National study concludes Generations X and Y value
mail
Generations shaped by digital media respond to traditional
media channel
Washington, DC - The mailbox continues to thrive in
the digital media age.
The "Gen X, Gen Y, and the Mail" study commissioned
by the U.S. Postal Service examined the attitudes of
Generation X and Generation Y towards mail and found
that over three-quarters of this generation reads and
responds to mail just like their older counterparts.
The Gen X generation was born between 1965 and 1972,
and makes up roughly 17% of the population. Born between
1977 and 1994, Gen Y makes up about 25% of the population.
Despite developing trends in new media channels, the
findings conclude that young consumers are more likely
to read and respond to printed material such as flyers,
circulars, catalogs and newsletters that reach them
through the mailbox. The study examined how young consumers
perceive mail, how they use it and how mail fits into
their high-tech lives.
"To effectively reach this younger generation
of Americans, whose lives are being shaped by digital
media, marketers must deliver smarter, more sophisticated
and relevant messages and must use the right media channel
to drive their messages," said Anita Bizzotto,
Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer
for the Postal Service.
The study's findings show that 86% of Generation X
and 87% of Generation Y bring in the mail the day it
is delivered. And 70% of Generation X and 82% of Generation
Y sort through their mail immediately. These young consumers
feel comfortable searching for products online, but
more than half said they keep catalogs for an extended
period of time and browse through them repeatedly.
"Mail offers marketers the unique ability to make
a physical connection with these young adults. It gets
their attention and builds brands with them," Bizzotto
said.
The "Gen X, Gen Y, and the Mail" study included
several key findings:
• Mail plays an important role in the lives of
both the groups o Young consumers rate 75% of the mail
they receive as valuable.
58% of Generation X and
66% of Generation Y prefer mailed bills to manage finances
• Mail keeps Generation X and Y in touch with
the marketplace and influences them to make a purchase.
74% of Generation X and
68% of Generation Y direct mail receivers read retail
advertising mail
68% of Generation X and
73% of Generation Y retail direct mail readers have
used mailed coupons
• Mail is preferred by both groups for financial
services offers.
53% of Generation X and
60% of Generation Y who shop for credit cards online
are more likely to respond to mail offers than e-offers
70% of Generation X and
Y are more likely to open and read credit card offers
in the mail than by e-mail
"The study demonstrates that mail offers a rare
opportunity for a marketer to capture the undivided
attention of these young consumers," said John
Palmer, President of InnoMedia, Inc. "In fact,
since this younger audience typically receives fewer
pieces of mail than TV, radio and internet advertising
impressions, marketers have a better chance of grabbing
their attention and holding it longer by using mail."
Since 1775, the Postal Service and its predecessor,
the Post Office Department, has connected friends, families,
neighbors and businesses by mail. It is an independent
federal agency that visits 142 million homes and businesses
every day, six days a week and is the only service provider
delivering to every address in the nation. The Postal
Service receives no taxpayer dollars for routine operations,
but derives its operating revenues solely from the sale
of postage, products and services. With annual revenues
of more than $69 billion, it is the world's leading
provider of mailing and delivery services, offering
some of the most affordable postage rates in the world.
The Postal Service delivers more than 46 percent of
the world's mail volume-some 206 billion letters, advertisements,
periodicals and packages a year-and serves seven and
a half million customers each day at its 37,000 retail
locations nationwide. Its website, usps.com, attracts
more than 21 million visitors each month.
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