Direct choice: British Airways Holidays Arizona

With this in mind, the piece works very well. It very much counts on the state's less-than-obvious status as a holiday spot, with the leaflet proclaiming 'Where on earth am I?' on its front cover, before leading you in with image after glossy image of what Arizona has to offer, from white-water rafting to vistas over the Grand Canyon. Yet, cleverly, it keeps the destination's identity a mystery until the final pages. Perhaps its only downside is that the covering letter gives away the location too quickly.

As an ad aimed at those who want to break away from the bog-standard holiday spots, the mailing works effectively to promote Arizona's largely unrecognised, but multitudinous charms and the diverse activities it has to offer. The unexpected location gives the mailing cut-through by keeping you guessing, or at least introducing a feeling of surprise that the destination has maintained such a low-key reputation.

Assuming it has been well-targeted, this is a simple but effective example of direct mail. It also supports the brand's identity and service offering well by underlining that BA offers routes to unusual destinations that may not be accessible via other operators.

Mailing: LIDA.

This article was first published on Marketing