Royal Mail yesterday launched a new initiative designed to provide companies and their agencieswith a full suite of marketing mail solutions fit for the digital era.
The MarketReach initiative will combine in-house experience and external expertise “to providethe expertise and skills needed to add a real element to marketing campaigns which are becomingincreasingly digital-led”.
The move is part of Royal Mail’s strategy to develop its marketing mail and parcels propositionsto contribute to the future success of a financially stable, diversified, and soon-to-be-privitisedRoyal Mail Group. Together marketing mail and parcels now account for 60% of Royal Mail Grouprevenues (excluding Post Office Ltd).
The company said: “Marketing mail currently represents 11% of total advertising spend in the UKof £16 billion. We believe there is real growth potential in the market for addressed andunaddressed marketing mail. By working across the value chain, Royal Mail aims to increase itsshare of this market.”
In a world with a marketing landscape increasingly led by digital communications, Royal Mailinsisted that mail was a proven way for businesses to reach customers in a way that other forms ofadvertising cannot.
“Return on investment of mail campaigns has increased in recent years to more than £3 for every£1 spent on average, and matches that achieved by digital,” the company added.
“Using a mix of in-house experience and external expertise under one roof we aim to add valuefor our customers at each point in the value chain. We will provide planning, data, creative anddesign solutions through to print, delivery and response evaluation.”
MarketReach’s specialised sales team is currently talking to more than 50 companies aboutproviding marketing mail solutions for their businesses.
Royal Mail said the engine of MarketReach was planning. “Using our unique planning tool Diodealongside the latest intelligence, data and insight, MarketReach builds effective solutions toenhance campaigns. Included in the MarketReach offer is a creative component, which enablesadvertisers to integrate a television screen, video and sound into a mail pack. This is availablein partnership with VideoPak, owned by Amstore.”
Frank Schinella, Managing Director of Royal Mail’s Media Business, said: “Royal Mail haslaunched MarketReach to provide advertisers and agencies with the expertise and skills needed toadd a real element to campaigns which are increasingly digital.
“We know that in a competitive environment, getting your message across to customers in aplanned, targeted and impactful way is integral to business success. Mail is a great way tocomplement and integrate digital advertising, adding a real element to a campaign.
“We want to help advertisers and agencies by providing the skills and expertise to make it eveneasier to add mail to their marketing activities. By working across the value chain, Royal Mailaims to increase its share of the £16 billion advertising market.”
