Head of the Advertising Solutions Department at Eesti Post Liisa Järsk summarises the three main ideas on how 2020 impacted direct mailing as an advertising channel and a service.
In addition to multiple challenges, 2020 also offered plenty of inspiration in the area of marketing and advertising. Marketers had to make an effort to make sure their messages were visible in the massive influx of critical information and to remain important for end consumers by finding a way to their hearts. The effort of the domain of advertising was also visible when looking at the quality and content of direct mailing. Last year, the reputation of direct mail was improved thanks to several companies and organisations with whom Eesti Post had the honour of collaborating, helping one another adjust to the new reality. Therefore, we also launched a new competition where each month we recognise the creator of the most outstanding and smart direct mailing material.
Direct mail – not just the best offers
In spring, those whose area of activity is related to home, garden and various hobbies were all winners. People had more time on their hands to spend with family or at home – they made a start on postponed renovations, worked in their gardens or found new hobbies for the entire family. Direct mail in the post box was a great source of inspiration. According to the spring direct mail visibility survey, in addition to grocery store advertisements, people mostly anticipated direct mail related to home and gardening.
In addition to the familiar campaign messages that inspired people stuck at home, we also delivered to post boxes across the country instructions of critical importance for how to act in the changed situation and how to protect your own health and that of others. Forwarding public information by direct mail means using the only channel that reaches all people. Therefore, in a crisis where movement is restricted, it is an irreplaceable source of information.
E-shop advertising outside digital environments
When the shopping centres closed, commerce moved to e-channels. Volumes of goods purchased from online shops exceeded all previous records and many companies that until then had operated only physically transferred online. To support the successful development of e-business during difficult times, we paid greater attention to small and medium sized companies last year and helped them get started with direct mailing. The affordable contact price and precise targeting solutions of direct mail allow effective addressing of the right client segment, for example, in the delivery area of a new e-shop. Compared with previous periods, the visibility of direct mailing concerning e-commerce also increased in spring. Here, the important factor was the extensive coverage of the direct mailing channel in a situation where people stayed at home and moved around less.
The outdoor media market as a direct mailing service provider
As the introduction said, last year, challenges and the inspiration for overcoming them went hand in hand. Possessing one of the most extensive vehicle fleets in Estonia, Eesti Post decided to enter the outdoor media market and start providing, in addition to direct mail, outdoor advertising surfaces on the backdoors of vans. Similarly to Tallinn city buses, companies can now buy advertising space on the backdoors of post vans to market their product or service. A great advantage compared with public transportation and other outdoor advertising is that there is no advertising tax, which makes the new service considerably more cost effective compared with other solutions. The vehicles move around in Tallinn and Tartu and the surrounding areas. Parallel use of various media channels is often critical to achieve great results, and the new service has caused great interest and excitement among clients.
In the new year, we want to continue to increase the popularity of direct mailing and bring even more ideas to marketers on how to make direct mailing beneficial in the changed world, in addition to other channels. The field of advertising is expecting interesting times because there are already several major events waiting in 2021 – the 30th anniversary of Estonia regaining its independence, the Olympic games as well as presidential and local government elections. These events promise to bring about many special projects and outstanding solutions.