Definition of action device

component of a direct marketing promotion designed to generate reader involvement through performing a physical action, such as pasting on a stamp or placing a token in a slot; also called involvement device. The theory is that a greater involvement will bring a higher response from the reader. A good example of this type of device is Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes packages designed by Henry Cowan, a major proponent of the involvement device theory; these packages often utilize a stamp sheet.