The DM was based on a simple rotating mechanism.

When turned, it showed a normal family tree inverting and the child assuming the role of the parent, bringing out the message of reversing roles effectively.

But the real emotional impact of the mailer lay in the fact that we asked the parents to provide us with real photos of their children. This helped us personalize each DM and made a much deeper impression on the families who were able to see themselves and their parents. Moreover, this helped us stay true to the sentimental appeal that Helpage India has.

The direct mailer was sent to the families of 60 elderly residents staying in Helpage India homes and shelters. While almost all families called to enquire after receiving the DM, Helpage also saw a marked increase in the frequency of phone calls received by the elderly. Apart from this there was a substantial increase in visits by the families, which made a great difference to their lives. But that wasn’t all. 17 families even decided to take their parents home so that they could get the love and care they deserved.