Creative Effectiveness in Door Drops: November 2022

Written by Chris Rothwell, Senior Account Director, The Letterbox Consultancy and member of the Door Drop Hub of the Print Council.

Brands Repositioning in Response to the Cost of Living Crisis

McCarthy Stone is the UK’s leading developer and building firm in the retirement community sector, creating properties for the sale or rental market. Their target market is retired homeowners looking to sell up and move into retirement properties.

This recent door drop piece shows how the brand reacts directly to the current economic climate and addresses older people’s concerns about the cost of living crisis.

The main message has shifted from focusing on the quality of the properties and the available facilities to financial help, such as a £10,000 discount on the sale price and stamp duty exemptions.

The messaging and imagery are positive and shows a happy resident enjoying their free time without financial worries. The black and red of McCarthy Stone’s logo is picked up in the headline, the highlighted boxes and the main subject’s clothing.

Using a happy, smiling central figure on the front page will immediately draw the reader’s eye. Visual attention and eye-tracking research show that using a human face is one of the most effective ways of getting the viewer’s attention in those crucial initial seconds.

The central spread concentrates on “Beating Rising Living Costs”, with the phrase repeated throughout the piece.

The central spread focuses on how simple and straightforward the property sale and purchase can be. The messaging emphasises how moving to a McCarthy Stone development will help save money and allow older people to enjoy their retirement without worrying about the current financial situation.

Much of the copy emphasises the financial benefits of purchasing or renting a McCarthy Stone property and the flexibility of financing and payments. The non-financial benefits of moving to a McCarthy Stone property take up less than one-half of an A5 panel.

There’s a time-limited offer, and phrases such as “ring today to avoid missing out” encourage a quick response. These are all very traditional calls to action and to promote contact.

As the cost of living crisis continues to bite this winter, we’ll undoubtedly see more brands reposition themselves to offer ways to save money and beat price rises.

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