Valpak has launched two direct campaigns using augmented reality, including an effort with The Martha Stewart Show to build the two companies’ databases.
The consumer-facing campaign, which will be announced March 4 on The Martha Stewart Show, allows viewers to register online to win a trip to a live taping. Consumers can use specially marked Valpak envelopes for a chance to win Stewart’s cookbook “Everyday Food: Fresh Flavor Fast.”
To enter the contest, users can visit marthastewart.com/viptrip and enter their name, home address, e-mail address, phone number and birthday. They can then opt in or out of four lists: Valpak’s e-mail list, Valpak’s mobile offers list, an offer to preview Stewart’s Everyday Food magazine and travel offers from Delta, the airline providing travel for the sweepstakes.
Jim Buckley, director of new media for Valpak, said a campaign goal is to grow Valpak’s mobile database, which has less than 500,000 numbers.
“With all of our campaigns, we’re looking for database growth,” he said. “We’re cross-targeting across platforms and doing cross promotions so our partners are also able to grow their lists.”
Buckley said another campaign goal is to reach a younger demographic than Valpak’s general audience of women ages 24 to 58. He added that Valpak has more than 1.3 million double opted-in e-mail subscribers.
Valpak has sent more than 40 million Martha Stewart co-branded envelopes to the public. They encourage consumers to visit marthastewart.com/viptrip and hold the black-and-white logo on the envelope up to their cameras to find out if they’re one of 150 instant cookbook winners.
Envelope recipients who do not own webcams can also participate by clicking on the “no webcam” button on the sweepstakes page.
This is the first time both Valpak and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia have used an augmented reality campaign.
The second campaign has a business-to-business focus. Using full-page ads in March issues of DMNews and Advertising Age, Valpak will try to drive advertising and marketing professionals to Valpak4business.com/ar. On site, consumers can hold up the ad to webcams to launch an interactive presentation on how print products can be used with digital platforms.
“The core of all of this work is to show that Valpak is being digitally innovative,” Buckley said. “We want to make sure that people understand we’re transitioning and that we’re not only the most powerful in print, but that we’re aggressively trying to do the same in digital.”
Valpak is transitioning from a purely direct mail business model, to a multichannel one. Users can now print coupons from Valpak’s site and share them through social media outlets.
“For us, we believe the future of advertising is muti-platform,” Buckley continued. “So we want to take advantage of that and be in front of as many people as possible.”
A Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia representative could not be immediately reached for comment.
