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by Steve Korchynsky
Account Executive, The Verdi Group
It was our big party—we needed to make a big impression. The dimensional mailing was key.
All over the world and here in the U.S., there is a celebration of the arrival of the new Beaujolais—Beaujolais Nouveau—the first time we can (according to French law) actually taste the wine from Gamay grapes made in the Beaujolais region of Burgundy. The wine is released annually on the third Thursday of November.
Every year, The Verdi Group, a Rochester, NY-based marketing agency, holds its own Beaujolais Nouveau Partee! The agency invites all of its clients, friends, and family for an evening of celebration.
In late 2013 The Verdi Group was at it again planning the 17th Partee, and the most critical task was developing a creative and response-worthy invitation.
Strategy:
Implementation / Creativity:
The direct mail invitation was a unique mailing to say the least, and sure to stick out amongst any other piece of mail—the shell was a wooden cheese box. It was sealed shut with a green ribbon (green being The Verdi Group’s signature) and a label on top announcing the 17th annual wine and cheese celebration—it also hinted at the great things in store, including the cheese, wine, contest, prizes, and a wine charm inside the cheese box. Once opened, a perfectly sized three-panel note presented all the details of the party—the date and time, the location (with a map and some history), how to RSVP, information on the contest, and an introduction to the wine charm (made using The Verdi Group’s own 3D printer) enclosed in the cheese box.
The main call-to-action in the direct mail piece was to go to the party website to RSVP, enter the wine and cheese song-spoof contest or find out more!
Effectiveness / Results:
This campaign earned The Verdi Group the 2014 Rochester AMA Marketer of the Year award in the for-profit category.
For more information visit www.theverdigroup.com. New Verdi clients will receive an invitation to next year’s Partee!