How to Tackle Campaign Challenges with Direct Mail

Actionable Insights For Campaigns to DelivertheWin® this Election Cycle

Campaign Headquarters

Turning Challenges into Opportunities

This joint white paper with the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) captures current perceptions of political advertising channels from key bellwether gubernatorial and mayoral post-election voter surveys as well as insights from a campaign consultant survey and in-depth interviews.

These insights serve as a guide on how the voter relationship with direct mail can be the solution to the challenges campaigns are facing through tailoring, timing, and targeting.

Motivate , Captivate , Resonate 2024
Actionable Insights
Campaign pin, Campaign Challenge 1

90% of Surveyed Consultants Are Extremely Concerned About Standing Out and Maintaining Relevance in a Crowded Media Landscape.

Campaign pin, Direct Mail Solution 1

51% of Surveyed Consultants Believe Direct Mail is One of the Best Solutions to Stand Out and Maintain Relevance in a Crowded Media Landscape.

Voter Insights #1

68% of Surveyed Voters Agree That Direct Mail Reinforces Information They Saw on Television and Online Political Advertising.

57% of Surveyed Voters Feel That Direct Mail Was Harder to Ignore Than Online and Television Ads.

We can’t throw everything into one basket and think it’s going to solve it… you’ve got to pick the right mix and direct mail has to be part of that mix.”

Consultant interview
Campaign pin, Campaign Challenge 2

51% of Surveyed Consultants Are Extremely Concerned About Voters Becoming Overwhelmed or Disengaged As a Result of Receiving Too Much Campaign Information During the Upcoming Election Cycle.

Campaign pin, Direct Mail Solution 2

60% of Surveyed Consultants Believe Direct Mail is One of the Best Solutions to Prevent Voters from Becoming Overwhelmed or Disengaged.

Voter Insights #2

68% of Surveyed Voters Feel Less Overwhelmed by Direct Mail Than Other Political Advertising Channels, Such as Television or Online Ads.

56% of Surveyed Voters Feel That the Amount of Mail Pieces Received Was “Just Right” This Past Election Cycle.

Mail still has a lot of credibility compared to the other mediums… We’ve not only brought that message into their home but created a little bit of time for them to absorb it.”

Consultant interview
Campaign pin, Campaign Challenge 3

73% of Surveyed Consultants Are Extremely Concerned About Effectively Reaching the Right Target Demographic.

Campaign pin, Direct Mail Solution 3

72% of Surveyed Consultants Believe Direct Mail is one of the Best Solutions to Effectively Reach the Right Target Demographic.

Voter Insights #3

57% of Surveyed Voters Are More Likely to Read the Mail Piece If They Find It Visually Appealing.

55% of Surveyed Voters Agree That Direct Mail was the Most Memorable Form of Political Advertising This Past Election Cycle.

If you have well done, well executed mail and you send it to the right people, you can be targeted and move certain voter segments… And I think it’s the only medium that can do that.”

Consultant interview

The Solution to Campaign Challenges

The actionable insights captured in our white paper will help campaigns crack the code to better understand how to effectively influence, resonate, and motivate voters – and turn challenges into opportunities this election cycle.

Direct Mail Solution 1

Break Through the Clutter with the Right
Media Mix

Direct Mail Solution 2

Leverage the Unique Mail Moment®
Experience

Direct Mail Solution 3

Precisely Target Voters with Personalized Messaging

For More Actionable Insights

Download the Full White Paper

A Joint Study by the United States Postal Service and American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC)

References

All 2023 election data sourced from consultant interviews and post-election surveys conducted on behalf of the Postal Service™ by Summit Research and KRC Research from September 2023 through January 2024. The research includes 11 in-depth interviews with campaign consultants, an online post-election survey of 171 campaign consultants, and an online post-election survey of 2,529 voters from Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Houston, TX, Columbus, OH, and Philadelphia, PA.