Staples Gumball Direct Mail

Staples Advantage, the B2B division of Staples, asked us to develop a direct mail piece that would be so creative, so visually arresting, and so unique that it would practically compel prospects to arrange a meeting. But it also had to work within the Staples brand standards and accurately convey their value proposition.

CommCreative’s solution was to send out a gumball machine branded with the Staples Advantage logo in a large, colorful box. The gumball machine was filled with multi-colored gumballs which represented each of the six lines of business that make up Staples Advantage—office products, technology solutions, business furniture, etc. Also included was a brochure explaining all the benefits of Staples Advantage. A follow-up email invited prospects to order a free refill of gumballs and served to give Staples another touch point with the prospect.

The result? Staples Advantage experienced double-digit returns. Sales reps reported that prospects who hadn’t responded to any previous efforts were calling because they were so impressed with the attractive packaging and the quality of the gumball machine. Several weeks after the launch of the campaign, calls for appointments were still coming in.