“Some mail pieces are effective, some are engaging, some are beautiful. But very few can be called Irresistible Mail™” – the US Postal Service.
At the National Postal Forum in Baltimore, MD on May 23, 2017, The Lincoln Motor Company’s high-end video mailer, “See it First,” was selected as the Grand Champion Award winner of the “Irresistible Mail” trophy. The Irresistible Mail Award is a USPS program that highlights mail pieces that increase engagement through innovative design, print or digital technologies.
Sharing creative credits on the winning mailer are Structural Graphics who printed and hand-assembled the piece, Lincoln Motor Company, Ford’s ad agency GTB (formerly Team Detroit), Hudson Rouge.
Used to give customers a sneak peek before the vehicle hit showrooms, this mailer presents a video screen embedded on the inside of a display folder. Activating upon opening, the video delivers a story about Continental’s heritage and features, along with a tri-fold brochure describing the ownership experience, all delivered in a custom box. This piece was one of four finalists recognized at this year’s Forum, having been the winner of the 2nd quarter Irresistible Mail Award.
Additionally, you can find Structural Graphics on the 2017 USPS Irresistible site. Several of our pieces, created in partnership with MRM/ McCann and Sandy Alexander, are featured, including SleekPeeks VR Viewers, and OE, a slider design our paper engineers developed that features Near Field Communication and a “Twister” exploding page.
Do you ever stop and wonder how our decisions are influenced?
I do, I’m a marketer after all. These days it seems like we’re being bombarded with trends trying to get us to buy or do something. We can’t browse our Facebook feed without being distracted by bizarre videos of the Brazilian “burning hair” treatment, the horrifying aftermath of the “Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge,” or the most recent one sweeping Instagram, “Sunburn Art.” While we do not personally recommend any of these, we’re all about standing out.
How you market your product or idea directly impacts whether or not people will choose it. So, to help you out, we’ve done a little research, combed thru all the weird stuff on the Internet, and came up with 4 marketing trends that are on the rise.
1. More Personalization
We all know the saying that goes, sometimes through gritted teeth, “the customer is always right.” It’s certainly safe to say the customer is in charge. When asked to prioritize one capability that will be most important to marketing in the future, one-third of marketers answered: “personalization.” Nearly three-fourths (74%) of online consumers get frustrated with Web sites when content appears that has nothing to do with their interests (CMO, 2015). With all the different benefits technology can provide, personalization is more popular than ever. Targeting your products and ads directly to your customer’s specific needs is a strong marketing trend and it’s on the rise.
2. Multichannel Communications
Business icons flat vector illustration Communication
Print, direct mail, URLs, social sharing, email, mobile app push, SMS… really, the possibilities are endless. The world is your oyster when it comes to all of the ways you can communicate, and the statistics speak to its effectiveness.
60% of multichannel marketers reported increases of more than 10% in revenue that are attributed to marketing programs. – Forrester (May 2012) “The Multichannel Maturity Mandate.”
86% of marketing professionals agree that successfully integrating multiple channels under a single integrated marketing strategy is crucial to their long-term success. – Forrester (May 2012) “The Multichannel Maturity Mandate.”
Tip: Want to add some extra staying power to the print portion of your multichannel marketing? Use dimensional for your direct mailer.
There are a lot of comebacks being made recently. Fanny packs, Doc Martens, and my personal favorite – jelly shoes.
But that’s not all. Getready marketers, because even in this digital age, print is making a comeback – and with a vengeance. Anything can be added to print: lights, sound, video, the list goes on. Print isn’t just paper anymore. Also, who doesn’t love getting real, tangible, paper mail? Direct mail marketing yields, on average, a 13-1 return on investment ratio (DMR, 2015).
Rolling Stone Chuck TV Show Insert & Kiosk, Structural Graphics
There you have it, 4 marketing trends on the rise — and you know what they say about 2, 3 and 4: two’s company, three’s a crowd and four is a party. Get the party started at www.structuralgraphics.com.
Structural Graphics designer Isabel Uria recently attended Luxe Pack New York, the annual convention for luxury packaging enthusiasts, where vendors, buyers and designers meet to scope out the latest in paper and glass packaging. Continue reading →
Structural Graphics won six awards at the 60th Annual Ad Club Award Show held on Wednesday, May 21 at Farmington Gardens, including a total of four awards (a gold and three bronze) in the Dimensional Mail category, a bronze award in the Packaging category, and one silver award in the show’s Point of Sale category. Continue reading →
Thinking about incorporating sound technology into your direct marketing campaign, but not sure where to start? Leverage within invitations, product launches, lead generation, loyalty campaigns, and more! Continue reading →
Last week we introduced LED-enhanced direct mail to marketers (jog your memory here) looking to make an impact on major brands and companies. This week, we’re taking another look at how light technology is enhancing direct marketing campaigns with mailers that incorporate LEDs, fiber optics and electroluminescence to highlight features, enhance people’s interaction with products and leave lasting impressions on consumers. Continue reading →
At the National Postal Forum in Baltimore, MD on May 23, 2017, The Lincoln Motor Company’s high-end video mailer, “See it First,” was selected as the Grand Champion Award winner of the “Irresistible Mail” trophy. The Irresistible Mail Award is a USPS program that highlights mail pieces that increase engagement through innovative design, print or digital technologies.
