Royal Mail pushes direct mail with advertising campaign

Royal Mail launched a new publicity campaign today to entice advertisers to get into direct mail. The campaign focuses around the company’s Advertising Mail promotion, which was launched in May offering discounts on letters and large letters that are sent solely for the purpose of advertising.

London-based ad agency Proximity London has devised the campaign to help target those businesses who are either new to advertising mail, or haven’t used direct mail as part of their marketing strategies for a while.

The campaign emphasises the value of the mail as a marketing channel compared to other forms of advertising like television, press, outdoor and digital spots. It pushes the high response rate that can be achieved by advertising through the mail, with the claims that it achieves a 92% open rate and boosts returns on integrated campaigns by 20%.

A microsite – advertisingmail.co.uk – has been set up to support the campaign with more in-depth information about the Advertising Mail service, offering first time direct mailers a 25% postage credit.

Royal Mail said more than 80 advertisers have already made use of the Advertising Mail promotion since its launch, sending over 14 million items in the incentive’s first three weeks.

The company’s head of market development, Antony Miller, said the new publicity campaign would ask businesses whether their current marketing channels were working as hard as the marketers behind their campaigns.

Miller said: “This campaign hinges on highlighting the tangible impact adding direct mail into the mix can have on a brand’s bottom line. It drives a direct return not just on financial investment, but the time marketers spend on planning and managing campaigns.”

“We’re keen that more brands take advantage of the incentive to experience firsthand what direct mail can achieve.”