The Connecting for Action report looked to answer the question: How do today’s Canadian consumers consciously and subconsciously engage with different forms of advertising media – direct mail, email, display and pre-roll video? This report is based on a study which provides a neuromarketing perspective on how direct mail works with digital advertising in integrated campaigns to optimise consumer attention, emotional engagement and brand recall. It was conducted for Canada Post by Ipsos in partnership with Neurons Inc.
Key insights from the study include:
Direct mail
Direct mail offers a personal, sensory experience that effectively captures and sustains consumer attention, triggers the emotions that drive action, and optimises recall. It can even deliver brands a visible and lasting presence in their customers’ homes. When combined with digital media in integrated campaigns, direct mail amplifies consumer attention, emotional engagement and brand recall. Its impact is strongest when used as a follow-up, suggesting direct mail can be a powerful agent for propelling customers forward through the purchase funnel.
Email enforces key marketing messages and promotes recall, helping keep brands and offers top-of-mind. However, it elicits low levels of motivation, and over-communication can lead to consumer disengagement. Direct mail mitigates email fatigue by improving emotional engagement with the medium. It also maximises brand recall when used as a follow-up.
Display ads
Display can stir excitement and motivation in consumers. However, it only captures brief sparks of their attention, leading to low action and recall. Direct mail brings greater attention to display, thus improving recall. It also increases emotional engagement with the medium and maximises excitement when used as a follow-up.
Pre-roll ads
When viewed, pre-roll offers an exciting, multisensory media experience that promotes brand engagement. It also demands low active involvement and so helps shift consumers into the deeper, consideration-provoking mindset that direct mail so effectively capitalises on. This may explain why campaigns where direct mail follows pre-roll are the ones which maximise consumer motivation to act.
Access the full report here.
