GREAT NECK, N.Y., September 25, 2006 -- Thanks to the clear plastic Conformer Expansion Envelope, this year’s call for entries in the 29th annual John Caples International Awards screams “Open me.” The package features a “saved-from-the-trash” memo—complete with coffee stain—that compels the recipient to submit his or her best direct marketing campaigns for consideration in this prestigious international competition. Some 30,000 creatives in 47 countries received the invitation to enter the contest, named after the founding father of direct marketing. The awards honor the teams that have created the most brilliant advertising solutions to real-time marketing challenges. This year, the Caples board faced the dilemma of how to showcase the memo, which sports personalized, scribbled notes and a “crumpled” effect. Because they were mailing to an international audience, the group had to use an envelope, rather than another, more creative type of packaging. “As soon as you put something like that into an envelope, you lose,” says Patrick Fultz, President of Grayhair Direct and Chief Operating Officer for the John Caples Awards. The transparency of the plastic Conformer Expansion Envelope overcame this obstacle, magnifying the impact of the customized contents. “The see-through capability is perfect, and the envelope itself is actually intriguing enough to add value to the one-to-one printing.” The plastic material adds dimension to the overall package, which further improves appeal. According to the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), dimensional mail can improve lead-generation response by more than 5%. “Being a creative guy, I’ve always worked under the premise that the envelope is the window, the letter is the salesperson, and the brochure is the product,” Fultz continues. “I see this as the perfect store window because of the dimensionality and the material itself. It made for a very interesting package that I don’t think can be ignored—particularly when you’re dealing with a one-to-one printing venue.” The unusual envelope material and the personalized content seemed to Fultz like a perfect fit for a mailing that targeted direct-marketing creative directors. “Conformer Expansion Products (CEP) proudly supports the John Caples International Awards and their decades-long commitment to recognizing excellence in the direct-marketing industry,” says Marvin Makofsky, president of CEP. Conformer Expansion Products offers creative marketing solutions— including envelopes, portfolios and presentation folders—that feature the company’s award-winning, patented designs. These multifunctional products use revolutionary expansion technology and are compatible with industry-standard mailing systems.