The drive, which had a print run of 400,000 and targeted Gala Bingo members, was printed by Sunderland-based Edward Thompson Group and created by agency Tequila\London.

Recipients received an A3 mailshot designed like a tabloid newspaper and titled The Gala Gazette. The mailing also contained a personalised horoscope and the location of their nearest bingo hall. The recipient's name was featured as part of the headline story.
Star signs and horoscopes were laser printed onto the mailer by another Sunderland firm, Metro Mail.

"The stock was important  to give the feel of a genuine gazette," said Tequila\London commercial director Melissa Smith. "Edward Thompson is Gala's bingo ticket printer and has its own mill where it predominantly makes stock for the tickets. This proved to be perfect for this mailer."

The mailing forms part of Tequila\London's long-term remit to generate a closer relationship between Gala and its customer base. Further direct mail drives are to be rolled out soon involving image personalisation software DirectSmile. Tequila\London was the first creative agency to install the product.

Last month, Edward Thompson installed a Mailcrafter 9800 at its direct mail division to handle a 4m mailing brief for the charity Children with Leukaemia.

The firm has three sites in Sunderland, with divisions including commercial print, paper manufacture and a specialist bingo unit that handles both printed and electronic products and games.

Story by Philip Chadwick