In an online world flooded with spamming and pop-up advertisements, brands can stand out by getting physical. While advertisers and consumers increasingly turn to digital media, direct mail – an advertising and direct marketing strategy entailing sending print material directly to residents' mailboxes – remains relevant well into the 21st century. In 2023,
exceeded an estimated 39 billion U.S. dollars. While the amount experienced its first decline since the pandemic, the same source expected an
in 2024. According to other projections, the
will decelerate but remain above one percent annually until the end of the decade.
Why direct mail stands tall
The expected decrease in expenditure in the U.S. likely reflects the decline in volume between before and after the coronavirus outbreak. The
number of pieces attributed to direct mail in the U.S. stood below 63 million in 2023. That accounts for less than 80 percent of figures recorded in 2019 and 2018 – a sign of how lockdowns and mobility restrictions boosted online media's performance to the detriment of offline channels. Yet this print medium offers a financial advantage compared to its digital counterparts. 2023 data shows that the
direct mail campaign's return on investment (ROI) of over 160 percent outperformed email, paid search, digital displays, social media, and SMS. The
main tactics for measuring direct mail's ROI in the North American market included personalized URLs, individual customer activities, and the ever-more present QR code.
Direct mail's benefits – for consumers and marketers
Direct mail's ROI performs particularly well for some advertiser categories, exceeding 80 percent. According to a survey among marketers in North America published in 2023, the e-commerce, financial services and banking, and insurance segments enjoyed exceptionally high figures. Another study, conducted in 2023 by a global leader in the industry, indicated that this marketing tactic might expand not despite the internet's rise but rather because of it. Three out of four responding marketers reported reallocating some
digital marketing budget into direct mail in response to consumers' data privacy concerns. Online anxieties aside, American consumers seem to know very well what they expect from companies' print messages. Over three-quarters of those surveyed in 2023 said an offer or promotion
increased their likelihood to open a piece of direct mail sent by an interesting brand. For comparison, little more than half stated the same about a piece featuring their first name. They want a palpable pamphlet or brochure advertising a palpable deal.
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