Love it or hate it, Valentine’s Day is a major retail event of which all kinds of brands can take advantage.
While the holiday automatically conjures up images of romantic love for many of us, it’s common for people to give gifts to all kinds of loved ones, such as their kids, teachers, friends, and pets. This means there is a range of products and experiences consumers might be in the market for that go beyond just flowers and chocolate. Overall, consumers plan to spend $25.8 billion on Valentine’s Day this year, which is on par with spending last year. And among those who are anti-Valentine’s Day, more than a quarter still plan to mark the occasion in some way.
We think there’s no better way to help consumers find the perfect gift than by coupling digital data signals with highly visual direct mail pieces—with a bit of machine learning thrown in as a match-maker—a la Programmatic Direct Mail.
Take a few hints from these lovely postcard examples below.
Catch their eye and their heart
How fun is this creative from The Popcorn Factory?
For a brand whose products consumers could give to a range of recipients, the use of popcorn and a childlike craft heart to spell out “love” is the perfect visual touch. The related copy backs up this message, with the offer displayed prominently. It’s a prime example of PDM done right.
Put a new spin on an old classic
We love, love, LOVE this unique and provocative use of an old Valentine’s Day standby—flowers—to promote the clothing brand For Love & Lemons. The garden-inspired theme is so attention-grabbing that it stands on its own without even needing to show the brand logo or offers (yes, there are two on the back!). It would be hard for any consumer in the market for clothing or lingerie not to want to flip the postcard to see more details.
Think outside the (chocolate) box
In this LAGOS postcard, you can’t help but get drawn to the call to action on the front, “Celebrate love,” with a woman whose smile is as bright as the jewelry advertised. We are hardwired to respond to faces—one study revealed that 91.7% of ads with a person’s face attracted more attention than ads without faces and, as a result, increased brand recognition. Of course, we recommend brands test different creatives with products and people and without and see what works best for their audience.
LAGOS’ main offer is on the back—a smart play given that mail is often delivered address-side up in the mailbox, which means the recipient can see this side first. When you add the immaculate layout and design, these elements help drive brand awareness and recognition in an oversaturated product category during Valentine’s Day.
By marrying digital targeting and measurement with a visual offline medium based on household addresses, you’ll have a match made in heaven for your Valentine’s Day campaign.
