Flyers 'have advantages over digital marketing'

Mark Thomson of the Royal Mail has spoken of the benefits direct marketing materials have over television or internet advertising.

Direct marketing materials such as flyers and printed booklets hold a number of advantages over their digital counterparts.

This is the view of Royal Mail media director Mark Thomson, who told Marketing Week such items have the ability to get the undivided attention of a consumer.

He explained that while people will "inevitably" throw away some promotional items they receive through the post, they will often still read it before they do so.

"You can watch an ad on TV or the internet and almost completely ignore both the message and the tone of delivery," he explained, noting mail is "unusual" as it requires readers to stop what they are doing and give it their full attention.

However, he urged those using flyers to be creative with their designs, adding customers are more likely to show an interest in something that is "eye-catching".

Direct marketing can also be a sustainable form of getting a message to clients, as recent research from the Royal Mail and the Direct Marketing Association showed 76.5 per cent of such material is sent for recycling.