Welcome to the first instalment of our science of activation series, where we build on the science of activation study from Canada Post.

In this series we are taking this opportunity to delve into each element, with our focus today being the Physicality of Direct Mail.

Attention

Canada Post states that 21% less mental effort is required to process direct mail vs digital media. They also found that traditional print media is more memorable. Up to 70% higher, in fact, when a participant was asked to recall a brand. These findings were derived from a neurological study sponsored by Canada Post.

That same study also converted different media formats to a “Motivation-to-Cognitive load ratio”. A number meant to calculate both the increase in motivation and the ease of processing the message. They found that any media format that had a higher than 1.00 score was a good predictor of market success.

To give you some context, banners viewed on a laptop scored the lowest with a score of 0.78. In comparison, Postcards, being the lowest cost physical media format, scored a 0.90. On the higher side, a mail piece with an envelope scored a 1.40, while an envelope that included a scent, the most effective piece, had a 1.75 score. Clearly the physical nature of direct mail has an effect on prospects that digital has trouble replicating.

Effects on the brain

Other studies have shown that physical adds activate the Ventral Stratum. The area of the brain that correlates with desire and valuation.

Physical media is real to the brain because it engages with the spatial memory networks of the brain. It engages the sense of touch and scent in a way that digital does not. Intuitively, we know that a direct mail piece engages more than the hundreds of digital adds seen each day. That said, studies like these lend a strong confirmation to those deciding where to spend their marketing dollars. While Direct Mail campaigns may be more costly than digital, the higher levels of engagement and ability to drive action continue to make them relevant in our increasingly digital world.

We hope you enjoyed this first installment, and if you need help in utilizing these strategies in your direct mail campaigns, I encourage you reach out to us. One of our Canada Post Smart Mail certified client service representatives can help you develop a campaign that is not just eye catching but has the right elements to drive activation.