies and learn more about how we serve your industry’s marketing needs.
The Case for Dimensional Mail
This week the folks at WhatTheyThink.com, an online magazine for printing executives, wrote about the benefits of dimensional mail. The article not only included quotes from our own Kevin Gilligan (VP, Sales), but also case studies and statistics. The article is in their premium paid section, but is available at no charge, through this link.
Have you thought about gift card holders?
It’s usually around late Summer that we start to get a few frantic phone calls from clients wishing to do something different for their gift card programs. Thinking that they have missed the boat on doing something “cool” this year, they are pleasantly surprised that there is still time.
Last year around this time we blogged about how the gift card holders have changed. You may have noticed yourself. Just recently I picked up a gift card at a movie theater for a friend. There was an image of popcorn on it that slid out of the holder. The image also included a scratch-n-sniff! Mmm, movie popcorn. There really is nothing better tasting or worse for you. The holder was really cool and it definitely adds the perceived value of the gift.
Check out this post to read more about the evolution of the gift card holder.
Remember, it’s NOT too late to do something different for this holiday season, just give us a shout.
Four Designs that Offer a Grechrome-extension://ohhcpmplhhiiaoiddkfboafbhiknefdf/TMToolbar/image/tooltip/webicon_green.pngat User Experience
When I think of the term user experience I tend to think of product and software development, which is the context in which the term was coined. However, the principals of good user experience (UX) design apply just as well to marketing and campaigns. When you’re designing a direct mail piece, a landing page, or even a print ad, the user experience is a crucial consideration. This is especially true when these components are put together in an integrated campaign.
User experience is always top-of-mind in the Structural Graphics design department. How will the recipient interact with the piece? Is the message of the mailer clear and focused? Is it interesting and engaging? And, of course, does the online experience flow smoothly from the printed piece in a way that makes sense to the user?
One aspect of an integrated campaign that can be easily overlooked is the strength of the messaging on the direct mail piece. Usually the goal is to drive the user to an online asset, but consider the fact that some users won’t have immediate access to a computer. Or perhaps they just don’t want to visit the landing page. Is your messaging strong and compelling enough to stand on its own, without the assistance of online component? Is there an off-line call-to-action like a BRC or a phone number?
Below are four dimensional print designs that offered great user experiences. They are all strong performers and proven designs. They can stand on their own as a powerful direct mail piece, or as part of an integrated campaign.
The Flapper® is a classic performer and a brilliant storyteller. When the user first picks up the piece they immediately recognize that there is something more than just a flat postcard. Its four selling panels fold in succession to keep the user engaged and interested.
The 4-Window Pull™ is a highly interactive and 
effective design. The story begins when the user picks up the flat piece and notices the four tabs. Each tab pulls out from each side instantly providing twice the copy space. It immediately distinguishes itself from all of the other mail in the pile. Simple and engaging.
The Flipbook is a truly interactive design with a wide range of applications. It’s a natural story teller that keeps the user engaged as they flip through the pages. With tons of options and sizes, the Flipbook can be used as a great sales aid, catalog, or promotional mailer that requires a large amount of selling space. It ships virtually flat but the user experience is anything but.
The Book-Cube™ is a favorite amongst marketers. It provides 
such a unique user experience that you really can’t get anywhere else. The piece ships flat, but when opened by the user, it jumps into shape. Using a set of hidden rubber bands, this will grab anyone’s attention. It provides ample selling space and can be highly customized. You can include a little booklet carrier, or an attention-getting tab that folds out.
Above are just four of the many examples of great user experience we can demonstrate. In fact, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention, touch. Many of our clients have used touch to create an engaging and interesting direct marketing piece. We can use beautiful premium paper stocks to create a high-value feel; think, glossy, rugged, soft – the possibilities are limitless. Furthermore, we can use a really neat “fuzzy” finish like we did for this Tide magazine insert.
