Draper's & Damon's is Back in the USA
An unusual message graced the front of the 68-page Best of Summer 2009 catalog from classic women's apparel brand Draper's & Damon's. The purple burst reads "Our Call Center is Back in the USA. Personal Service 24/7." According to reports, the company decided to make this change to take advantage of Orchard Brands' shared services group, plus the company also felt the offshore center reps were not a fit with its core audience of older women. (Draper's and Damon's customers are age 50+ with an average income of $65,000.) The catalog promotes the news inside the book by informing recipients that the U.S. service center was "Named one of the top five call centers in the country by the National Retail Federation!" Sample merchandise within the "All Time Favorites" book includes Essential Tees ($19 - $26), Flat-Front Pull on Pants ($39.95 " $45.95), and the Eyelet Mandarin Jacket ($69.95 - $79.95).

Gander Mountain is Back in Action
To reintroduce itself as "The Original Outdoors Catalog," Gander Mountain's spring Master Catalog 2009 uses historic cover images dating back to summer 1975. The 284-page book features products and apparel for hunting, fishing, and marine sports, including ammunition, shooting accessories, binoculars, coolers, lanterns, tents, fishing line, bobbers, boat seats and outerwear. Sample products range from St. Croix fishing rods ($49.99 - $189.99) to fishing boats like the Tracker Pro 16 ($7,995). A 10% discount is offered on orders over $50+.

Doctors of the World Becomes HealthRight International
Global health and human rights organization Doctors of the World-USA has changed its name to HealthRight International. A postcard announcing the change was mailed in February. Since then, a promotion featuring the story of a Vietnamese child infected with HIV was mailed with specific actions tied to ask amounts from $50 to $550 (e.g. $50 provides three HIV affected families with a month's supply of nutritional support.) A monthly contribution option was also offered.

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.