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Print in the Mix

Direct Mail Remains Consumers' Preferred Choice for Marketing Messages

According to the latest release of an annual study by marketing firm Epsilon Targeting, the channels consumers prefer to receive marketing messages remain relatively consistent, with direct mail again being the most preferred delivery method. The study, "Channel Preference for both the Mobile and Non-Mobile Consumer," finds direct mail continues to deliver as consumers' preferred means of receiving messages from brands, with six out of 10 Americans reporting they "enjoy getting postal mail from brands about new products."

Key Findings:

Across all key verticals—with the exception of hearing about online sites to shop at—American consumers overwhelmingly prefer direct mail to e-mail for obtaining marketing information.

Examining variations between e-mail and online preferences, Epsilon found the majority of U.S. respondents agree with the following statements:

• I get a lot of e-mail that I just don't open (73 percent)
• I am getting more e-mail now vs. one year ago (70 percent)
• I get too many e-mails in one day (67 percent)
• I enjoy checking the mailbox for postal mail (62 percent)
• I enjoy getting postal mail from brands about new products (59 percent)

Comparatively, only 39 percent of respondents say they enjoy getting e-mail from brands about new products and six percent like to receive mobile offers. Mobile device users were 40 to 50 percent more likely to prefer e-mail and online communications, respectively, than non-users.

Convenience, ability to easily reference and portability, are the top reasons respondents prefer postal mail to e-mail/online:

• Can read the info when it is convenient (73 percent)
• Can refer back to the info when needed (61 percent)
• Can take info easily to different place (40 percent)
• More private if sent through the mail than sent by e-mail (36 percent)

Top reasons respondents prefer e-mail/online to postal mail are much the same as above, just preferred by less respondents:

• Can refer back to the info when needed (45 percent)
• Can read the info when it is convenient (42 percent)
• Can pass info easily along to others (38 percent)

About: The 2012 study is based on completed surveys from 1,991 U.S. consumers and 3,816 Canadian consumers. Conducted in June 2012, a 15-minute questionnaire was administered to respondents 18 years of age and older.

To read the entire Print in the Mix Fast Fact and other print market research studies, go to www.printinthemix.com. Print in the Mix is a free and easily accessible clearinghouse of research on print media effectiveness published by the Rochester Institute of Technology, Cross-Media Innovation Center (CMIC), housed in the School of Media Sciences.

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