Amos Automotive Revs Up With Four Unusual Self-Mailers

Circulation Management, Jan 1, 2004

Amos Hobby Publishing recently mailed unusual self-mailers to its five hobbyist titles - Cars & Parts, Muscle Car, Corvette Enthusiast, Mustang Enthusiast and Pontiac Enthusiast.

With colorful 8 x 11-inch backboards, the promotions are reminiscent of poster postcards, except the reply forms are joined at the bottom and fold up over the front of the mail pieces, in lieu of cellophane-sealed double postcards. These make-shift pockets each hold a business reply envelope.

The mailings to each magazine's list of prospects had the same pricing structure, primarily featuring a one free issue soft offer ranging from $15.95 to $19.97, for six to 12 issues. To increase pay-up rates, each includes a cash order option that extends the term of the subscription by one issue.

Teri Wise, circulation director, Amos Hobby Publishing, says the idea for the package started with a campaign for Cars & Parts Wise wanted to try a billboard package. She and the editorial team worked with Williams-Kincaid, Elmhurst, IL to create the right package.

"Normally the billboards that you see include either a single or a double postcard cellophaned onto the front of the billboard because it serves as the address label and the return mechanism," she says. "What we came up with is a little different. The bottom of the billboard folds up and gets wafer-sealed so that a BRE can be enclosed to encourage cash with order."

Cars & Parts' prior #10 package was text only, with none of the striking imagery associated with automobiles. Wise tested the new package against the #10 package, which had been used for at least nine years - before Wise arrived at the company.

Two tests were run for Cars & Parts - one with a 5,000 mailing and another with a 10,000 mailing.

The billboard package increased paid cash with order by 25%. This gave an overall lift in net response of .75%. Amos rolled out with the new package as the control in June.

The company then decided to use the same package for four other magazines - all of which were new to the company. Because this was the first campaign for these magazines, the new billboard package was the control.

Overall, the other car magazine campaigns performed in line with the results for Cars & Parts. All had a cash-with-order of about 30 to 35%. Corvette Enthusiast had a net response of 1.5%. Pontiac Enthusiast performed the worst with a net of only 1%. But with Pontiac, there were some list difficulties, Wise notes.

Seen in the Mail items are identified and researched by MarketRelevance.com, an online direct mail and email promotion-tracking resource offered by ParadyszMatera. General Editor Barbara Love conducted the interview.