Words can’t describe how much we dig The Chicago Tribune. The first-rate journalism and sports coverage, our clients in marketing, @ColonelTribune and @dan360man on Twitter – everything about the Tribune is appealing to us. Most of all is their pledge to keep our planet green.

Did you know that The Chicago Tribune averages 40% recycled stock? That equates to 116,377 metric tons of paper saved every year (and probably a few forests). Plus they use soy-based ink, bio-diesel in their delivery trucks and they offer a greener way to pay your bill. Easy Pay is their automatic service that eliminates monthly mailings and the need for checks.

We were approached by our client to create a mailer that would encourage people to sign up:

Our creative is hard-working, roll-up-your-sleeves direct response – a corporate communications envelope (6×9 kraft) that will be opened, crystal clear messaging and a fast call-to-action. The Tribune folks also threw in a solid premium – a re-usable grocery bag.

The letter is clean, with bold subheads that encourage scanning and instant understanding of the exclusive subscriber message. We’re hoping the results match our previous successes with the Tribune.

If you subscribe to the Chicago Tribune and get the above mailer, be sure to sign up for Easy Pay. Being “green” is practical choice that helps the world, and could be an easy part of your every day. Plus that bag is HUGE (we use ours all the time).