Within the 23,000 hectares (54,000 acres) of Phinda's ecologically diverse big-5 private game reserve, fifteen wilderness sites have been chosen to become some of the world's most sought-after real estate. Each African Homestead is private and secure and has a full complement of staff, from chef to butler and game ranger. Homesteads are accessible to private jet aircraft via the reserve airfield.
This market has extremely high expectations from their purchasing decisions, especially when one considers each Homestead investment will run into several millions of pounds.
The core element of the direct mail was a coffee table book, designed and written by the agency and produced to exceptional standards, finished in leather-bound hardcovers. The book describes the experience and wildlife of Phinda in intimate detail, along with professionally shot photographs and illustrations of the flora and fauna created in-house. Included are location, design and architecture notes and illustrations of a typical African Homestead as well as logistical information.
As a gift to accompany the book, the agency printed high quality Phinda wildlife photography on cotton paper that, should the recipient choose to, can be framed and placed within their home or study, with discrete “African Homestead” branding.
The agency also flew down to the reserve with crew to shoot an experiential AV. The AV covers the natural beauty of the reserve as well as other activities attached to ownership of an African Homestead, along with footage of Getty House, the first African Homestead. The AV is narrated throughout and is included on DVD with the direct mailer, to be viewed at the recipient's own discretion.
Finally, Promise designed and created the African Homesteads website as an additional experiential/information portal. The website address www.africanhomesteads.com accompanies all elements of the multimedia package and is also included on a softcover version of the leather-bound hardcover book, which is to be made available at the various CC Africa lodges throughout Africa and India.
All of the items were packaged in a bespoke, high quality box and will be sent to recipients via a privately populated database.
This multimedia direct mail campaign has been extremely well received at the initial media launch in London and New York, with recipients due to receive their packages shortly.
