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Royal Mail develops sensory direct mail offer

by Alex Donohue, Brand Republic 30-Oct-07, 11:55

LONDON - Royal Mail has partnered with sensory marketing specialist Brand Sense to cater for brands and marketers interested in engaging direct mail recipients by using two or more of the five senses.

Royal Mail plans to offer marketers the ability to develop and deliver mail packs that appeal to senses such as taste, sound and smell.

Royal Mail said it would be training more than 300 of its sales staff in the coming months to work with business customers to foster new methods of attracting better response rates from consumers, by creating mailing campaigns that leverage two or more of the five senses.

The partnership follows the April launch of Royal Mail's Personalised Integrated Media service, which allows direct marketers to specially create CDs using Sony's manufacturing, printing and packaging facilities business Sony DADC.

Brand Sense said its own research had found consumers responded to mailings based on their ability to establish an "emotional connection" through the use of sight, sound, taste, touch and smell.

The agency said the more a mailing campaign can connect with people's senses, the more likely it is to appeal to recipients and produce a better response rate.

Antony Miller, head of media development at Royal Mail, said: "Brand development continues to be a significant activity for major advertisers as they seek new and innovative ways to communicate with their customers, as Brand Sense research shows they increasingly need to provide a connection at a deeper emotional level.

"We are therefore working in a unique partnership with Brand Sense to develop a sensory approach to direct mail to demonstrate direct mail's role beyond direct response, focusing on its ability to enhance brand communication."