Monroe and Main Has Got a New Look
Women's fashion retailer Monroe and Main recently debuted a new look. The cover of the Fall 2009 catalog sports an updated logo with a teaser stating "The Monroe you know, with New Looks for Fall!" The new logo puts less emphasis on "and Main," placing it below the larger sized "Monroe." Like other Swiss Colony titles, the catalog offers a line of credit with monthly payments as low as $20. The book features fall fashion, footwear and accessories for every occasion, from the workplace to a night out. Products include the City Smart Trench ($99.95 - $109.95), the Take Note! Dress ($89.95 - $99.95), and the Monterey Handbag ($49.95). Orders can be placed by phone, online, or by mail.

Field & Stream Offers Hearty Freemium
Bonnier Corporation recently mailed a subscription offer for Field & Stream Magazine that includes a recipe card freemium that should prove useful this hunting season. The #9 package reads "Free Gift Enclosed" to alert recipients to the insert inside that offers the magazine editor's recipe for Venison Chili. Inside the package, a voucher form details the subscription benefits, including "strategies to help you find more game and catch more fish," gear reviews, and survival tips. The longstanding premium on payment, a free Trout & Goose gear bag, is promoted on the voucher as well. The water resistant nylon bag features a beverage holder and two large outer pockets, one of which is embroidered with the magazine's logo. The reply form, titled "Sportsmen's Advantage Savings Order Form," presents a hard offer of $10 for 12 issues. A recipe card freemium for the "Ultimate Wild Game Rub" has been tracked before from the hunting and fishing title.

Help Hospitalized Veterans and Coalition to Salute America's Heroes Mail Christmas Packages
Related nonprofit organizations Help Hospitalized Veterans (HHV) and Coalition to Salute America's Heroes (CSAH) both mailed holiday-themed fundraising packages in August that employ various donation incentives and include Christmas cards for injured soldiers. Both promotions include photos and tell the stories of veterans who have been victims of severe injuries and are in poor physical condition and/or are unable to provide for their families during the upcoming holiday season. HHV's main mission is to provide therapeutic craft kits to patients receiving care at VA medical centers and military hospitals. The package's creative resembles previous holiday efforts, referring to the enclosed "Christmas Card for a Hospitalized Military Hero." HHV's ask ladder remains at $3/$5/$10/$15/$25/$50/other. CSAH focuses on supporting both the soldiers and their families as they rebuild their lives. Departing from its traditional polywrap package with $1 bills included, CSAH's package ties the ailing economy into the injured troops' hardships, saying that "our wounded troops and their families desperately need your help to avoid financial crises this Christmas Season." The ask ladder has been adjusted with both lower and higher donations amounts, currently set at $15/$25/$50/$100/$250/$500/$1,000/other. The included cards function as involvement devices to be returned along with a donation. HHV also includes its usual "God Bless America" bumper sticker, while CSAH encloses a Christmas 2009 ribbon magnet that reads "Support Our Wounded Troops."

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.