April, 2011 – This Luxury Daily article discusses how direct mail can incorporate various types of media to communicate a strong message (http://www.luxurydaily.com/jo-malone-tea%e2%80%99s-off-new-scents-with-bloomingdale%e2%80%99s-mailer/).

By Rachel Lamb

Fragrance and candlemaker Jo Malone takes over the Beauty Blooms Bloomingdale’s spring mailer with an independent fold-out sleeve promoting its new tea fragrance blends.

The Bloomingdale’s mailer advertises cosmetics and fragrances from brands such Marc Jacobs, Prada, Clarins, Nars and Yves Saint Laurent. Jo Malone’s fold-out mailer describes a few of the fragrances, with Internet and in-store calls-to-action and incorporating a sample of one of the colognes.

“Direct mail can incorporate various types of media to communicate a strong message,” said Ron Kurtz, principal at American Affluence Research Center, Atlanta. “Or it can be as simple as a strong letter encouraging people to visit a company’s Web site.

“For companies that need to reach truly affluent consumers, direct mail is probably the most cost-efficient and cost-effective method for making initial contact with potential prospects, much more so than even upscale magazines,” he said. “It can also be used to interact with existing clients to build rapport and loyalty.”

American Affluence Research Center is not associated with Bloomingdale’s or Jo Malone. Mr. Kurtz agreed to comment as a third-party expert.

Jo Malone did not respond and Bloomingdale’s could not offer comment by press deadline.

Normal mailer?
Five colognes are advertised in the Jo Malone mailer. Three are used as scents that can stand alone and two as accents to the others.

When consumers open the brochure, they must unfold one of the four sections at a time, each of which explains one cologne.

As consumers unfold the brochure, the cologne that was just described is portrayed as a vivid image on the opposite side of the fold.

When the entire brochure is unfolded, four images of the fragrances surround a middle section describing the tea fragrance collection.

The Jo Malone mailer also encloses a sample of one of the scents in a take-out sleeve. Customers are invited to go to a Bloomingdale’s location and take home a fragrance spray sample of their choice.

Customers can also visit http://www.bloomingdales.com/jomalone and will receive a complimentary Orange Blossom fragrance spray sample with any Jo Malone purchase.

The Bloomingdale’s mailer also introduces spring-inspired luxury products with digital and in-store calls-to-action.

Direct mail recipients are alerted to the fact that they can receive free gifts and beauty products at a current in-store event and that they can earn rewards points by using a Bloomingdale’s card.

Mail chauvinist
In an increasingly digital world, some luxury brands are looking toward social media, ecommerce sites and mobile to attract potential clients.

However, Affluent Insight’s Mr. Kurtz says that direct mail is one of the best ways that brands can start relationships with new customers.

“Many people think email is a good substitute for direct mail to make initial contact, but it is deceptively inexpensive and difficult to use for targeting truly affluent consumers,” Mr. Kurtz said.

Like in the case of Jo Malone and Bloomingdale’s, brands tend to use direct mail to entice consumers to other channels such as mobile, in-store and online.

The Jo Malone mailer attracts consumers’ with sight, smell and touch, which is more than recipients can get with online interaction. Moreover, the mailer has the chance to reach potential consumers by being sent out with the regular Bloomingdale’s spring brochure.

“It is necessary to make a distinction between making initial contact with a potential prospect and communicating to someone with which contact or a relationship has already been established,” Mr. Kurtz said.

“Direct mail is an active or assertive way to make contact with a potential prospect, whereas waiting to be discovered online is a passive approach, as is traditional media advertising in some respects,” he said.