DIRECT CHOICE: Oxfam

There are few tougher creative challenges than a charity mailer.

This Oxfam mailer has some of the ingredients for success. While the branded outer leaves little doubt that it contains a request for money, it wrong-foots you with an apparently obtuse question. The line 'Did you brush your teeth this morning?' stirs my curiosity. It's a departure from the usual charity fare, and it works.

Inside is a slightly different story. There is a standard charity-style letter and some Post-it notes. The letter fails to explain what the outer and the Post-its are all about, until you turn the page. It also uses the kind of black-and-white images that are seen too often.

The Post-its are to stick in your bathroom and kitchen to show how much water you use every day. They get the message across, and they stand out.

There's a nice idea here. But it lacks the courage to follow through on its creative strategy. It's not bad, but it could have been much better.

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