With the digital marketing revolution in full flow and email usurping snail-mail you could be forgiven for thinking that there’s no place left in the world for direct marketing, or direct mail, to be more precise. In a quick straw poll across our offices the more ‘mature’ of us receive one to two pieces of direct mail a day, most of which are put in the bin without opening. The younger demographic only get three or four pieces of direct mail a week. So is direct mail dead or is there still a place for it in the marketing mix. You would expect that, as one of the most quantifiable types of marketing that companies would not be using DM if they could not prove its worth so we must assume that DM does work. However, one that definitely did not go in the bin and that is a crystal clear example of DM working is this received from Prestons, the diamond merchant and luxury watch retailer. Take a minute to watch the following video to explain why. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4W98TV_hcUU&list=UUMYZfhgNhiTVQsjeJs8zAow The brilliance of this direct mail piece is evident. From the premium textured envelope giving no indication of who sent the communication or what it is about. Having opened the envelope you are still left wondering and the touch of providing the screw driver to open the communication surely appeals to most blokes. Unfortunately, in an entirely unscientific test, the majority of the girls in the office couldn’t work out how to open it. Once unscrewed and opened the piece was obviously of particularly high quality in terms of look, feel and photography. The personal invitation inside added the final touch. Everyone in the office are big fans and it has certainly driven me to respond and accept their kind invitation. I am left wondering though, with such amazing quality marketing, whether I will need to take out a small mortgage to afford one of their amazing looking watches…