Because It Because It's Personal: A Study of Consumer Use and Preference for Envelopes

By Commissioned by the Envelope Manufacturers Association Foundation and conducted by GolinHarris in collaboration with Insight Express

Envelopes

"Consumers pay attention to direct marketing efforts, thus validating direct mail as a highly effective tool."

Year: 2006
 

Type of Promotional Material/Activity Tested: Envelopes
 

Sample Population: 1,800 U.S. adult consumers, weighted to reflect 2002 census demographics, with a +/- 2-3% margin of error at a 95% confidence level.  This means that 95% of the time, GolinHarris/Insight Express was confident that percentages in the actual population would not vary by more than 2-3% in either direction.
 

Study Method: A national online survey conducted in September 2005 preceded by a series of focus groups with consumers and with business audience segments (direct mail managers, creative directors, direct marketing executives).

Metrics: Attributes and perceptions of direct mail and mailed envelopes.

Top Line Results:
 

• 75% of consumers say they are most likely to pay attention and act on direct mail sent to the home – over three times more than unsolicited e-mail, online banner or pop-up ads, sales calls to the home, and text message ads combined.
  
  
• Consumers, across all demographics, respond more positively to direct marketing efforts mailed to them in envelopes (41%) compared to postcards or self-mailer fliers (16%).
  
  
• Women (45%), and those over the age 34 (44%), are the most responsive to direct mail offers received in envelopes.
  
  
• When consumers receive envelopes in the mail containing marketing, advertising, or promotional material -- the top three things they say they "always or usually do”:
  
  
  • Open the envelope if they believe the contents might be interesting (66%)
    
  • Open the envelope if they perceive contents will be of personal interest to them (61%)
    
  • Open the envelop if they can clearly identify the purpose/sender (59%)
    
    
•  The top types of merchandise consumers say they buy as a result of direct mailings that arrive in an envelope are:
  
  
  • Books  (43%)
  • Magazines  (42%)
  • Clothing  (40%)
  • Movies/videos/DVDs  (29%)
  • Music   (25%)

Take Away: Consumers pay attention to direct marketing efforts, thus validating direct mail as a highly effective marketing tool.  Direct marketing offers received in envelopes are noticed, opened, and acted upon.

Complexity rating of source:   1
(Complex statistical analysis scale:  1= none, 2= moderate, 3 = difficult)

Source: Because It’s Personal: A Study of Consumer Use and Preference for Envelopes, Envelope Manufacturers Association Foundation