2016 Gold Award Winners: Direct Mail—House
MSPCA Year-End Appeal
Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Submitted by DaVinci Direct
The Numbers
Recipients: 87,090
Response Rate: 5.89 percent
Total Cost: $45,288
Income Generated: $243,965
Average Gift: $47.58
Cost to Raise a Dollar: $0.26
Why It Won
This package, although simple, accomplishes several tasks well. First, it makes the reader care. On the front of the #10 outer, a large black-and-white photograph of a dog in a decaying box is heartbreaking. It takes up almost half of the face of the envelope. The teaser acknowledges the contributor’s past support with an emphasis on “your.” Inside, the image is repeated on the letter, which asks for another gift because Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals had not yet met its goals for the year.
Second, it thanks the donor for his or her support in saving animals, listing some by name. A one-sheet insert gives more of an update on specific dogs, cats and a horse that “you helped this year”—placing the emphasis on the donor. The response rate for this effort is a hard-to-beat 5.89 percent, and the packaged generated $243,965 in income. Bravo!
See the complete list of 2016 winners here.
