Direct mail ‘alive and kicking’

Brand owners have delivered more bad news for the doom-mongers – direct mail is not only holding its own against digital channels, the vast majority of mailers believe the medium will actually grow this year.
That is the key finding of combined research among TNT Post UK customers and a study carried out on behalf of TNT Post UK by fast.MAP.
The vast majority of those surveyed (76%) expect mail volumes to remain stable or grow in the next twelve months, while 69% believe that direct mail is the most important promotional medium, followed by website at 33%, and email at 20.4%.
The positive outlook reflects a resurgence of spending on direct mail by financial services and FMCG companies. And, while the research must be tempered with the fact it was carried out among existing mailers, it does show that reports of direct mail’s demise have been premature.
Further insight into consumption of direct mail found that nearly 50% of consumers prefer to receive their mailshots in the morning, with those over 65 most wanting their mail at this time compared to the 18-24 age group, which had a stronger preference for mailings to be delivered in the afternoon.
The majority of recipients prefer to read their mail as soon as they pick it up from the doormat and for those who wait till later in the day most read it on the couch in the living room (65%), followed by at the kitchen table (52%), and in the garden (23%).
And, bizarrely, given that those in adland have always lambasted direct mail as “shit that folds”, it emerges that nearly a fifth of people (18%) read it on the toilet, especially males and the young.
TNT Post UK director of marketing and strategy Lieneke Happel, said: “We are pleased that direct mail continues to be seen as the most effective promotional tool used by marketers and that it is holding its own in a very competitive landscape. The consumer insights were revealing and present some creative opportunities for direct mail users knowing that many of their targets will read post in bed or on the loo.”

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