As with everything in life, change is inevitable. This applies in direct mail design too, and the trends we’re seeing the past few months show that the medium is still evolving to keep pace with the times.
Here are the 3 developments we’re currently seeing the most of in the industry, which we believe are going to dominate for the majority of 2015:
Trend #1: Colorful Packaging
Whether it’s envelopes, boxes or other creative direct mail design, the packaging these days is making use of full-color approach. With the advances in technology that we’ve experienced in recent years, there’s absolutely no reason these days not to use four-color printing (CMYK) and even the odd spot color to add a bit of zing to your campaign. In addition, gold and silver foiling, high-gloss varnish and laminate and sophisticated folding and stitching techniques make printing an exciting field to be in now.
There’s no reason to hide the brightness under wraps, either, which is the reason why envelopes and other direct mailer packaging options are so inspired. This makes the mailers really stand out and scream to be opened—even when they land in a mailbox that’s packed with junk mail.
Trend #2: The Use of Icon Images
With direct mail design working hard to integrate with digital media in a multi-channel approach, the use of icons that resemble those your prospect sees daily on his desktop or mobile devices is becoming increasingly common. The thinking is that these images help to build a connection between the more frequently viewed media channels and the mailing campaign. Icons are mostly used to prompt action, because recipients are particularly familiar with them in that role. For example, it’s generally accepted that an envelope icon indicates an email address, and a telephone receiver is a CTA to call in.
Trend #3: Intensive Personalization
In a recent Vertis survey, 66% of respondents said that receiving direct mail addressed to them personally caused them to open the item. But personalization goes way beyond just adding a variable field that contains the prospect’s name and address. You can also customize in terms of advanced options, such as:
- Geographical location
- Buying history
- Age
- Gender
- Stated interests
It’s critical that these efforts are based on accurate data, however, or you’re not only going to miss the mark—you’re going to miss it by a mile.
Using the latest trends in direct mail design is a great way to improve your campaign response rates, but it takes effort and focus to leverage the opportunities the right way.
