Would you wear a Blue Moon flavoured lip balm? Would you leave your house proudly donning a Krispy Kreme t-shirt? It seems like recently, there’s been a surge in brand merchandise - a particular hit with Gen Z and Gen Alpha. It's why I exclusively leave the house in a Guinness t-shirt.

It’s a phenomenon that’s happening because of one simple rule: branding is everything. It's not enough to simply create consumers; brands need real fans. Customers’ budgets are being squeezed, and true connection is what can keep brands on their shopping lists. And if companies really want to connect with their consumer, they need to take things a step further. Some are getting creative to show up in people's everyday lives, through lip balm in the flavour of their favourite beer, but for others, it’s a case of prioritising connection in their media mix.

In a digital world where ads are often scrolled past or skipped, brands need to be bold to get consumers to engage with them and their product. Experimenting with a physical presence, such as mail, in your media strategy unlocks a unique opportunity. Mail grabs attention, gets read, and sticks around, none of which most digital channels can claim to do. And much like the merchandise we’re seeing more and more of, it creates a tangible brand moment that’s not easily forgotten.

The importance of emotional connection 

Consumers are more than happy to wear brand logos on a t-shirt or keyring. Why? Because something about that brand feels representative of themselves. It’s an intimate, emotional connection. That emotional connection is key, but too often underrated.

At present, we as an industry are fixated on hyper-objective numbers which prioritise on the short-term, measurable wins. But we’ve always known that to create a lasting impact, you must make the consumer feel something. It’s why the John Lewis Christmas advert has become a cornerstone of the festive season, or why just the sound of a can cracking open makes so many of us think of Diet Coke. But how can this be done?

Consumers want to engage with brands, but only when the feeling is mutual. Mail in itself adds a personal touch and an element of surprise. Personally addressed to the consumer, arriving at their doorstep, mail builds intrigue - a distinct moment of surprise and delight. Curiosity and delight are powerful associations for any brand, and those that can make people feel can make people buy. 

Don’t just sell to your consumer, live with them

Before System1, I cut my teeth in alcohol marketing and innovation. And in that time, one of the key things I realised was the power of point-of-sale merchandise – branded print glasses and beer mats. We just needed to put them in pubs and bars, and happy patrons would nab them, slip them in their bags, and suddenly their favourite drink had a presence in their home. It went beyond an advertisement for the brand, each item became a part of someone's environment and something that they would see and touch every day. They lived with it.

Mail can have the same effect; it physically enters someone's space and commands attention just by being there. This is key as brands need attention to grow. According to research by Marketreach, mail stimulates a physical as well as a mental interaction, with over 80% of envelopes opened. The average piece of mail is viewed more than twice in the week it is received and 58% is retained for future reference. Mail stays around. It creates repeated exposure, deepening the connection with the consumer.

Get creative with your mail

But channels alone aren’t enough to make a connection. Mail’s unique physical power provides a canvas for marketers to get creative and make the most of the attention it captures. What would you do with 108 seconds of your target audiences’ attention - the average amount of time spent with direct mail?

It's the clever creative decisions that turn these moments into meaning for the consumer. The tangibility and permanence that comes with mail sets it apart from many other media channels, but how can you earn space in your customer's home? Once you know that, mail might just get your foot in the door.