Sappi Fine Paper North America Launches Act Now! A Better Response to Direct Mail

BOSTON, Sept. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Sappi Fine Paper North America today announced the official launch of Act Now! A Better Response to Direct Mail, a dynamic, educational resource that guides readers through the essential principles of creating effective mailings that deliver results. Act Now! showcases the strategies and techniques behind how direct mail can strike a uniquely delicate balance: the ability to package a message that will not only pique reader interest, but also ultimately drive consumer response. Sappi is debuting Act Now! at PRINT 13, being held September 8-12, 2013 in Chicago.

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"In an increasingly virtual world, tangible forms of communication can cut through the noise and have significant impact, and because of this, the value of mail should not be underestimated," said Jennifer Miller, EVP of Coated Business and Chief Sustainability Officer, Sappi Fine Paper North America. "The power of print combined with smart design elements that will increase engagement – folding, coating, integrated technology – is what makes direct mail more memorable for the recipient, and also shine in the marketing mix."

Sappi's ambition for this project was to clearly address the role of direct mail in an increasingly digital world while also designing a piece that captures the essence and excitement of how one feels when opening an engaging printed piece of mail.

By working closely with direct mail and format expert, Trish Witkowski of foldfactory.com, to drive the research and content that serves as the backbone of the guide, Sappi's Act Now! resulted in an easy-to-use,  original resource for defining and demonstrating the advantages of mail – including its return on investment. In fact, a recent study shows that direct mail brings in approximately $12 for every dollar invested.[1]

"We put substantial effort into defining and demonstrating the process that is involved in getting the maximum achievable results out of mail, breaking it down into three distinct parts: strategy, format and analysis," states Witkowski. "Anyone can get great results with mail at either end of the budget spectrum, and we're giving you the formula for success."

A Lesson in Style

Design firm VSA Partners was charged with the creative on the project, whose final format is a tailored box with a clever opening mechanism. The recipient unzips the package to find a useful guidebook as well as varied samples of real-world mail pieces that serve as unique case studies. From a card campaign for a local butcher that wants to educate its neighbors on sustainable practices, to a dimensional format for Facebook, the samples showcase a variety of options that will inspire and educate by demonstration.

"Today's digital and data-driven marketers never ignore the fact that direct mail remains a vital part of the multichannel mix. Presentation is always key," states Dana Arnett, CEO of VSA Partners, "and consumers often favor and appreciate print to be the most effective and captivating way to connect with a brand."

For many businesses, standing out from competitors is a challenge. Act Now!, and the case studies included, illustrate how engagement techniques and special effects can accentuate details that are distinctive to specific businesses, helping them stand out in their industry. In addition to design suggestions, Act Now! provides designers with a simple set of guidelines to best navigate USPS mail requirements, and also instructs marketers on how to utilize current technology to optimize their distribution lists for results that are both creative and cost-effective.

Act Now! was printed on Sappi Opus, known industry-wide for superior surface quality and engineered for pressroom efficiency. The paper is adaptable to any marketing format, and is recognized for its consistency and broad range of sizes, weights and finishes, with matching sheet and web options. Opus delivers a higher quality feel than any other competitive grade at the same basis weight; in addition, it is Green-e® certified and made with over 80 percent renewable energy, making it the perfect choice for direct mail needs. Opus is also cost-effective thanks to postal caliper guarantees that will help ensure that a mailing project stays within budget.

Find out how to Act Now!

To receive a copy of this essential resource, you can place a request with your Sappi sales representative; additionally, Trish Witkowski and Sappi's Daniel Dejan will be going on the road to present Act Now!  in a speaking tour with events scheduled through the end of 2013 and into 2014. Contact your Sappi sales representative to see when they'll be in a city near you. For updates on Sappi news, follow on Twitter at @SappiNA and visit the company's Facebook page.

About Sappi Fine Paper North America

Sappi Fine Paper North America, known for innovation and quality, is a preeminent North American producer of coated fine and release papers, as well as dissolving wood pulp (DWP) and market kraft pulp headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Its coated fine papers, with highly recognized brand names such as McCoy, Opus, Somerset and Flo, are used in premium magazines, catalogs, books and high-end print advertising. The company is also the world's leading supplier of release papers for the automotive, fashion and engineered films industries, including the globally recognized Ultracast brand. Sappi's release papers provide the surface aesthetics for synthetic fabrics used in footwear, clothing, upholstery and accessories, as well as the textures for decorative laminates found in kitchens, baths, flooring and other decorative surfaces. Sappi globally is the world's largest manufacturer of dissolving wood pulp and the leading supplier of viscose staple fiber. Dissolving wood pulp is a versatile raw material used by manufacturers to produce a wide range of products including textile fibers, pharmaceutical, beauty, and household products. Sappi Fine Paper North America, through the recent conversion of the Cloquet pulp mill, manufactures dissolving pulp under Sappi's Specialised Cellulose division primarily for the textile markets.  

Sappi Fine Paper North America is a subsidiary of Sappi Limited (NYSE, JSE), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with over 14,000 employees and manufacturing operations on three continents in seven countries and customers in over 100 countries around the world. Learn more about Sappi at: www.sappi.com/na.

[1] The Power of Direct Marketing. Direct Marketing Association, 2011-12.

SOURCE Sappi Fine Paper North America