Direct Mail: Counted Out by Cynics, Counted On by Consumers

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In the hit film Cast Away, actor Tom Hanks’ character Chuck Noland, a FedEx productivity expert, survives a plane crash, only to be marooned on a deserted island. After a harrowing trek back to civilization, he finds that his family has given him up for dead.

During his exile, Noland becomes a survival expert, learns about life and defiantly determines to deliver one last parcel from his downed FedEx plane.

North America’s direct mail marketers could hardly be blamed for feeling a bit like Chuck Noland, a quietly heroic figure who was counted out, even by his loved ones, only to survive and ultimately emerge victorious.

Direct mail repeatedly and erroneously has been given up for dead. There was the clutter of junk mail, making direct mail the victim of its own success. Then came the technological wonders of email. Then the sky-is-falling demise of the post office. And the threat du jour -- abandonment in favor of the lure and hipness of social media.

To get to the truth of the matter, ICOM conducted a survey of 2569 US households and 2209 Canadian households including a cross section of consumers ranging in age from 18 to 55 years old and above. This study examined preferences in regard to the ever-expanding array of communications channels for the delivery of marketing information, offers and promotions.