Thursday, July 31, 2008

Welcome Thea & Janet

RMI's management division has just opened its arms to two lovely ladies: Thea Mathis and Janet Ward, both of whom join us with many years of direct marketing, advertising and administrative experience under their belt.

In Thea's spare time she enjoys riding her motorcycle, web designing, chasing her Pomeranian around for bath time, reading the news, and making people laugh.

Claim to fame: Fresh out of college Thea founded and directed a commercial and residential cleaning company that serviced more than 2,400 clients over four years. Nice!

Janet on the other hand enjoys spending time with her husband and 3 children, one of which is currently at West Point. Go Army! She also has passions for going to church and shooting sports (we're confused too), playing with her Black Lab, gardening and reading.

Claim to fame: Aside from over 13 years of direct marketing achievements, we are most impressed with Janet's famous "Happiness in a Jar", an alleged killer Strawberry Rhubarb Jam. We're thoroughly investing this claim. Stay tuned...

So welcome Thea and Janet; we're glad to have you and your many talents aboard!

Labels: employees

A la Cuisine!

Today at Kitchen Stadium (the RMI conference room), "Competition Cheese" took place. Sixteen participants brought in their culinary delights to be tasted and judged.

The judges (Cyndi, Dan and Eileen) had the difficult task of narrowing down the dishes to three winners. There were numerous notable entries; Olga's beautiful smoked Salmon & Mascarpone on a Sesame Bagel, dip entries by Decio and Katie, wraps from Carol and Kathy...

The entire staff waited with anticipation for the winners to be announced (and to dig into the food). Carol Forbes, the organizer and chairman, awarded the following prizes:

3rd Place: Laurie Nichols for the Swiss Cheese Onion Dip
2nd Place: Alison Howell for the Sun Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Puff
1st Place: Becky Terhaar for her Lobster and Shallot Stuffed Mushrooms

Take a peak at our photos and videos of the competition here.

Congratulations to everyone and stay tuned for next month’s challenge!

Labels: employees

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Congratulations to the VFW

For over 10 years the VFW has been lobbying to improve the GI Bill with benefits updates for the men and women who serve in our armed forces, and their families. On June 30, 2008 the new GI Bill was signed into law. Similarly, it was the VFW whose efforts put forth the first GI Bill in 1944.

Thanks to the dedication of the VFW and to the members of Congress who made this a reality.

Labels: client

Monday, July 28, 2008

List of the Year Winners

Circulation Management and SRDS have inaugurated a new award. Based on Effective Performance, Selection/Segmentation, and Efficient Performance, subscriber lists were rated and awarded marks from 1 (low) to 5 (highest). They were then broken down into categories, Consumer Lists, Non-Magazine, Consumer Magazine, B-to-B Non-magazine, and B-to-B Magazine Lists with one list being awarded Grand List Winner.

RMI would like to congratulate Time Inc. Corporate Database, Nutrition Action Healthletter, and Mayo Clinic Health Letter for placing in the top 7 in the Consumer List, Non Magazine category. They fulfill all the criteria used to judge the winners; provide high response rates, allows for robust segmentation and conversion rate within budget. It is an honor to represent these wonderful companies and their lists.

Kudos also to our friends at StayWell Consumer Publishing, marketers of the Harvard Health Publications Masterfile which won top honors of Grand List.

Labels: client

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Shame on the Old Gray Lady

The New York Times ran an article which of course was all but flattering to DM'ers. The author quotes a member of Kawasaki's marketing team who, in almost child-like manner, apologizes for not being able to define goals and frame works for "greening up" DM. It's really a horrible article. Not well written and especially not well researched. One simple phone call to the DMA to get a hold of the "Green 15" or "CCC" initiatives and there would have been some balance.

This was just more "dreck" as my dad would have said.

Labels: DMA, green

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

H2O: a beautiful thing

I just read something I missed. Sorry, it has very little to do with DM but a lot to do with humor and the role marketing plays in our purchasing. Ken Magill's online column last week spoke of water. Yup just plain water. But what was so funny was that he got a little bottle of Jana water as a give a-way at a store. He goes on to talk about how strange it is to think that we would buy expensive, almost designer water when we can get the same thing out of any tap.

Ah, the beauty of marketing. That's what we're all about...no? No more hunching over that germ ridden water fountain at the department store or the car repair shop. No you've got your own personal dispenser with you at all times. Reminds me of the Lewis Black routine where he rails against Coke and Pepsi for being authorities on not soda but water.

But again, that's what we do. We present products or services to entice consumers to buy ours rather than theirs. Grey Goose, Kettle One, Smirnoff. We all know that one. Brilliant marketing.

My son swears he can taste the difference between Poland Springs, Dasani and Aquafina. I can't. But as long as there are people who say they can... that's all that matters.

Labels: marketing

Something old is new again

For as long as I've been doing this, every so often our industry as as a whole experiences some "valleys" in one market sector or another. Usually brought on by an election year or postal issues or government regulations. When one market is down others may be up or flat.

So what did we do to get out of those situations? We went back to the old adage...Test, Test, Test. Not only new concepts but break out he old packages from years ago that were just marginal and see if they can be modified, or better yet, more appropriate for today's climate.

I often hear people say about alternative media,"Oh we tried that years ago and it didn't work". Maybe its time to try again. "Save gas, Save the environment, Order by mail"!

You never know.

Labels: direct mail

Monday, July 21, 2008

Adjusting to high gas prices

Let's face it, gas prices have certainly affected the way our target markets spend money. This report outlines just how much consumers are changing their spending habits.

Some marketers are partnering with companies to reward their best customers with gas credits. Others, like family oriented offers, gear messages around meal times. Home deliveries, stay in entertainment, and other creative ways to connect with potential customers by understanding their needs. Online sales have seen a slight up tick. Direct mail must stress the economy of saving gas money and the positive effect of energy savings by shopping from home as outline in the DMA Green 15.

Labels: marketing, oil and gas

Welcome to Kitchen Stadium RMI

Kitchen Stadium Chairman, Carol Forbes, has organized Iron Chef RMI. The not-so-secret ingredient... cheese. On July 31, any RMI culinary combatant can enter their selection, which in this edition must be an appetizer containing the "secret" ingredient.

Now, for those of you who have never experienced an RMI office party, you have to know that we like to eat. We never let a holiday go by without an all out major schmorgas board of palatable pearls. Starting with breakfast goodies and ending in lunch time victuals, we always have "GoodEats" (sorry Alton). So what do you do when there are no holidays near and it's the middle of a hot summer? Make one up.

Now in true marketing style..."but wait there's more"....there are cash prizes. Yes cold hard cash. Well, actually something more valuable than cash. Gas cards! The first three winners get gas cards valued from $50 to $100. So as the challengers unwrap their Gorgonzola, their Bries, their Vachon Mont D'Or, the judges are pursing their lips and waiting to say "a' la Cuisine".

We'll let you know who and what won.

Labels: employees, RMI

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

The Girl Effect

Here's a phenomenal production for The Girl Effect Darryl pointed out on Brandflakes. No footage of third world countries, no paid actors - just words, music and the immense emotion it draws out of you. Some of the most influential videos I've experienced (and I use that word intentionally) this year have been just that - less imagery and powerful, engaging copy.

Growing up my mom used to say how she didn't like music videos because they steal your imagination. Music is received differently by everyone and the pictures your mind illustrates are unique, personal, and emotional to you. In her eyes, watch a video once, and it's stolen your visions and replaced them with the artist's message rather than your own interpretation.

Apply that concept to videos and viral marketing. Like music, words depict an image in your mind that's more relevant and powerful to you than the next person. With this campaign, the image of a 4 year old girl your daughter's age might be more effective to you than a 13 year old teenager. Why dictate images to the viewer when with words your audience can envision ones that pull on their own heartstrings. And isn't that the objective here? Not always, but sometimes, less is more.

Labels: viral marketing

Monday, July 14, 2008

In our defense

For those of you who haven't read the DMA's Green 15 Toolkit, you really should. There are some great statistics about direct mail and its impact on the environment and our economy:

1) 1/3 of the US Postal Service's annual revenue depends on advertising mail.

2) Nonprofit organizations, including those serving environmental causes, used the mail to help raise nearly $200 billion in individual contributions in 2005. Direct mail also helps nonprofits recruit volunteers and educate consumers about important social issues.

3) Direct mail accounts for only 2.4% (in weight) of the total municipal solid waste generated in the US annually (according to the EPA). That figure is likely to decline as greater strides are made in paper recycling.

4) By replacing just two shopping trips to the mall each year with shopping by catalogs or direct mail, the DMA estimates that Americans could:

- Reduce the amount we drive by 3.3 billion miles
- Reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 3 billion pounds
- Save more than $490 million on gas costs

5) More than 80% of US paper makers use recovered fiber to manufacture new paper products, according to the American Forest & Paper Association.

6) We actually have just as much forest land in this country today as we did 50, or even 100, years ago. In fact, the "forest inventory" in the US has grown by 39% since 1952, according to the US Forest Service.

7) The forest products industry actually plants more trees each year than it harvests. Annual net growth of US forests is 36% higher than the volume of annual tree removals (Society of American Foresters).

8) The vast majority of paper produced in America today comes from trees that are grown as managed crops for that specific purpose.

We've said it time and again, we need to bring our defense to the public eye. Many of us are taking part in the Recycle Please initiative, including RMI, but what we need to do is educate the general public about statistics like these.

Forest Ethics has an on-going petition for the Do Not Mail legislation that, according to The New York Post, has acquired over 25,000 people including Leonardo DiCapprio, Alicia Silverstone and Daryl Hannah. Signers have the option of leaving their comments about junk mail that you can read on the website. I would suggest that the DMA use this as a tool to see how consumers feel and address their concerns.

And in my opinion, while the economy is a hot button topic, now would be a great time to illustrate what the repercussions would be if the direct mail industry ceased to exist.

Thanks to Justine for passing along The New York Post article.

Labels: Do Not Mail

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Hanging out by the mail box

Dean Rieck wrote an interesting piece which I thought was worth a look at. Just what is it that makes our direct mail prospects respond? How much time do they spend on each piece of mail they get? Does the precise hue of the background shading really matter? If most readers skim, what are the most important points you want them to capture?

Months of dedication on a mail piece, and all this for 1% or 2% response... Of course Test, Test,Test still applies but maybe we should re-examine where the majority of our efforts should be applied.

Labels: direct mail

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Macy's Shop for a Cause

This is an interesting campaign. Macy's helped raise over $9,500,000 last year for charities all over the US. Your organization gets special coupons which they sell for $5.00 and the recipient redeems it on 9/20/08 for merchandise at Macy's which has been reduced in price for that day only. There are other valuable freebies for the shopper too. Your 501(c) 3 keeps the proceeds of the $5.00 and Macy's gets the sale.

If you're interested follow the link above.

Labels: fundraising

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Another push by ForestEthics

Dan Arnold from RMI sent this tid-bit over tome today. Thanks Dan. John Paglia, Executive Director of ForestEthics, continues the heavy push for donations to stop Direct Mail. He sites that over 46,000 people have signed a petition to stop unwanted mail. Along with his email is a donation request to be sent to Earth Friends Wildlife Foundation, a conservation group who has pledged an undisclosed "generous " amount of money, if ForestEthics can raise $70,000 by the end of the year.

Please note at the bottom of the email the verbiage that they are fighting a billion dollar industry a la David and Goliath. I guess that would be us???

Just keeping you informed!