Background
Delete Blood Cancer DKMS is a non-profit organization that facilitates life-saving bone marrow donation to people fighting Leukemia, Lymphoma, and other blood cancers. One of the principal methods of registering new potential donors is via mail-in kits. Recipients swab their cheeks and send back the samples.
The You x2 self-mailer kit. With placeholder address, of course.
THE CHALLENGE
The You x2 kit was created to address two questions: “How can we motivate more online registrants to send back their completed swab kits?” and “how can we increase registrations more generally?”
The You x2 kit was created to address two questions: “How can we motivate more online registrants to send back their completed swab kits?” and “how can we increase registrations more generally?”
Underpinning the first question is a low rate of return for online registrations; about 30% of kits were never returned. People would sign up on the website, but when their kit arrived they would either not see it, or simply forget to send it back. This process costs money for every kit printed and mailed, and additional resources calling registrants by phone to follow-up. As a non-profit, we had to streamline this part of the registration process.
Additional views of the finished kit. The You and x2 sides are easily separated with a perforated strip.
Our Solution
To address these challenges, we designed a bolder, larger, and friendlier mailer which can’t get lost in the shuffle. The unique visual look is paired with a more substantive feel and soft-touch finish, which creates a more prominent sensory experience.
The addition of the “x2” section came from the simple idea that we could potentially double the number of new donors if everyone who registers helps sign up one additional person.
Our Approach
In terms of naming conventions, we started with “You +1” but arrived at “You x2” because it rhymes (you-times-two), and because it aspires to a higher figure — doubling rather than simply adding one.
The with that in mind, we set to create the package itself. The previous kit was little more than a white envelope with some text printed on the outside. It looked like junk mail, and served as a template for what we needed to avoid. Since most mail is white, we started with our brand color, red, which stands out much better. We also experimented with several structures to create a package that had “height” rather than just a flat envelope.
We knew that we wanted a book-like piece where “You” and “x2” could be separated, but we had to then find an optimal way to build it. To minimize material waste and to accommodate a smaller press width, we knew we should aim for a layout that looks square in overall shape, as opposed to z-shaped or linear. With some trials, we found the best way to arrange our flaps and to build all the scoring and die-cuts. We also had some trouble in choosing the weight of the paper; Too heavy and it would increase shipping costs, too light and it would crush easily and feel flimsy. Some trial and error led us to 120# Cover as the stock.
Screenshot of the custom package for the You x2 kit. We worked with a print partner to produce a three-colour piece with appropriate folds, scoring, and die-cut perforation.
Our first two small-quantity runs proved successful from a visual point of view, but also uncovered some unexpected challenges. The fulfilment house had trouble sliding all the contents into their appropriate sections, and our own in-house shipping and mailing team found it difficult to insert the letter which featured the address. We found a solution by printing a special envelope for the “You” and “x2” sections.
There was also a challenge in how recipients responded. Some kits came back with both portions filled out with the same info, rather than shared with someone new. In spite of the differentiation using copy, color, and shape, recipients thought the entire piece was for them alone. We re-wrote portions of the copy, and introduced new design elements like the small arrows to emphasize the separation and the unique intentions of both sides. This problem all but disappeared with the changes.
The Results
In September 2013 we ordered our largest print run of You x2 kits, 20,000 pieces. With the earlier, smaller runs serving as “beta” products, we learned several valuable lessons that enabled us to produce a unique, beautiful, and function mailer than no other non-profit is using. The resulting campaign yielded an 12% increase in response rates, and an 8% share rate, where the "x2" section was utilized.
