Brand Energy

Unless Congress or the courts intervene, a postal rate surcharge in place since January 2014 will be rolled back on Sunday, April 10, giving us the first rate decline in nearly a century. Sounds like great news for direct marketers, right? And in many ways it is. But what about the Postal Service’s claim that... [Read More] The post Perspectives on the USPS rate rollback appeared first on Alitho.

Ever heard of the 7 P’s that are part of the preparedness strategy used by the U.S. Marines? It’s all about being ready when the big challenges come your way. Success with any print-based marketing campaign depends on having a detailed map of where you’re headed and the best tools and strategies to help you... [Read More] The post Boot camp for brand builders appeared first on Alitho.

Seeing the big picture across all channels of your marketing program is a constant challenge. That’s why we’re intrigued by a new analytical tool we recently previewed with our U.S. Postal Service representative here in Carol Stream. USPS’ new Marketing Impact Calculator, or MIC, is designed to help any business with $1 million or more... [Read More] The post How hard are ALL your marketing dollars working? appeared first on Alitho.

Do some elements of your brand-building plan belong in a museum? Probably not. But just think: marketers who are still relying heavily on conventional direct mail are following a strategy that showed up before the Civil War. Product coupons? First seen in 1886. TV spots? Prompting us to change channels for 74 years now. Even... [Read More] The post Adopting a 3D customer acquisition strategy appeared first on Alitho.

We came home from last month’s conference in Anaheim with fresh knowledge and ideas that we’re rapidly putting to work for you. Here’s how we’re working with Truman Pope and the American Litho postal logistics team to help you take advantage of the best opportunities. When he wasn’t immersed in courses leading to his new... [Read More] The post Leveraging the Best Ideas from the National Postal Forum appeared first on Alitho.

I know you’ve seen that classic Saturday Night Live skit with Christopher Walken as the crazed music producer who just KNOWS his band’s new recording will go platinum if Will Ferrell can give him more cowbell. Walken is a pretty versatile guy, having appeared in 100+ films and TV shows. He’s one of only 2... [Read More] The post Multichannel marketing: when you gotta have more cowbell appeared first on Alitho.

If your head is spinning as you watch the ongoing parade of mergers in the paper industry, you’re not alone. We’ve been keeping a close eye on things as the marriage of Verso and NewPage hit the headlines — a deal so big it prompted the U.S. Department of Justice to order the sale of... [Read More] The post Mega-mergers, paper costs and your next print job appeared first on Alitho.

Hey, we all know life can be tough. But if you’re the brand manager responsible for a new consumer product launch this year, you’re really in the hot seat. Packaged goods companies set the threshold for new product success at about $100 million in sales within the first 12 months. Yet only 2% of new... [Read More] The post Easing the stress of a new product launch appeared first on Alitho.

Clients often come to American Litho for advice on the best way to design and produce a given print project. How exactly do we figure that out? Whether we’re talking about a direct response campaign, a major sales promotion launch or the package for your new consumer product, determining the right press environment is often... [Read More] The post Web, sheet-fed or digital? What drives the decision now appeared first on Alitho.

If you can’t get the goods, you can’t build the box. It’s really that simple when it comes to understanding supply-chain issues in the packaging industry. But in recent weeks the game has gotten even more complicated, so it’s time for some perspective. During my 30+ years in the packaging and merchandising sector, I’ve had... [Read More] The post Supply chain worries? 3 questions to ask yourself right now appeared first on Alitho.