Direct Choice Blog

Paging Don Draper

Direct Choice Inc — Tue, 21 May 2013 13:53:41 +0000

In spite of the fact that Don Draper is an anachronism, he’s still everywhere.

There are dozens of Draper-driven sites online, inspired by a variety of the adman’s mystifyingly contradictory qualities. Most seem to seek answers for today’s complex marketing and advertising conundrums, attributing oracle-like seer capabilities to his fictional—and fictive—character.

Other sites appear to be testing out whether the Don can improve their own SEO positions.

Why are marketers so in love with him? Take away the stylish clothes, the tone-perfect reductive rendering of the “simple ’60s.” In the end, we think it’s the grip of guilty nostalgia overtaking many of us. That sense that it’ll never be like that ever again. And why would we want it to be, when the times were clearly less evolved, less honest, more challenging to women, minorities and others?

It’s truly just the story of swine, posing as swain. Don’s pessimism and relentlessly empty soul remain a fascination, regardless of the times or industry.

“What you call love was invented by guys like me to sell nylons.”

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Direct Choice Inc. is a full-service direct marketing agency that has worked with national and regional brands in a wide variety of vertical markets. In addition to this blog, you can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn

Images please

Direct Choice Inc — Tue, 07 May 2013 13:59:09 +0000

People don’t read. Alas and alack. The hard truth for social media-ites is that if your copy isn’t illustrated, it won’t be noticed. And if you haven’t kept your inner Tolstoy (long copy) in check, you can forget about likes and shares.

After all, the power of social media is the ability of your audience or community to echo your message to extend its reach.

For marketers, the skillset they need to master is the ability to ensure they utilize messages that are remarkable. Recognize that images significantly increase the chances of your message being shared.

To that end, some stats about how image use boosts reposting.

Google images can be a good quick source, but dicey. We also like Deposit Photos.

Key to remember:

Always use high-quality images…watch out for pixilated ones
Images help shorten the copy
Images help brand you
Humor helps
Make sure the images you use are relevant

Picture that.

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Will bleed for brand

Direct Choice Inc — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:00:04 +0000

Some of us have been spending time judging the various industry awards lately. And so we are thinking like that.

Outside those awards, we came across a truly over the top example of breaking new boundaries for a brand. As is often the case, it’s a small European agency—Rh Creative—with big time guts.

Gory? Maybe. Glory? Oh yeah.

According to these docs of design…

“When creating our own identity, we set out to prove our key message, that every point of communication is a chance to advertise our company. We created a simple brand message and applied it across multiple touch points. One of the key elements of the identity was a direct mail [package] in the form of a blood bag, which we personally delivered to creative directors in several ad agencies in Prague. As a result we’ve received quite a few interesting jobs and two bronze awards from the Czech Art Directors Club.”

The corporate identity was applied across multiple touch points.

Letterhead, envelope, business cards and CDs – on all materials we used stickers and filled in all necessary details with handwriting –

just like they do in the hospital.

Direct mail – a real blood bag filled with fake blood.

Direct mail with matching envelope.

Website

We’ve personally delivered the direct mail to several ad agencies in Prague.

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The exception

Direct Choice Inc — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 14:00:40 +0000

Sometimes , a product just doesn’t need us.

Hard to believe, right? Such is the case with Spanx the undergarment phenom started by cute cutup Sara Blakely.

No advertising dollars were spent to launch the brand, according to its founder.

Say it isn’t so! Nope, nada. Instead the sassy girdle-gal relies on four key promotional elements to keep everyone’s bottom line bottomless:

Word of mouth. Not the WOM we know as a tricky social media component, but good old-fashioned tell-a-friend. Stylists got wind, and then Gwyneth P.

got wind, and well, that’s all you really need.
Cool packaging. Instead of the beigy, blendy look of most pantyhose and other “foundational” wear, Spanx used cartoons, hot colors and phrases like “Spanx make your butt look better.”
Oprah. Getting the big O to use your product is priceless.
Sara herself. The founder personified her own customer, and so it’s a passion pursuit.

So, Sara is not our client.

Yet.

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Earth mo

Direct Choice Inc — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:59:42 +0000

April celebrates the planet, and so it seems apropos to remind about how technology can reduce direct marketing’s heretofore rather heedless expenditure of Mama E’s resources.

We waxed on here about sustainability a few months back, but a few of our programs are worth a revisit.

In short form, check out these marquee Direct Choice services designed to be kind…

Paperless contracts

This online program we created has saved a Blue Cross client tens of thousands of dollars in postage and paper.

PURL-driven responses

Instead of reply forms/BRCs or inbound phone, our content-rich personalized landing page response channel not only saves enormous dollars in postage, paper and staff time, but has also generated over 70% lead conversion.

Closed-loop campaigns

By managing every lead and every response, we’ve reduced the need to re-engage by costly direct mail, helping prospects become customers via less wasteful, more cost-efficient channels.

So to Earth—as Shakespeare never actually said—the mother of us all.

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