Two seconds or less – that’s it.
According to a study done by Facebook and Oracle appearing in an Ad Age article, that’s how much time 72 percent of studied consumers spent looking at a digital video or display ad.
In today’s fragmented media environment, people value their time – and what they’re willing to dedicate it to – more than ever. When it comes to political campaigns, this insight is key.
As competing forms of media fight for voter attention, they often interrupt daily routines. Commercials during a TV show, pop-up ads while scrolling through the web or getting a knock on the door from a canvasser all cut into time that voters are trying to spend doing other things.
In many ways, that’s what makes direct mail so unique – it’s an activity all its own.
USPS research has shown that 86 percent of heads of households check their mailbox at the first opportunity every day. In fact, that same study found that 73 percent of heads of households would advise someone they do not know to do business with them through the mail.*
When you pair these figures with the fact that direct mail reaches every American household, it demonstrates that direct mail can create a unique, tangible experience with individual voters.
We just launched a new animation that illustrates exactly this type of experience. It’s longer than two seconds, but we do hope you’ll watch the whole thing.
This animation highlights what we at the Postal Service call the Mail Moment, and our research shows that it can have a big impact:
- Most registered voters will immediately read a piece of mail from a campaign, particularly when it shares registration deadlines or details on early voting (67 percent) or gives information about a candidate (59%).*
- People take their time when going through the mail. Research shows that 86 percent of heads of households take time to look through their mail to make sure that they are not discarding information that they might have use for. *
- Mail is a positive and preferred medium. In fact, 63 percent of heads of households agree that they look forward to discovering the mail each day, while 62 percent agree that they’d much rather scan for useful information by going through the mail than by clicking through emails. *
We believe these types of insights can inform every campaign, and, ultimately, to help them deliver the win.
With primary season upon us, the Postal Service is making its specialists available to help campaigns capitalize on their direct mail outreach with voters. Whether it’s consultation on strategy, compelling mail piece design, or operational support, the Postal Service is committed to helping campaigns maximize their outreach.
If you want to talk to a direct mail specialist, please contact us directly or visit us at www.deliverthewin.com.
*Statistics are sourced from a joint white paper by USPS and American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC), “Voters and Mail – 5 Insights to Boost Campaign Impact”