Kind of Crooked

"The whole object of direct mail is to maximize personalization, and this machine does just that." Thus did William Ratigan, a top deputy to direct-mail political Fund Raiser Richard Viguerie, explain a little device that seems to have arrived on the merchandising scene. Viguerie's organization sends out 80 million letters a year, mostly on behalf of conservative politicians and organizations. Since people are more likely to respond to mail that has been prepared by hand, Ratigan said, a machine was used to paste stamps on the envelopes. To add to the verisimilitude, the device even sticks the stamps.on slightly crooked.

Well, if too many people hear that the crooked stamps come not from a dedicated volunteer's weary hand but from a dedicated robot, the purpose of the exercise is defeated. Later, Ratigan reconsidered. He declared that the machine did not exist, but did concede that the stamps are deliberately pasted on askew. That personal touch!

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