Direct Mail

The focus of this mailing is the nickel — or, more specifically, all the things the American Kidney Fund can accomplish with it. “It’s amazing what the American Kidney Fund can accomplish with the enclosed nickel!” states the No. 10 envelope’s teaser. An arrow points prospects inside to the mailing’s contents: an 8.5-inch-by-15-inch form that includes a detachable reply device and an adjoining sheet of 48 address labels; a 3.5-inch-by-3.5-inch “Thinking of You” card on cardstock; a 7-inch-by-10-inch double-sided letter; and a BRE. The actual, shiny new nickel is affixed to the reply device with a series of urges from AKF to return the coin,

This mailing from the American Institute for Cancer Research is a reminder annual-fund mailing sent to previous donors who didn’t respond to the organization’s initial appeal. The mailing includes just a reply device, letter and BRE. The letter is brief, with AICR letterhead at the top, a list of six diet and health guidelines for cancer prevention -- giving an example of AICR’s research and education mission -- and an ask summed up in four short paragraphs and the P.S. The letter’s tone conveys surprise that the recipient has not yet donated to the annual fund -- “Our records indicate you have not yet

While some people might think that nonprofit direct mail that contains myriad elements and flashy, four-color graphics is a waste of much-needed funds, there’s something to be said for the wowing effect of bells and whistles. Few organizations make as much noise in this regard as environmental-protection and advocacy organization Sierra Club. When Sierra Club tackles an issue in its direct mail, it leaves no stone unturned and no element out, packing those elements with loads of messaging and graphics. There’s something for everyone. For recipients not big on reading direct-mail letters, this mailing includes a 3-inch-by-4.25-inch six-panel insert with beautiful four-color pictures of wildlife

Identifying environmentalists is the greatest challenge environment-focused organizations face.

That according to Mary O’Connor, vice president of development for The Conservation Fund, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting America’s landscapes and waterways.

Isn’t it funny how one word often can instill an emotion — be it fear, empathy, concern, anger, etc. — in the heart and mind of the person who sees or hears it? The outer envelope of this mailing sent by NARAL Pro-Choice America has a red horizontal bar above the address box that reads: “URGENT MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL.” The word “urgent” makes the mailing suddenly a hot potato that needs to be opened and read instantly. For those recipients who have seen this urgency tactic before -- and it is used often in nonprofit advocacy mailings -- NARAL turns up the heat with an affixed

This mailing from Oxfam America is plain and sparse and that’s the point. Mailed blind in a No. 10 envelope, it includes a reply device, BRE, three-page 8.5-inch-by-11-inch letter, all of which are on plain white paper devoid of color save for the occasional green Oxfam America logo. The 3.75-inch-by-9-inch, six-panel brochure -- done in four-color and rife with photographs of the Third World people the organization helps -- provides the only gloss and color in the mailing. The mailing’s sparseness is meant to convey the organization’s commitment to its mission. This is revealed in the letter, which begins: “Dear Friend, Here’s what you won’t

Few organizations make constituents feel as much a part of the mission as Habitat for Humanity does. That involvement is intrinsic to its mission. A Christian organization dedicated to eliminating substandard housing and homelessness throughout the world, Habitat relies both on financial support and help from volunteers in its effort to build homes. These are the two key components to achieving the goals of its mission. Without the funds, the houses wouldn’t be able to be built, nor would they be built were it not for volunteers’ helping hands. This mailing is a great display of how the organization connects donors to the home builds

Every gift matters. That was the message the greater Chicago Food Depository got across to donors as it undertook its recent capital campaign, which hinged on the tagline, "Give What You Can."

Best Friends Animal Society, located in the heart of southern Utah’s golden circle of National Parks, is home to as many as 1,500 dogs, cats, horses, rabbits and other animals. For the past 10 years, the organization had been using the same acquisition package. Although it had done a great job, response rates were dropping, causing the donor file to remain flat.

The situation was dire: If a new package wasn’t created, the file actually would have started to decrease, which could have led to cuts in service.

This mailing sent by Lambda Legal, a national litigation, education and public-policy organization committed to achieving full recognition of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals and those living with HIV, has a lot going on. To play off the mailing’s focus on rights, the outer envelope is treated to look like tan parchment paper, calling to mind the U.S. Constitution. The back of the envelope continues this theme with a teaser written in script that reads, “With Liberty and Justice for All” in black ... only the “All” has a red slash through it and the word “some” in faux handwriting above