Creative Examples of Direct Mail

Everywhere we look we see some kind of advertising. Whether it’s an email from that company you subscribed to, that postcard sitting on your countertop, that magnet on your fridge you got at a trade show, a commercial playing in the background, that billboard you drive by every morning, or that ad on social media you’ve passed over 20 times in one week. Advertisements are everywhere, which means you need yours to stand out more than any other advertisement your audience is exposed to.

First things first, to create advertisements that stand out, you need to choose an effective advertising medium, like direct mail. Then you need to create a direct mail design that will grab the attention of your audience.

So, we’ve put together a list of some of the most creative examples of direct mail to inspire you to launch a direct mail campaign that brings in more sales and makes your brand stand out from the rest.

Die-Cut Brochures

Custom die-cut direct mail products offer a unique way to engage with your audience.

In this direct mail example, they used die-cutting on a tri-fold brochure to add texture and interest to the two side panels making the image of grass appear more realistic. When closed, the layered side panels give you a peak of what’s inside. This intrigues and draws the direct mail recipient in to want to see what else the message has to say.

Spin Wheel Direct Mail

This exciting direct mail example is sure to get your audience to interact with your message in a way that will make them much more likely to remember your brand. Every recipient will want to spin the wheel to discover new opportunities or details.

This is a great idea for retailers to use to highlight upcoming promotions, a nonprofit to display their accomplishments or goals, a pest control company to show different pests that could be invading homes, a winery sharing their different blends, or like in this direct mail example, to display healthy snack options.

Pop Up Mailers

If you’re looking to really add that “wow” factor to your direct mail, then #3 of creative examples of direct mail is exactly for you.

Bring your direct mail message to life by adding a pop-up to your catalog, booklet, brochure, or greeting card. You’ll add so many levels of uniqueness to your brand and we’re almost positive none of your competitors are using this direct mail technique which will ensure your brand stands out from the rest.

Try this technique for your real estate company to showcase a beautiful home, your credit union to display your location, your university to highlight a new building, your furniture store to display a beautiful bedroom set, and more!

Birthday Mailings

It’s not just about how creative your direct mail design is, it’s also about timing. And wishing your audience a happy birthday or sending a postcard on other special occasions like holidays, or an important event in your customer’s life is a great way to build your brand, strengthen customer relationships, and drive attention to what you have to offer.

Plus sending special occasion related messages, like birthday mailings, is extremely easy and affordable!

Interactive Cut Outs

Another creative example of direct mail is to add perforated die-cutting to your direct mailer to create a unique way for your audience to interact with your message.

This creative direct mail technique involves special dies that cut only perforated outlines of shapes rather than cutting completely through the paper.

Commonly used for including tickets, coupons, or vouchers, this custom and unique approach to direct mail can be used for anything as we see here for this robot figure that can be assembled when completely punched out.

Landscape Brochures

We typically see brochures printed in portrait format and by creating a landscape style brochure, you change things up in a way that shows your audience that your brand isn’t average, it’s unique.

Take this direct mail example for one, it uses a landscape, 5-panel folded brochure that leads the direct mail recipient on an interactive journey through the entire message in a simple yet stand out way. Something as simple as changing the orientation of your direct mail is a great example of creating something that will drive attention to your message.

Metallic Inks and Spot Coatings

One great thing about direct mail materials is you can add metallic ink and spot coatings to make your message stand out even more!

Metallic inks like gold and silver can either be used alone or combined with a CMYK color build to create metallic colors like a shimmery blue or red. Spot coatings are used to make certain elements within your direct mail design shinier than other elements. For example, you could make an image or headline appear glossy compared to the rest of your design.

Try this direct mail example for a holiday greeting card, a grand opening postcard, or just in general to add a creative and eye-catching twist to your direct mail message.

Personalized for Each Recipient

Personalizing your direct mail is a great way to grab your recipient's attention. It makes them feel more connected to your brand and makes them a lot more likely to respond to your message.

In fact, by adding personalization as simple as a name to direct mail, marketers have found that it increases response rates by an average of 135%.

So, no matter what option you choose from these examples of direct mail, making your messages personalized for each recipient is something to consider. Plus, it’s easy and affordable thanks to Variable Data Printing.