FetchDog Gets Social
Canine-centric retailer FetchDog, founded by actress Glenn Close, includes a few ways to connect online with its summer 2009 book. The catalog's back cover presents an email sign-up plus information on Facebook and Twitter, giving recipients an easy way to "join us online and dig a little deeper." The newsfeeds for both feature tips and links to dogs in the news, such as the Humane Society's "Coping with the death of your pet" and updates on the first dog, Bo. Fans on Facebook can upload their own pooch photos, and the site is also seeking catalog dog models. The 64-page catalog includes user reviews, like the "five paw" review from Margie the pet driver for the Canine Zip Line & Harness ($45). Other products include the Eco-Friendly Napper ($29 - $109), the Standalone Pet Gate ($119 - $229), and the Collapsible Ball Launcher ($24.75). Orders can be placed by phone, fax, online, or by mail.

World Magazine: Offering Today's News, Christian Views
Religious news publication World Magazine recently mailed a newly designed promotion, touting a 75% discount off of the cover price. The exterior of the 6" x 10½" package reads, "Truth-Telling News, Budget-Friendly Price Tag." Inside, the letter to potential subscribers provides a perspective on the current state of journalism and how World Magazine fits in. It credits the internet as "intensifying" the dialogue, but cites a lack of "perspective that could remotely be called Christian." Offering a "uniquely Biblical worldview," the biweekly World is positioned as a "trusted resource in these relativistic times." One reader is quoted: "I learned enough from [one issue alone] to justify the cost of the year's subscription." A foldout insert includes another quote of praise from conservative columnist and Fox News Watch panelist Cal Thomas: "World has material that is of interest to Christians and non-Christian alike and does the best job I've seen of stimulating thought, encouraging action and reporting news from a perspective that is available virtually nowhere else." The magazine is sold via hard offer set at $24.37/$39.44 for 13/26 issues. An involvement sticker promotes the premium on payment incentive, a $20 gift card to Christian Book Distributors.

Humane Society International Continues to Fight for Ocean Wildlife
A recent #10 package from the Humane Society International (HIS) rallies support for dolphins, whales, sharks and other sea life. Dolphins are described as "among the most magnificent, intelligent creatures in our oceans" on the front while the reverse asks: "Is a bowl of shark fin soup worth the slow, painful death of untold thousand of sharks just for their fins?" The letter inside provides a multitude of details and statistics on the dangers facing ocean wildlife in regions like Japan and Denmark, where these creatures are hunted. According to HIS, as many as 18,000 porpoises are killed by Japanese fishermen every year, and thousands of sharks die due to "finning." The reply form displays a photograph of a hunt described in the letter with the caption "A dolphin pod being herded and slaughtered." The back of the form lists tips on spreading support, like telling the government that "animals matter," and pledging not to buy products made from animal parts. The ask ladder is $5/$8/$10/other. Labels declaring HSI Support, plus images of dolphins and whales in the wild are included in the package as a freemium.

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.