Patent Publication Number: US-2010131354-A1

Title: Method of evaluating acceptability of direct mail items

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/115,680, filed on Nov. 18, 2008, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to evaluation of credit card direct mailings and, more particularly, to comparative evaluation between candidate direct mailings. 
     In the prior art, the technique of direct mailing is heavily relied upon in certain industries for obtaining business. The banking and credit card industries, in particular, rely on direct mailings for obtaining new customers or for enlisting existing customers in new programs or offerings. 
     A direct mailing is mass mailed over a period of time. Various techniques are employed for developing the target set of recipients. The appearance and packaging (e.g. “creative” treatment) of the direct mailings are considered to be critical to consumers&#39; receptiveness in responding to the direct mailings. As such, much consideration is placed into the various items of the direct mailings, including the appearance of the envelope and any inserts, such as a letter, sign-up card, application, leaflet, and so forth. 
     It has been found that direct mailings may have high response rates, but with a sufficient passage of time, the response rate wanes. As such, distributors of direct mailings are continuously mindful of a direct mailing&#39;s performance, i.e., customer response to a direct mailing as shown by enrollment or other participation in the program or offering promoted by the direct mailing. 
     A successful direct mail package which is in use has been termed a “champion” package in the prior art. To monitor effectiveness of the “champion” package, “challenger” packages are periodically prepared. Limited distributions of the “challenger” packages are made to evaluate the response rate thereto. Typically, in the prior art, once a “challenger” package has a response rate which exceeds the response rate of a “champion” package, the previous “champion” is retired and the “challenger” is adopted as a new “champion” package and used as a direct mailing. 
     In the prior art, direct mailings are typically conducted by normal mail techniques. Due to delays in the mail, as well as response rates from respondents, the typical process for evaluating “challenger” direct mail packages requires an extensive period of time, normally on the order of several months. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the subject invention, a method is provided herein for evaluating the performance of challenger direct mail creative treatments versus champion direct creative treatments, the method including preparing a display showing a plurality of mail items. The mail items include one or more candidate direct mail items and one or more control mail items, with the candidate direct mail items being displayed in similar manner to the control mail items. The method further includes inquiring one or more questions of a plurality of respondents of the display as to how the respondents would treat each of the mail items if the respondents had received the mail items in customary fashion. Response data to the questions is collected to evaluate the acceptability of the candidate direct mail items. Advantageously, with the subject invention, “challenger” direct mailings may be evaluated in a quicker and more thorough fashion than in the prior art. 
     These and other features of the invention will be better understood through a study of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a flowchart representing a method according to the subject invention; 
         FIGS. 2-3  are screenshots of displays useable with the subject invention; 
         FIGS. 4-7  are screenshots showing questions useable with the subject invention; 
         FIGS. 8-9  graphically depict direct mail items which are viewable for inspection in according to the subject invention; 
         FIGS. 10-11  schematically show the direct mail items of  FIGS. 8-9  modified to indicate aggregate respondent receptiveness to different aspects of the mail items; and 
         FIG. 12  is an exemplary system for use with the method of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A method is provided herein for evaluating candidate direct mail items suitable for use in direct mailings, such as direct mailings through a customary fashion using standard mail techniques (e.g., via the U.S. post office). The direct mail items may be one or more items included in a mailing including, but not limited to: an envelope; a letter insert; and a leaflet. The subject invention may be used to evaluate various characteristics of the direct mail items, including, but not limited to, the appearance and/or the substance contained therein. Inherent in these characteristics may be factors such as color schemes, font size and style, applied emphasis on certain aspects, selection and arrangement of wording, and so forth. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , the method of the subject invention is generally shown and designated with reference numeral  10 . The method  10  includes step  12  of preparing a display, step  14  of making inquiries to the respondents of the display, and step  16  of collecting data based on responses to the inquiries. 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , a display  18  may be utilized which may be of any known type, particularly, any known type of graphical user interface (GUI), such as an interne browser window. Within the display  18 , a plurality of mail items  20  are shown. The mail items  20  preferably include one or more candidate direct mail item  22  and one or more control mail items  24 . The candidate direct mail item  22  is a representation of a direct mail item which is of interest and being evaluated. The mail items  20  are preferably shown in a manner similar to how the mail items  20  would be received in customary fashion. For example, the mail items  20  may be shown side by side or stacked as if received as ordinary mail. To enhance this effect, a backdrop  26  may be provided which simulates a desk or kitchen table to graphically represent the mail items  20  as mail received at one&#39;s home. Typical home items, such as keys  28  and a cell phone  30 , may also be provided to further enhance the effect. 
     In the step  10  of preparing the display  18 , it is preferred that the mail items  20  include a combination of the candidate direct mail items  22  and the control mail items  24 . Alternatively, all of the mail items  20  may be the candidate direct mail items  22 . 
     However displayed, it is preferred that all of the mail items  20  be displayed in similar fashion. In this manner, no additional import or emphasis is placed on any of the mail items  20 , particularly on the candidate direct mail items  22 . 
     It is preferred that the control mail items  24  resemble typical mail items that one may receive at his home. For example, representations of magazine advertisements, coupon mailers, and so forth may be used. It is preferred that the candidate direct mail items  22  and the control mail items  24  be randomly arranged on the display  18 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the mail items  20  are preferably arranged in a stacked configuration with sufficient portions of the underlying mail items  20  being shown to permit a respondent to view all of the mail items  20 , or at least portions thereof, simultaneously. In this manner, a respondent may select any of the mail items  20  without the mail items  20  being presented individually or in sub-groups in series. 
     The display  18  may be presented on any suitable device. Examples of suitable devices include computers, television screens, portable media devices, and/or web-enabled devices, such as cellular phones, personal data assistants, etc., that are configured to display text and graphics. The display  18  may be presented to single respondents one at a time (e.g., in a controlled setting) or simultaneously to a plurality of respondents, e.g., over a network (such as a dedicated local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), or a publicly-accessible network (Internet)). 
     With one or more of the mail items  20  having been presented to respondents, the step  14  of inquiring of respondents may be conducted. With reference to  FIG. 3 , the inquiring step  14  may be conducted by allowing for selection of one of the mail items  20 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the selected mail item  20 , shown here as one of the candidate direct mail candidates  22 , may be enlarged for better viewing. In addition, controls  32  may be provided which allow for viewing of the select mail item  20  from various angles, including the back. 
     With respect to each of the mail items  20 , one or more questions may be posed to a respondent to evaluate the respondent&#39;s receptiveness to the mail items  20 . Preferably, questions relating to the treatment of the mail items  20  are included. Any manner of delivering these questions to a respondent may be utilized, including the use of interactive buttons  34  which permit a respondent to select an appropriate response. The questions may inquire as to whether or not a respondent would discard the mail item  20  ( 34 A), retain the mail item  20  for later review ( 34 B), and/or would open the mail item  20  immediately ( 34 C). The method  10  allows for the respondent to individually go through the mail items  20  and provide the appropriate response to any of the posed questions, e.g., using the interactive buttons  34 . As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the step  14  of inquiring is not limited to per se asking questions. Options may be provided which are to be selected. The provision of options or multiple responses may serve as inquiries. With reference to  FIG. 4 , specific inquiries may also be made. 
     Response data obtained from answering any posed questions are collected for review and analysis. Based on the responses of respondents, the acceptability of the candidate direct mail items  22  may be evaluated. 
     As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the candidate direct mail items  22  may include direct mail items already in use or had been used (e.g., a champion direct mail) as a control against the candidate direct mail items  22 . 
     Additional information in support of the analysis of the candidate direct mail items  22  may be obtained by one or more questions being posed of the respondents to obtain personal, lifestyle or other information. With respect to  FIGS. 5-7 , the age of the respondents may be asked, as well as, other questions of personal nature may be asked that may provide additional information for analysis purposes. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 8-9 , the method  10  may further permit the ability to allow for simulated opening of the mail items  20  so as to permit inspection of any intended contents. In particular, the candidate direct mail items  22  may be displayed with all of the contents intended for actual use, including any inserts or items intended for actual use with the candidate direct mail items  22 . For example, letters  36  or forms  38  may be graphically represented. Any other mail items may likewise be presented. Questions relating to the contents may be asked to evaluate the acceptability of those contents. 
     To further gauge acceptability of the candidate direct mail items  22 , different respondent interfaces may be provided which allow for a respondent to indicate different levels of acceptance for one or more items of the candidate direct mail items  22 . With reference to  FIGS. 10-11 , by way of non-limiting example, a color or paint application tool may be provided which allows for the respondent to highlight different aspects of the candidate direct mail items  22  with different colors to represent different levels of receptiveness. For example, a respondent may shade an area  40  with a first color (e.g., green) to indicate high likeability, and a second area  42  with a second color (e.g., red) indicating low likeability. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, various color and/or graphical ranges and spectrums may be provided to permit different indications of likeability (e.g., the tool may modify the area (e.g., cross-hatching) with or without adding color). Other interface tools may be utilized such as marking or editing tools which permit comments or other graphical indications to be placed onto the candidate direct mail item  22  to represent a respondent&#39;s likes or dislikes. 
     As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, results and information generated by the method  10  may be produced in various formats for analysis. Individual responses and/or group responses (e.g., reported in aggregate) may be producible. In addition, a plurality of responses for the color or paint application tool may be combined to provide an aggregate result. For example, the coloring may be collectively overlaid to show aggregate response; a more intense coloring may indicate greater or less like or dislike. Other aggregate representations or tabulations may be produced. 
     The method  10  may be conducted over various systems or networks, including over the Internet.  FIG. 12  provides a non-limiting example of a system  50  for use with the method  10 . The system  50  includes a first computing device  52  and a second computing device  54  connected by a network  56 . The first computing device  52  having a computer-readable storage medium  58  with a set of instructions  60  that may be transmitted to the second computing device  54  over the network  56 . The second computing device  54  providing the display  18  and being configured to receive the set of instructions  60 . 
     The system  50  is configured such that the first computing device transmits an instruction signal  64  to the second computing device  54  over the network  56 . The second computing device  54  then receives the instruction signal  64  containing the set of instructions  60 , which cause the second computing device  54  to show a plurality of mail items on the display  18 . The mail items including the one or more candidate direct mail items  22  and the one or more control mail items  24 . The candidate direct mail items  22  being displayed in a manner similar to the control mail items  24 . Next, the set of instructions  62  cause the second computing device  54  to inquire for a response for one or more questions via the display  18  as to how the respondent(s) would treat each of the mail items  20 , if the respondent(s) had received the mail items  20  in customary fashion. After that, the set of instructions  60  provide for the collection of response data  68  for purposes of evaluating the acceptability of the candidate direct mail items  22 . The collected response data  68  may be transmitted to and stored at various locations as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, such as one or more of a processor  66 , the second computing device  54 , and/or the first computing device  52 . 
     The processor  66  may be configured to analyze the collected response data and evaluate the acceptability of the candidate direct mail items  22 . The processor may be connected to the second computing device  54 , with the second computing device  54  transmitting a response signal  68  to the processor  66  to analyze the collected response data. The processor  66  may alternatively be connected to the first computing device  52 , in which case the response signal  68  containing the collected data may be transmitted from the second computing device  54  to the first computing device  52  over the network  56  for analysis. 
     The system  50  of  FIG. 12  may include more than two computing devices connected over the network  56 . For example,  FIG. 12  shows five computing devices  52 ,  54 ,  70 ,  72 ,  74  connected over the network  56 . As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the system may be configured such that the steps of the method  10  may be conducted on one or more computing devices, which may provide for the use of a plurality of computing devices simultaneously (e.g., the display  18  may be presented to single respondents one at a time (e.g., in a controlled setting) or simultaneously to a plurality of respondents). 
     Moreover, the computing devices may include combinations of various types of suitable devices. For example, the types of suitable computing devices connected over the network may include the first computing device  52  being a server or a computer and the second computing device  54  being a computer, a television, a personal media player, or a web-enabled device, such as a cellular phone, a personal data assistant, etc. 
     Furthermore, the system  50  may be run over various types of networks  56 . For example, a dedicated local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), or a publicly-accessible network (Internet). 
     Interaction with the display  18  may be accomplished via known mechanisms, including through any of a keyboard, mouse, touch screen, stylus and so forth. 
     With the method  10  of the subject invention, the candidate direct mail items  22  may be presented to a population of respondents using electronic transmission. As such, delays with ordinary mail can be avoided. The selected population of respondents may be random and/or predetermined. Once the display  18  is made available to the respondents, data can be collected relatively quickly. In this manner, the candidate direct mail items  22  may be evaluated based on the response data.