In today’s marketplace, direct mail campaigns need to be innovative from both a strategic and creative standpoint to leave an impression. Your potential customer comes across so many different promotions every day, so it’s crucial to create something that he or she will want to hold on to—not something that will end up in the wastebasket.

Designers frequently turn to alternative materials, three-dimensional packaging, add-ons, or just about anything that will help them engage the target audience. The most effective promotions make you part of the experience.

Let’s look at Bosch’s “Lawnmower” mailer.

The aim of this campaign was to get selected dealers and distributors excited about the launch of the new, battery-operated lawnmower. The idea was to use a unique direct mailer, a calendar, where every page is cut to simulate a wild lawn. The user becomes part of the action by tearing off a page every day, thus emphasizing the long battery life of the company’s lawnmower.

What’s the most engaging direct mail promotion you’ve received? Did you keep it?