It's Hard to Resist Don Draper

     From day one, AMC has used social media and viral marketing to help spread the word about its critically acclaimed series Mad Men. From avatars to apps, quizzes and cast Q&As, there have been seemingly countless ways to engage with the mad men and women of Sterling Cooper (now, Sterling Draper Cooper Pryce).
     Real-life ad agency days aren't quite as stylish, sexy or carcinogenic. So, we were thrilled to receive an email today with the subject:

Mad Men | Which of Don's Women are You?

     How could we resist?

     The body of the email, complete with a dashing photo of Mr. D and all of his conquests, invited us to click through. Love the second part of the headline: "Answer Just Seven Questions and Find Out!" Great way to encourage participation. Sure, you may be reading this while you're at work, but you can take a break for seven little questions.

     The quiz is quick and fun, humorously written and reminiscent of the show. (Oh, and for the record, the Queen B is a Suzanne.) Once, you have your results, you're invited to play again or to share via Facebook or Twitter.

     Mad Men doesn't start up again until after the holidays. But, engaging promotions like this one keep it top of mind for all of the (opt-in) "maddicts" out there. It's also a great way to promote AMC's other products.

     The b's at B Direct give this email campaign a thumbs-up. Or, we would if our hands weren't already full of martinis and cigarettes.

One Small Package, So Many Things Right

     "Prost!" It's Octoberfest time, and the b's just received invitations to a party at Hannaford & Dumas, a Boston-area printshop. These neat square mailers arrived last week. Each just 5" x 5" in size but packing a lot of promotional punch.

     With all of the invitation information on the outside, one might worry that the package wouldn't be opened. No worries. We could tell that there was something inside the sleek little piece and our curiosity was piqued.

     Sure enough, along with RSVP information, we found a CD.

     These folks did so many things right, it's easier to list them than to write full paragraphs:

• Square package stands out
• Typography-based graphic reads "cool" to art director audience
• Stamps.com stickers beat pre-printed indicia (although a traditional USPS stamp might have been better)
• Copy is super quick — just the facts, ma'am
• Sending a CD adds "freemium" excitement
• Letting us know right on the disk that it's only "about 2 minutes" is very smart
• Video is clean, quick and persuasive
• And, an Octoberfest party is so much more appealing than a press tour

     Well done, Hannaford & Dumas. The b's at B Direct not only give this invitation a thumbs-up, but we are going to consider you the next time we have an appropriate print project. "Zum Wohl!"

Get the Picture ... or Not

     At B Direct, we get a lot of direct mail inviting us to various area galleries, openings and artists' receptions. This week was no different. This oversized postcard arrived from the Art Institute of Boston, a local school that we have supported for years.
     

     The front (or art side) of the card had a bright blue field of color with all the logistics we needed: exhibit dates, reception information and the theme. It was the school's Centennial Faculty Exhibit. We flipped the card over and found more of the same with the addition of the gallery's address and phone number.

     Um ... something was missing. Can you guess what?
     This is an invitation to a photography exhibit. So, where is the photography? Dudes, you are promoting an event that is all about images. Where are the images?
     At B Direct, a lot of our clients are marketing invisible products like data storage. Even so, we make it a point to include some pictures. People look at pictures first. And, we're guessing that there are probably some pretty fantastic pictures that could have been used to market this event. What a waste.
     Sorry, but the b's at B Direct are going to give this one a thumbs-down. (Get the picture?)