What’s the Big Deal?

The Big Deal box is printed to look nearly identical to the previous effort, with the same photograph, graphics and fonts used for the teaser and membership-card image on the back.

There are two differences, however. In the pre-mailing, there is no graphic depicting the key chain like the one on the Big Deal box. And oddly, while the pre-mailing membership card indicates that I am a “2008 Platinum Member,” the card graphic on the Big Deal box has downgraded me to a mere “2008 Member.” It’s not something your average donor would likely notice, but my bet is the “Platinum Member” status is an extra motivator best used consistently throughout the series for maximum impact.

Inside the Big Deal box is everything I had been promised, and all of it lives up to and exceeds expectations, from the key chain, wallet calendar and several sheets of address labels to the credit card-quality membership card with raised letters, personalized with my name in metallic silver — as a “2008 Platinum Member” with a 12/08 expiration date.

Did you get it?
Two days later, on Jan. 28, a faux rush delivery notice arrived in a No. 10 envelope with a “VERY IMPORTANT” teaser, falcon graphic and red hash marks blazing across the front and back in a diagonal.

An urgent telegram-style letter in all caps requests my immediate response because, “I recently sent your personalized 2008 Membership Kit and have not heard from you.” Here again, a missed opportunity to personalize the ask array on the lasered front of the letter; and the printed ask string on the back begins at an amount even lower than before.

Printed in red and black with a canary BRE, even with the inclusion of a small member decal, this looks to be an inexpensive and effective follow-up to the much pricier Big Deal package.