Oskar illustration Keeps Direct Mail Alive

They like to do things a bit differently at Oskar illustration. 

Not different for different sake or madcap, upside down different. Oskar like to think up novel ways to showcase its artists’ work. 

Oskar are proactive and full of ideas it likes to make happen. They’re strategic, playful, inclusive, and positive in both their attitude and the areas they choose to shine a light. 

Past projects have seen them creating work to support the important work carried out by organisations such as NABS and more recently their work fundraising as part of their partnership with Save the Children. Their next venture is to lend their seasoned creative hand to an initiative helping creatives navigate the challenges of getting properly paid for the work that they do. 

Their latest success story Special Buys is a good example of how this strategy is working for them. Conceived following a conversation about how the balance has shifted for consumers. No longer are we saturated with direct mail, but instead, we’re overwhelmed by thousands of emails and social media ads each month. Oi! wondered how it could reimagine direct marketing and showcase the work of one of their artists in the process. 

Here is what founder Oli said of the inspiration behind the idea, "We were inspired by DM mail leaflets that pop through you're letter box or drop out of magazines. Full of bat s£&t products you never realised you needed. And all terribly laid out with awful customer testimonials. Perfect."

Some agencies choose to present their artist’s work in a slick all-singing deck, leaving behind handouts of beautiful artwork. Of course, Oi! recognises that this method still has a place and can work, they’re just excited about creating work that is less expected, perhaps has a story behind it, and most importantly is memorable. 

Special Buys took the form of a physical booklet shared with a selection of relevant agency and brand contacts, followed up with a digital flip book for it to be shared more widely. Jord won a brand animation job off the back of this work. 

Once written off as old and ineffective, Oskar illustration is happy to report and support direct marketing - it works! 

See the rest of Jord’s portfolio here.