Mail Stream: A Report on Incoming Direct Mail

Restoration Hardware Adds Baby & Child Catalog
Home retailer Restoration Hardware, known for its various catalog editions such as Outdoor and Home, recently released its latest incarnation, Baby & Child. The 96-page Premiere Edition introduces itself with, "Good things come in small packages. Babies. Puppies. Engagement rings. And now, Restoration Hardware Baby & Child." The collection presents an elegant approach to outfitting a child’s environment with some organic cotton apparel and bibs in addition to furniture and home decor accessories. The cover neatly frames elements of the Sutton Nursery Collection, which includes a complete crib setup with a Canopy Crib ($999), a Stroller Blanket ($39), and a Wooden Rockabye Horse ($129). Inside, the catalog presents groupings of merchandise in various color schemes such as pale pink, sage, or blue with dark brown accents. Furniture includes an Emerson Headboard personalized with child’s initial ($349), an Arden Tufted Chest ($649), a Mini Roll Arm Chair ($649), and a Tenley Table ($169). On the back cover, the catalog offers a $100 discount with any purchase of $300 or more if the customer uses the company's registry service. Orders may be placed by mail, phone, fax, or online at RHBabyandChild.com.

Anti-Defamation League Fights Anti-Semitism
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a nonprofit aimed at ending misrepresentation of and discrimination against Jewish people, recently mailed a personalized fundraising piece that includes the 2008 “ADL Supporter” card. The #10 package urges “Use this card to stop the oldest hatred.” Inside, there is a brochure that recounts the organization’s history, beginning in 1913 with ADL’s efforts to greatly reduce “objectionable and vulgar” references to Jewish people in the media. In its letter to potential donors, the organization underscores education, hoping “to stop hate before it takes root.” ADL has developed a classroom curriculum called “A World of Difference” aimed at reaching students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade with its message of tolerance and understanding. Other major goals stated in the letter are to enact landmark hate crime laws in the U.S. as well as “to foster interfaith understanding.” The ask ladder on the reply form is set at $25/$50/$100/$250/$500/$1,000. Donations may also be made online at ADL.org.

Fun Express Targets Retailers with Halloween Wares
Oriental Trading Company recently mailed a Halloween edition of its business-to-business Fun Express catalog so that retailers can stock up their stores for the upcoming tricks and treats. Unlike the company’s many other catalogs, this specialty title only sells wholesale to retailers. The orange cover of the 28-page book displays a variety of candy and an assortment of themed novelty items such as spider rings, plastic eyeballs, and vampire teeth. It also features the tagline “When it comes to fun, we’re all business.” Much of the merchandise throughout the catalog is offered in bulk with volume discounts in place. For example, Vinyl Hanging Bats are offered for $4.95 per dozen but the price drops to $2.50 per dozen when ordering eight dozen or more and again to $1.90 per dozen when ordering 60+ dozen. Other items include the Plastic Smoking Skeleton Cauldron ($79.95), a Halloween Candy Assortment ($22.95 for 5 lbs.), and Foam Monster Masks ($4.95 per dozen). Orders may be placed by mail, phone, fax, or online at the website FunExpress.com.

The direct mail promotions appearing in Mail Stream are tracked and written up by ParadyszMatera, a media brokerage services company, through its MarketRelevance(tm) Promotion Library. Click here to visit their site: ParadyszMatera.com.