American Indian Relief Council Encloses Scholarship Form
A program of National Relief Charities, the American Indian Relief Council recently mailed a large 12" x 9" package that includes a Scholarship Evaluation Form to highlight its American Indian Education Foundation (AIEF). The front reads, "On Indian Reservations, college can seem like an impossible dream. But your input can make one student's dream come true." Just above the text is a window through which a picture of 18 year-old Donna S. Gachupin, a member of the Zia Pueblo in New Mexico, is visible. The photograph is part of her completed "2010 Scholarship Application," where she lists her age, grade point average, tribal affiliation, and her academic goal of becoming "a respiratory therapist and work with our Elders." Inside, the letter addressed to "Honorary Scholarship Committee Member" begins: "A positive review from you could help Donna overcome a lifetime of hardship and heartbreak." It states that with the help of "caring Americans like you" who review Donna's application and complete an evaluation form within 10 days, Donna may be able to attend college. The reply form or "Memorandum of Approval" mentions scholarships for two students, including Donna Gachupin, with an ask ladder of $15/$20/$25/$35/$50/$100/other and an option to donate online. A checkbox is provided for the donor to receive updates on the progress of scholarship recipients.

ShopSmart Mails Magalog
ShopSmart magazine recently mailed a magalog promoting a soft offer with a free gift. The ad-free magazine from Consumer Reports offers shopping secrets and helpful tips to save money. The 10¾" x 8¼" mailing presents twelve pages of sample material, from advice on handheld vacuums, to baking with sugar substitutes. For instance, a table on page five compares a wide variety of goods, from mascara to veggie burgers and chardonnay. Presented as "Instead of" / "Try This," all products were tested by unbiased panels in order to select products that offer a greater value. Additional editorial promised by the magalog reveals the top car value under $25,000 and secrets to get a better cell phone for free. A bind-in reiterates that "ShopSmart is the fast and easy way to get the best deal on the best of everything." A subscription to the magazine is offered at $18 for six issues (one free) on the attached reply card. Subscribers can affix a metallic-hologram involvement sticker to receive the title "Should I Eat This?" from Consumer Reports as a complimentary gift. Previous promotions tracked from ShopSmart were stretch packages featuring the same offer and "How to Clean Practically Anything" as the book premium.

Greenpeace: Fighting to Put an End to Global Warming
Environmental nonprofit organization Greenpeace has updated its mailing to take up the plight of the polar bear and its diminishing habitat in the face of global warming. The cover of the package points to global warming's threats on the polar ice caps by picturing two polar bears along with the copy "They're on thin ice?" The back of the package lists the enclosed items: Global Warming Plan, Time-Sensitive Petition, Full-Size Polar Bear Poster, Personalized Address Labels, and Greenpeace Decal. The package folds out into a poster with a larger image of polar bears. The "Petition for the Environment" is addressed to President Obama and is attached to the New Member Enrollment reply form, urging the president to negotiate "strong, science-based targets" for the United States in the new international climate treaty in Copenhagen, Denmark. The letter lays out how prospective members can be a part of bringing about changes in environmental policy and outlines the organization's plan for a solution to global warming: to act now (provide a donation), to "strengthen the immune system" of the planet, to work with industry and government towards implementing more renewable energy initiatives, and to expose the "greenwashing" "the nuclear power industry's claims that they are working to solve global warming" of America. An additional insert quantifies the impact of donating to Greenpeace by showing that 85% of all gifts go to climate rescue, oceans, rainforests, and Greenpeace ships programs, while 15% goes to fundraising costs. The reverse of the insert chronicles the organization's accomplishments since its inception. The ask ladder is set at $20/$30/$50/$100/other and donations can be made by mail or online.

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.