Covid-19 has changed consumer behaviour – perhaps forever. People are spending more time at home and this trend is set to continue. The way we consume media and the way brands build trust and drive customer action has also changed. It has never been more important for brands to build deeper, more engaging relationships with their customers. The latest insights, from Royal Mail Market Reach and JICMAIL, reveals the vital role physical mail is playing in a disrupted media landscape. During the initial lockdown, a record 96% of all mail was engaged with. Frequency of exposure to mail was at its highest ever recorded by JICMAIL and mail-driven online behaviour has increased by 70%*. The free guide is packed full of insight, stats, infographics, useful content, resources and tips on how to deliver effective and measurable direct mail campaigns to drive ROI for your business.

Integrating a strategic technology-driven extension is more than just a trend in direct marketing. It can be a game-changer. Applications such as Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality, Virtual Reality, Voice Assistant, Near Field Communication, or Video enable your mail to captivate your audience for a longer period, making for a more memorable brand experience that can expand the campaign’s reach. Most important, it can drive greater response. Augmented Reality (AR) adds digital elements to a live view often by using the camera on a smartphone. AR is more than QR codes. AR both heightens engagement with a mail piece and links it directly to the online channel to extend the sales process. Now, the USPS has made this even more enticing with the Emerging Technology and Mobile Shopping postal discount incentive which runs between May 1st — November 30th. This promotion provides a 3-4% discount depending on the complexity of the technology.

In a defeat for Meta Platforms, a federal appellate court late last week left in place a recent decision allowing Facebook and Instagram advertisers to proceed with a class-action fraud lawsuit over inflated metrics. Unless the Supreme Court intervenes, Meta must now face a class-action on behalf of all U.S. advertisers who used Facebook's Ad Manager or Power Editor to purchase ads on Facebook or Instagram after August 15, 2014. Meta hasn't yet said whether it will ask the Supreme Court to hear an appeal. The battle between Meta and the advertisers dates to 2018, when business owner Danielle Singer alleged in a class-action complaint that Facebook induced advertisers to purchase more ads, and pay more for them, by overstating the number of users who might see the ads.