Direct news: Firms set record for festive mail

Marketing 05-Jan-05

A record 223m Christmas cards were sent by businesses this year, suggesting that firms are increasingly trying to tap into the seasonal feelgood factor.

An extra 6.5m cards were posted in 2004 - a year-on-year increase of 3%, according to Royal Mail research carried out exclusively for Marketing.

The rise was attributed to the boost in sales and customer loyalty enjoyed by businesses after previous festive mailings.

The figures suggest that the traditional paper card is still seen as preferable to the sending of an email greeting, though e-cards have risen in popularity in recent years.

'The festive mail-out is one of the few times when a business sends a personal message to customers,' said Tim Rivett, head of small business at Royal Mail.

'The Christmas card is now seen as a vital piece of communication.'