Today I received a mailing with seven, yes, seven different components. I guess that this mailer had a huge budget!
WSJwine sent me this massive package containing a four-color process letter, a priority order form (both were personalized), a four-panel, (at least) six-color process brochure, 5 1/2" x 7 1/2" business reply envelope, a color insert, a two-color voucher, another letter addressed to Wall Street Journal subscribers and another (at least) six-color process, three-panel brochure. The outer envelope, too, is at least six-color!
To me, this piece looks like a committee of many created a convoluted message. Or maybe it is a repackaged piece. I am thinking that WSJwine had an inventory of these pieces left and then decided to send them to WSJ subscribers, with the idea, if we have them why not use them? The letter to Wall Street Journal subscribers (one of the seven components) enclosed in this package indicates that most Wall Street Journal subscribers received this piece. WSJwine had to select subscribers in the states in which this promotion is allowed and it appears that this may have been all of the database selects they did. After all, WSJwine certainly wasted this promotion on me. I do not drink wine and have no interest in (except to critique) this offer! WSJwine might have had a more targeted mailing had they focused on WSJ subscribers who do buy wine. (There are probably overlays for this.)
WSJwine is a continuity club for wine. This type of package is not one seen today in the age of e-mail, texting, etc. It feels very outdated. (I also wonder how this mailer knows if the person placing the order is truly over 21. I would think that this would be hard to verify. The price of this continuity club is probably out of the range of most under 21, though.) With so many components to this piece, it takes a long time to figure out what I am being asked to buy. The message is not succinct and is repeated multiple times.
WSJwine: Thanks for providing fodder for my blog!
WSJwine sent me this massive package containing a four-color process letter, a priority order form (both were personalized), a four-panel, (at least) six-color process brochure, 5 1/2" x 7 1/2" business reply envelope, a color insert, a two-color voucher, another letter addressed to Wall Street Journal subscribers and another (at least) six-color process, three-panel brochure. The outer envelope, too, is at least six-color!
To me, this piece looks like a committee of many created a convoluted message. Or maybe it is a repackaged piece. I am thinking that WSJwine had an inventory of these pieces left and then decided to send them to WSJ subscribers, with the idea, if we have them why not use them? The letter to Wall Street Journal subscribers (one of the seven components) enclosed in this package indicates that most Wall Street Journal subscribers received this piece. WSJwine had to select subscribers in the states in which this promotion is allowed and it appears that this may have been all of the database selects they did. After all, WSJwine certainly wasted this promotion on me. I do not drink wine and have no interest in (except to critique) this offer! WSJwine might have had a more targeted mailing had they focused on WSJ subscribers who do buy wine. (There are probably overlays for this.)
WSJwine is a continuity club for wine. This type of package is not one seen today in the age of e-mail, texting, etc. It feels very outdated. (I also wonder how this mailer knows if the person placing the order is truly over 21. I would think that this would be hard to verify. The price of this continuity club is probably out of the range of most under 21, though.) With so many components to this piece, it takes a long time to figure out what I am being asked to buy. The message is not succinct and is repeated multiple times.
WSJwine: Thanks for providing fodder for my blog!
Hi Dana,
ReplyDeleteGreat blog. I don't even care that much about marketing, but I'm enjoying reading this. Keep it up!