A key reason for print’s popularity is that it is able to accomplish certain things more effectively than other types of marketing. Many consumers like direct mail because they prefer a tangible form of communication that they can experience with more than just their eyes. Unlike e-mail, television, or radio ads, a consumer can hold a direct mail item in his/her hand and even store it for a period of time. Some other forms of marketing are fleeting and forgotten, but a letter, brochure, or catalog can serve as a lasting reminder of a marketing message. So why do people prefer direct mail? For one thing, it’s easier for the human brain to process. According to data from CanadaPost/TrueImpact, direct mail requires 21% less cognitive effort to process than digital media. This suggests that it is easier to understand as well as more memorable. Furthermore, print stimulates the brain in a way that enables greater “internalization” of advertisements. When survey participants were asked to cite the brand (company name) for an advertisement they had just seen, recall was 70% higher when respondents were exposed to direct mail (75%) rather than a digital message (44%).
Direct mail is also seen as more credible. Although 63% of consumers were more likely to report taking direct mail more seriously, only 18% felt this way about e-mail. At the same time, however, today’s consumers interact with a wide variety of media types. It is therefore important to create cross-channel campaigns with multiple touchpoints to achieve the best results.
