The New Republic: Direct Mail Postcard Test

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The New RepublicDirect Mail Postcard Test

• Lori Dorr
• Circulation Director, The New Republic
• The 2005 MPA-IMAG Leadership Conference June 27,
  2005

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Direct Mail Postcard Test Background

• Rate Base Reduction in 2003
• Circulation-driven
• Focus on profitability
• Eliminate unprofitable sources like direct mail,
  agents
• Grow profitable sources like print and digital
  subs sold on Internet
• Credit Card Payment and Continuous Service
• Double the renewal rate of direct mail in first
  year
• 67 increase in renewal rate in second year
• Subscribers enjoy immediate access, dont have to
  wait 4-6 weeks
• Internet production replaced direct mail volume
• NowCombine Direct Mail and Internet?

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Direct Mail Postcard Test Background (contd.)

• September 2004 tested traditional direct mail
  letter with online offer
• Credit card, continuous service offer, only
  available online
• Did not perform well enough to repeat, but had
  better 4-year NPV compared to traditional direct
  mail
• June 2005 Test again, but this time
• Cheaper Package
• Double postcard vs. traditional package
• Editors copy vs. direct mail writers
• More Targeted List
• List overlay (Experian) with tech enthusiast
  variables
• Overlay of September 2004 campaign revealed that
  first 6 segments performed best (1 extremely
  likely, 9 extremely unlikely)
• Editorial Gift Collection of past/present
  articles on topic
• Panel 1 download articles immediately
• Panel 2 download articles after subscribing

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Direct Mail Postcard Test Offline Component
Postcard Front
Postcard Back
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Direct Mail Postcard Test Offline Component
Inside Postcard
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Direct Mail Postcard Test Online Component
Main Web Page
Editorial Gift Web Page
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Direct Mail Postcard Test Performance

• Stay tunedpostcard just mailed