Whitney Woods holding all the cards

Whitney Woods, a manufacturer of pop-up mailers and interactive marketing products, has released the Extender Card.

With an action reminiscent of a zoom lens, the Extender Card expands from the size of one-third of A4 to an overall length of over 500mm.

Helen Mihill, marketing manager for Whitney Woods, said: 'We needed a product that would fit an advertising theme of "growth" but the product needed to have a subtle movement.

'We already have an automatic extender, The Sideshooter, but that product has a very aggressive action and might not be suitable for certain campaigns.

'The new product also has to be a good direct marketing piece.

Whitney Woods made the Extender Card 'chunky' and the company is marketing it with its own custom-printed all-board mailing pack, putting the Extender Card into the Royal Mail's higher rate postage category of 'large letter'.

Mihill added: 'We have seen similar products on the market that have been made with the obvious consideration for keeping postage costs down.

'Lighter board might have been used and no capacity has been given to the product to enable it to fit in a standard envelope.

'The first aim of a direct mailing piece is for the piece to be opened by the correct target and as industry intelligence says you only have three seconds to make your mark, we believe a flimsy product in a standard white envelope simply does not fit the bill.

Whitney Woods believes in the potential success rate of what US direct marketing calls 'dimensional marketing'.

Mihill continued: 'If you receive an envelope in the morning's mail, it is unlikely to create a stir.

'But if a chunky little pack appears on your desk that looks as if it might be a gift of some kind, that creates a completely different reaction and the pack is opened with eager expectation and immediately passes the three second rule.

'Our Extender Card makes a very solid pack that is not unlike the feel of a large bar of chocolate and we are confident that it will be opened with great anticipation.

'This can only aid the product's chances of generating good rates of response.

Back to top