The Inkwell

Growing up with a “coupon queen” for a mother, I can’t remember a trip to the grocery store that didn’t include coupons. That and that my brother and I were always the lucky recipients of the buy one get one at Mr. Steak (probably one of the reasons I shun red meat today.)

Given today’s economy, it’s no surprise that there is a surge in coupon use (according to the Promotion Marketing Association’s Coupon Council, 94 percent of consumers use coupons today). And who knows coupons better than good old Valpak?

With a brilliant headline, backed by stellar copy, Valpak’s newest ad is the latest creative to earn a smart thINKing thumbs up.

Ok, I know. Valpak. Who suggests that to client’s these days? BUT the bottom line is this – in today’s down economy, consumers are looking for V-A-L-U-E! Not just sales, people. Sales on top of sales, and then another 50% mark down. So, Valpak makes a lot of sense right now.

Their clever “shift to thrift” messaging is smart and timely, and they are able to penetrate mailboxes without fear of firewalls of spam filters. By positioning their discount package of coupons as the “Original Consumer Stimulus Package”, their on the fast track to getting rediscovered by marketers who wrote them off as a thing of the past. They may not be the least expensive direct marketing tool, but with a business climate below freezing, it’s hardly the time for trial and error marketing. Today, it’s about doing what works.

Click on the image and read for yourself. And then go get some scissors and start clipping.