In critiquing this mailer piece from Redplum, we also can examine the direct mail practices we see every day that crush any chance of significant redemption and contribute to the definition of "junk mail."

These are the best of times and the worst of times — a tale with a present day ring to it for us all.

Our agency is full of sports fanatics. Every year, we draft our March Madness brackets, post them on a communal wall and try to practice sportsmanship.

Snap packs have been around for a while, and they all pretty much look alike. They're basically envelopes that you open with one or more perforated strips.

Economists and environmentalists have grappled for centuries with the dilemma of overfishing. It goes like this: fishermen are incented to take all the fish that they can from the ocean while prices hold up, while their bodies and crews hold up and while supplies of fish hold up.

There are lots of choices when it comes to implementing insert media programs, especially as more marketers choose this channel for its affordable yet high-exposure options. Two insert media experts share their thoughts on what you should and shouldn't do if you want to see success with inserts.

Love 'em or hate 'em, you have to admire the sheer tenacity of the big, six- by 11-inch Comcast postcard. The offers may change but the pitch is relentless. It seems that every week a new billboard juts out from my stack of bills and catalogs.

Apple advertisements always seem to grab my attention and impress me, and this one was no exception. The way that this ad takes over the entire page and manipulates all of its con­tent is nothing if not remarkable.

As 2009 begins, many top analyst firms are predicting marketing budget dollars will be redirected. The premise is quite simple: It's easier to keep a customer than it is to get a new one. Imagine all the data companies have been sitting on for years - from CRM, leasing, sales, software renewals, helpdesk logs and maintenance.

I first came across this direct mail piece at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival last summer, and was blown away by the simplicity of the idea.