It’s the last @AvalonConsultingGroup dispatch of 2021! Check out our updates on postage, QR codes, Pantone’s Color of the Year—and, of course, some holiday cheer.
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Dear friends, Happy holidays! Avalon will be closed December 22 – 24 and December 29 – 31. Our teams have coverage plans in place for all things year-end. This will also be my last dispatch of 2021. I hope that everyone can take a break, spend time with loved ones, and enjoy some fun in the days ahead. On a sad note, tornado devastation in Kentucky and other parts of the South and Midwest is heartbreaking. The Red Cross is supporting response efforts and has actionable tips on how to help. As always, I look to the nonprofit community for guidance and hope in such times. My thoughts are with people all over the region who have been affected. Looking ahead, Production Solutions shared an update on the summer postage increase. Most nonprofit mail will see an increase of 5.5% – 6.5%, and calendar mailings are expected to increase by 7.5% – 8.5%. The increase will go into effect on July 10, 2022, and another increase is expected for January 2023. Your Avalon teams will help you adjust schedules as appropriate, to minimize the impact of these changes. In the digital and mobile space, our staff has a lot to share! First, director of digital innovation Mary Meredith and digital account director Catherine Wallwork shared a video from Litmus on how Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) will affect email marketers. They expect 95% of Apple mail users to enable MPP by late 2022, so this is important to understand. Your Avalon teams are on top of it. Senior account directors Rebecca Shapalis and Lisa Caldwell reported back from DMAW’s fall texting webinar with Chrissy Hyre and Krishna Ghodiwala. I thought this data was interesting: 95% of texts are opened, and 90% of texts are read within 3 minutes. Across age, race, and gender, 87% of American adults text regularly, and 33% prefer text to other forms of communication. All in all, Americans text twice as much as they call. Senior VP Jackie Libby reports that it’s a new day for QR codes in the U.S. The pandemic finally gave Americans the push they needed to use them. As a result, more organizations are including QR codes on both reply devices and outer envelopes. Avalon is testing the technique with multiple clients. Not only can we place codes, but our design team can brand codes with an image. Also, VP Barb Perell highlighted a fascinating analysis of Spotify Wrapped from the creative firm Long—Dash. According to them, the feature’s success reflects the importance of personalization, self-branding, and shareability to the customer experience. In design news, Pantone has released its 2022 color of the year. The honor goes to Very Peri, which they describe as “the happiest and warmest of blues.” This year, Pantone created a new color rather than choosing from their collection. According to Laurie Pressman, VP of the Pantone Color Institute, both Very Peri and the decision to create a new color embrace “the collective mood and stepping into the unknown.” Speaking of mood, I love our staff’s holiday cheer. As I have mentioned, VP Dara Igersheim and account director Nova Cohen-Prohow led a fun virtual Hanukkah gathering. Program manager Virginia Burns shared two great playlists: Peaceful Christmas Piano and Cozy Christmas Coffee Shop. Senior VP Margot O’Leary found a Vogue roundup of gift ideas in (you guessed it) Pantone’s Very Peri blue. And, Avalon held its annual goody swap last week. The tradition lives on! The Avalon 2021 Goody Swap Finally, THANK YOU for reading. The Avalon Dispatch has become a wonderful way to stay in touch and share ideas across the Avalon community. I truly appreciate every reply, and I enjoy hearing what you find useful and interesting. I look forward to connecting with you next year!
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