Direct Mail Gets Off To A Flying Start In 2004
The direct mail industry has seen impressive year on year increases in both expenditure and volume during the first quarter of 2004, according to new figures released by the Direct Mail Information Service.
The latest statistics show that volume reached 1,475 million items in the three months to March, a 3.8% increase on the same quarter last year. The rise is largely due to an increase in volume for consumer direct mail, which rose by 5.3% to 1,171 million items. However, business to business volume was down by 1.6% to 304 million items during the same period.
Expenditure on direct mail continued its recent growth spurt, rising by 4.2% year on year to £685.52 million for the quarter. This figure constitutes production, accounting for 59%, at £404.49 million and postage, claiming 41%, at £281.03 million.
Analysis by the DMIS reveals that the increase in consumer volume figures is largely due to above average increases in the utilities, retail and education sectors, notching up rises of 40.5%, 13.9% and 10% respectively. The only sector to decrease its volume this quarter was the home shopping sector which saw a dip of 4.1%.
According to the DMIS, all socio-economic groups saw a rise in volumes, with C1s and C2s showing the greatest increase with 7.4% and 6.7% rises respectively. The majority of age groups also saw a rise in the amount of direct mail they receive, the most significant rise being for the 45-54 age group, up 13.5% year on year to 226.74 million items.
Commenting on the figures, DMIS managing director, Jo Howard-Brown, said: “These first quarter statistics show that direct marketers continue to maximise their budgets by using direct mail – the most responsive medium, according to recent DMIS research.”
The latest figures are an improvement on those for the final quarter of 2003, which experienced only a nominal rise in expenditure with an increase of just 0.6% year on year (see Direct Mail Pushes The Envelope As Expenditure Rises).
DMIS: 0207 494 0483 www.dmis.co.ukRecent Research Stories from NewsLine RAJAR Auditions New Electronic Audio Meters i-level Launches Dedicated Search Marketing Division DTT Set To Reach Half Of Europe’s Multi-Channel Homes
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