Talbots Mails Oversized Catalog
Women?s apparel retailer Talbots continues to innovate with an oversized catalog that offers ample space to showcase the spring collection. The book?s table of contents directs shoppers to a variety of merchandise, presented in sections like ?Timeless Linen? and ?Adornment ? Dress yourself up, take yourself out.? Toward the center, a Q&A with the company?s President/CEO and Chief Creative Officer gives insight into the changes in the brand. ?We?re honoring the classics that made Talbots the company it is, but evolving at the same time?We like to think of it as ?tradition transformed.?? The first half of the catalog employs a desert theme, picturing its models in the Sahara landscape complete with camels. Later in the catalog, Talbots suggests that shoppers ?go Morocco? in part of its ?Where & When? section which, in addition to offering travel and fashion tips, promotes in-store happenings such as the upcoming Hostess Event. The catalog also pays tribute to the history of the trench coat, referencing its humble beginnings as the official raincoat for the British Army officers during World War I all the way up to Talbots? 2009 take on ?The Classic Trench? ($229). The back cover drives customers to geographically personalized retail locations and features the teaser ?Spring Continues watch for what?s next at Talbots.? Orders can be made by phone or online at Talbots.com.

Civil War Preservation Trust Fights Suburban Development
The nonprofit Civil War Preservation Trust recently mailed a petition piece taking a stance against Wal-Mart?s plans to develop a new retail location adjacent to the historic Wilderness Battlefield. The front of the package features the teaser "Guess Which Major Retailer Threatens an American Civil War Battlefield" and ?Your Special Free Offer.? While previous efforts from Civil War Preservation Trust have spoken out against the development of historical sites in general, this promotion singles out Wal-Mart throughout the piece. The enclosed letter begins with a description of the Battle of the Wilderness, which took place in Virginia. An enclosed map of the battlefield recounts the paths Civil War generals Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee took in their first confrontation, along with the proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter site. The reverse side includes four aerial-view maps: one of The Wilderness Battlefield and vicinity, along with three others that show nearby Wal-Marts and the sprawling development that occurred around them. Beneath the photos, the promotion asks, ?Is this the future of The Wilderness Battlefield?? A petition addressed to the CEO of Wal-Mart urges the corporation to select an alternate site for the store. An additional insert provides testimonials praising the organization's efforts. The membership ask ladder is currently set at $18.65/$50/$100/$250/$500/$1,000/other with the first amount noted as a "New Member Welcome Rate" that is good for two years. All members receive Hallowed Ground magazine as a premium on donation. Donations can be made by mail or online at CivilWar.org.

The Container Store Offers Tax Season Solutions
In anticipation of the April 15th tax filing deadline, The Container Store mailed a mini-catalog promoting its ?Tax Time Sale.? The cover of the book displays the Synchronicity Letter-Size Interior File Folders ($4.99). Paper clipped to a folder is a red circle reading ?Tax Time Sale.? The tab on another folder reads ?Organize Before You Itemize!? Inside, desktop products and storage systems aimed at tax season are offered, like the Punctuate Desktop Collection ($7.99 - $14.99), which includes a pencil cube, a letter box, and various file sorters. Also featured are a Magnetic Monthly Planner ($14.99), a Cascading Letter File Tote ($9.99), and the Premium Storage and File Drawer ($27.99). The back of the catalog lists all retail locations across the continental U.S., including stores nearest the recipient ink jetted below the address panel. Orders can be placed by phone or online. The Tax Time Sale ends April 15th.

The direct mail promotions appearing in Mail Stream are tracked and written up by ParadyszMatera, a media brokerage services company, through its MarketRelevance(tm) Promotion Library. Click here to visit their site: ParadyszMatera.com.