Fossil Celebrates 25th Anniversary with Vintage Revival
With its tagline, "What Vintage Are You?," Fossil recently rolled out a vintage photo contest to celebrate its 25th anniversary. The cover of the 10½" x 8" catalog features a young woman holding an early-model Kodak camera. On her wrist is the Chronograph Silver-Tone Dial Watch ($105). The "Vintage Revival" contest is detailed on the inside of the back cover. Contestants are asked to "simply upload a photo from your past and tell us how it inspires you today." The top three online vote-getters will receive a vintage-inspired Fossil prize package. Across the catalog, products are featured in photographs, either pinned to a roadmap or set on a retro backdrop. Watches highlighted in the book include the Peace Water Watch ($55), the Twist Wood Accent Watch ($125), and the Champagne Dial Paratrooper Watch ($95). Other products include the Hadley Necklace ($55), the Roxanne T-Strap Pump ($128), and the Winston Traveler Wallet ($30). Throughout the book, a sticky note tells recipients to "Join us on Facebook." Orders can be placed by phone or online.

Columban Fathers Mails Passport "to Answer Jesus' Call"
The Columban Fathers recently targeted English and Spanish speakers with similar #10 fundraising packages that include a unique passport insert, urging donors to reach out so the organization may "cross boundaries of nations, language and culture." Columban Fathers is an international Missionary Order founded in Ireland in the mid-1920's providing services and teachings for those in need. The enclosed passport serves as a brochure discussing various international destinations where the Columban Fathers serve as missionaries. It lays out the group's mission ("establish the Catholic Church among people who have not heard the Good News of the Gospel") and provides photos of people helped in places such as Chile, Philippines and Peru. The ask ladder of $10/$13/$15/other accompanies a personalized note that states "Please help us do something beautiful for God with your gift to the Columban Fathers today." A prayer card freemium is also enclosed.

New Jersey Monthly: Rediscovering the State
Regional magazine New Jersey Monthly mailed two subscription promotions offering a peek into local lifestyle. New Jersey Monthly's voucher package provides an extensive look at the title's insights into the state with a colorful foldout insert that touts New Jersey's unique towns, beaches, top restaurants, and doctors. Panels throughout the insert alternate between images of previous issues and incentives for making the most of New Jersey's offerings such as "you don't have to travel to the Caribbean to find great beaches," "you don't have to go to New York City for a fabulous meal," and "you don't have to leave the state to get expert health care." Another insert promotes the premium on payment incentive, "New Jersey's A-Z Guide -Where & What to Go, Do & See." The voucher reply form succinctly lays out the "Summary of Subscription Benefits," including four included special issues: Best Restaurants, Annual Shore Guide, Top 100 Towns, and Top Doctors. Online extras are also noted. Earlier this summer, New Jersey Monthly mailed a double postcard promotion, offering the same hard offer of $9.95 for 12 issues, although it featured personalized copy to a "preferred resident."

The direct mail promotions appearing in Mail Stream are tracked and written up by ParadyszMatera, a media brokerage services company, through its MarketRelevance(tm) Promotion Library. Click here to visit their site: ParadyszMatera.com.