Creative Effectiveness in Door Drops: December 2020

Written by Nick Brown, Sales Director of Newsquest Direct and member of the Door Drop Hub of the Print Council.

Despite the tough year that the entire planet has had to endure, Christmas offers some rest bite. The opportunity to see loved ones (or at least some of them) to celebrate and to provide a much-needed distraction from the harsh realities of current life. Or so I thought…

In late November I received a door drop from The Salvation Army. The piece instantly highlighted the plight of the Dan, with an image of a gentleman sitting against a brick wall in the snow.

This was an envelope which not only captured my attention due to the imagery, but it was also asking for my help. I was intrigued, so I opened the envelop to find out more and to see in what ways I could help.

The envelope contained a letter which provided a thorough insight into homelessness and how it had been profoundly impacted by the pandemic, with growing the numbers of homeless, stretching what few resources there are in place. It went on to give a detailed overview of Dan’s desperate plight, but as important, how he is now on the road to climbing his way out of it.

What the door drop did well, apart from giving some detailed insights into an all too familiar problem, it highlighted right at the start what could be done to help, by way of a donation. The envelope contained a simple form, along with a pre-paid envelope, making it easy to respond, surely helping to drive response.

The Salvation Army used the strengths of the door drop platform to great effect. Their door drop arrived with other door drop items however, I was immediately drawn to this item due to the fact it was an envelope and contained powerful images.

However, for me, because I was in physical contact with the brand, it was personal, I felt that the charity was talking to me, telling me of the harsh realities of life outside of our ‘bubble’ and what I could do to help. What’s more it highlighted how our help would make a real difference. The Salvation Army used door drop to tell a story, connecting with their audience in a way that many other channels can’t match.

So as those of us fortunate enough to enjoy a distraction this Christmas, I’m reminded of the great work that door drops do to provide the platform to convey important messages in the right environment to increase engagement and response.