Making Cents of Mailers

By Maggie DeWitt

For all the direct mail devotees out there, this mystery product’s for you. It presents a win-win-win situation, since the innovative product can boost manufacturers’ and distributors’ sales by enabling end-users to grow their businesses, while helping mail recipients save money.

The product combines all the best of digital printing technology and the effectiveness of a direct mail campaign to create a vehicle for presenting money-saving coupons. Furthermore, its design serves to control production costs. Check out these clues to guess what the product is:

• It is constructed using 18x12", 80 lb. white matte cover stock.

• It offers limitless opportunities for utilizing personalized direct mail coupons.

• It facilitates applications such as coupons and tear-off cards, while eliminating the need for post-press operations.

mystery product revealed

Chicago-based GPA (a substrates partner of HP Indigo) presents its Ultra Digital Pre-Converted Coupon Mailer, powered by Convertible Solutions.

Measuring 18x12", the product is designed from 80 lb. white matte cover stock and features eight personalized coupons. Coupon perforations and co-hesive glue are built into the front end of the sheet through pre-converting, rather than post-press outsourcing of perforations and wafer-sealing in compliance with United States Postal Service code. To finish, simply trim, fold and apply pressure to seal. When trimmed, the product measures 17x81⁄2", and 6x81⁄2" when folded.

The personalized coupons are much more functional and effective than other coupon formats, such as newspaper circulars, checkout coupons and nonperforated cut-out, mass-marketed direct mail coupons. In addition to coupons, GPA’s mailer is perfect for tear-off cards and tickets.

“The future of direct mail advertising is data-driven print implemented through digital color printing technology. This technology breaks through the clutter of mass mailing because it delivers relevant information to the audience, getting the right message to the right person at the right time,” said Patricia Sorce, Ph.D., primary author of “Data-Driven Print: Strategy and Implementation,” and co-director of the RIT Printing Industry Center and Administrative Chair of the School of Print Media, Rochester, N.Y.