Pottery Barn Targets Hip Teens
Williams-Sonoma's home furnishings and design catalog Pottery Barn first gave birth to Pottery Barn Kids. Now, its latest offspring is geared toward young adults who have outgrown their
designer cribs and reached their turbulent teenage years. The premier issue of PBteen is a colorfully designed book chock full of hip and trendy home furnishings, with everything from shag rugs to CD racks. The 52-page catalog, which was first promoted in color ads in both Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids, features group shots of happy teenagers in many different room designs. Rooms are themed around a number of characters like a surfer guy, a preppie and a prom queen (just to name a few), along with a few "before" and "after" designs. Products include multicolored pillowcases, trendy computer desks, funky lighting fixtures and even truth-or-dare dart boards to spice up the occasional sleepover. The catalog offers page markers, so buyers can keep track of their favorite products. The colorful tags feature expressions like "This is so me," "Dude, I totally love this" and "I need it." Prices range anywhere from $1,119 for a loft bed to $29 for a table lamp. The "Rock Your Room" contest for a chance to win a $1,000 gift certificate drives teens to PBteen.com. A survey asking teens what their favorite items are and other product-related questions can be found near the order form. Orders can be placed by "snail mail," by phone or by visiting the Web site.
Sprint Pushes Oversized Envelope
In direct mail prospecting, the most apparent function of oversized packages is to stand out in a crowded mailbox. In its latest mailing, the telecommunications provider Sprint literally  pushes the envelope to new heights. Measuring 17" in height, the Sprint promotion for Personal Conferencing for businesses has a commanding presence that is exaggerated by its narrow 6-1/2" width and virtually all-white address panel. The outer envelope's reverse makes full use of the plentiful space, with novel and visually striking copy hinting at the offer. The phrase "A minute of our time" is repeated 500 times, except where obscured by a red copy box asking the question, "What will you do with all this free time?" Inside, 500 free Personal Conferencing minutes are offered to the business prospect, delivered on a glued calling card. Recipients must call a toll-free telephone number or visit the Web site to activate the free minutes. The service's price after the trial offer expires is not specified.
Feed the Children Has Your Groceries
Feed the Children has had a long successful history with business-like packages that look important. Simulated checks and  certificates often peep through glassine windows, while official-looking delivery copy ("Audited," "Expedited," "Registered") creates an extra sense of urgency on the outer envelope. All of these techniques are designed to grab the attention of prospects and ultimately drum up funds for Feed the Children's mission, which is to deliver food to hungry families throughout the U.S. One of the organization's more innovative efforts appears to be enjoying success, as it has been tracked with greater frequency in recent months. The "Express Delivery" package is most notable for an intriguing bit of teaser over the address window: "Your Groceries Are Scheduled for Immediate Delivery." Prospects who dig into the package are greeted with an invoice-like series of detail ("Pre-Approval Number," "Delivery Status," "Shipping Date"), but soon discover that the food in question is not for themselves, but for underprivileged families and children. A brief two-sided letter from the organization's President Larry Jones explains the need and suffering of children in the U.S. and explains how Feed the Children's food program works. The only specific donation amount discussed in this recent appeal is $5, but that relatively low ask is given a lot of weight: "35 pounds of food are waiting right now to be delivered to hungry children...Your gift of $5 will make it possible." This gift amount is down from older versions of the package, which asked for $7 to cover 50 pounds of food. While donations are no doubt welcome in any form, Feed the Children only provides a clear option for credit card contributions. Donors are asked to specify whether their donation is intended as a one-time or monthly gift.
Seen in the Mail items are identified and researched by MarketRelevance.com, an online direct mail and email promotion tracking resource offered by ParadyszMatera. CM staff conduct the interviews.
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