BOSTON, Sept. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Sappi Fine
Paper North America today announced the official launch of
Act Now! A Better Response to Direct Mail, a
dynamic, educational resource that guides readers through the
essential principles of creating effective mailings that deliver
results. Act Now! showcases the strategies and techniques
behind how direct mail can strike a uniquely delicate balance: the
ability to package a message that will not only pique reader
interest, but also ultimately drive consumer response. Sappi is
debuting Act Now! at PRINT 13, being held September 8-12, 2013 in Chicago.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110728/MM43821LOGO
)
"In an increasingly virtual world, tangible forms of
communication can cut through the noise and have significant
impact, and because of this, the value of mail should not be
underestimated," said Jennifer
Miller, EVP of Coated Business and Chief Sustainability
Officer, Sappi Fine Paper North America. "The power of print
combined with smart design elements that will increase engagement –
folding, coating, integrated technology – is what makes direct mail
more memorable for the recipient, and also shine in the marketing
mix."
Sappi's ambition for this project was to clearly address the
role of direct mail in an increasingly digital world while also
designing a piece that captures the essence and excitement of how
one feels when opening an engaging printed piece of mail.
By working closely with direct mail and format expert,
Trish Witkowski of foldfactory.com,
to drive the research and content that serves as the backbone of
the guide, Sappi's Act Now! resulted in an easy-to-use,
original resource for defining and demonstrating the
advantages of mail – including its return on investment. In fact, a
recent study shows that direct mail brings in approximately
$12 for every dollar invested.[1]
"We put substantial effort into defining and demonstrating the
process that is involved in getting the maximum achievable results
out of mail, breaking it down into three distinct parts: strategy,
format and analysis," states Witkowski. "Anyone can get great
results with mail at either end of the budget spectrum, and we're
giving you the formula for success."
A Lesson in Style
Design firm VSA Partners was charged with the creative on the
project, whose final format is a tailored box with a clever opening
mechanism. The recipient unzips the package to find a useful
guidebook as well as varied samples of real-world mail pieces that
serve as unique case studies. From a card campaign for a local
butcher that wants to educate its neighbors on sustainable
practices, to a dimensional format for Facebook, the samples
showcase a variety of options that will inspire and educate by
demonstration.
"Today's digital and data-driven marketers never ignore the fact
that direct mail remains a vital part of the multichannel mix.
Presentation is always key," states Dana
Arnett, CEO of VSA Partners, "and consumers often favor and
appreciate print to be the most effective and captivating way to
connect with a brand."
For many businesses, standing out from competitors is a
challenge. Act Now!, and the case studies included,
illustrate how engagement techniques and special effects can
accentuate details that are distinctive to specific businesses,
helping them stand out in their industry. In addition to design
suggestions, Act Now! provides designers with a simple set
of guidelines to best navigate USPS mail requirements, and also
instructs marketers on how to utilize current technology to
optimize their distribution lists for results that are both
creative and cost-effective.
Act Now! was printed on Sappi Opus, known industry-wide
for superior surface quality and engineered for pressroom
efficiency. The paper is adaptable to any marketing format, and is
recognized for its consistency and broad range of sizes, weights
and finishes, with matching sheet and web options. Opus
delivers a higher quality feel than any other competitive
grade at the same basis weight; in addition, it is
Green-e® certified and made with over 80 percent
renewable energy, making it the perfect choice for direct mail
needs. Opus is also cost-effective thanks to postal caliper
guarantees that will help ensure that a mailing project stays
within budget.
Find out how to Act Now!
To receive a copy of this essential resource, you can place a
request with your Sappi sales representative; additionally,
Trish Witkowski and Sappi's
Daniel Dejan will be going on the
road to present Act Now! in a speaking tour with
events scheduled through the end of 2013 and into 2014. Contact
your Sappi sales representative to see when they'll be in a city
near you. For updates on Sappi news, follow on Twitter at @SappiNA
and visit the company's Facebook page.
About Sappi Fine Paper North America
Sappi Fine Paper North America, known for innovation and
quality, is a preeminent North American producer of coated
fine and release papers, as well as dissolving wood
pulp (DWP) and market kraft pulp headquartered in
Boston, Massachusetts. Its coated
fine papers, with highly recognized brand names such as McCoy,
Opus, Somerset and Flo, are used
in premium magazines, catalogs, books and high-end print
advertising. The company is also the world's leading supplier of
release papers for the automotive, fashion and engineered films
industries, including the globally recognized Ultracast brand.
Sappi's release papers provide the surface aesthetics for synthetic
fabrics used in footwear, clothing, upholstery and accessories, as
well as the textures for decorative laminates found in kitchens,
baths, flooring and other decorative surfaces. Sappi globally is
the world's largest manufacturer of dissolving wood pulp and the
leading supplier of viscose staple fiber. Dissolving wood pulp is a
versatile raw material used by manufacturers to produce a wide
range of products including textile fibers, pharmaceutical, beauty,
and household products. Sappi Fine Paper North America, through the
recent conversion of the Cloquet pulp mill, manufactures dissolving
pulp under Sappi's Specialised Cellulose division primarily for the
textile markets.
Sappi Fine Paper North America is a subsidiary of Sappi Limited
(NYSE, JSE), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with over 14,000
employees and manufacturing operations on three continents in seven
countries and customers in over 100 countries around the world.
Learn more about Sappi at: www.sappi.com/na.
[1] The Power of Direct Marketing. Direct Marketing Association,
2011-12.
SOURCE Sappi Fine Paper North America