Data & Direct Marketing Committee

The Data & Direct Marketing Committee is for members who need to learn the latest best practices and techniques in the direct marketing space both offline and online. This committee is channel agnostic and provides brands and leading service providers with a forum to discuss optimal strategic and tactical direct to consumer interactions on behalf of a brand through all direct media methods. This includes printed direct mail, email, catalogs, as well as new direct to consumer platforms all leveraging data to increase personalization and improve the customer experience. The committee will address the latest in addressable media, quality data sourcing, measurement and response rates, as well as case studies on how brands have leveraged data and direct marketing as an integral part of their integrated marketing strategy and drive overall growth. This committee is perfect for marketers engaged in customer acquisition and loyalty programs. Two co-chairs and an executive council advise and discuss programming and topics for the committee at large. 

The Data & Direct Marketing Committee will include a new platform for members to address current public policy issues in the print and postal areas. The Postal Advisory Council will address key industry issues including but not limited to direct mail/postal rates, legislation and capabilities, national and state consumer privacy regulations, data quality standards, appropriate data collecting technologies and participation in other evolving marketing industry standards. They will meet and will advise the Data & Direct Marketing Committee on developing issues at the state, Federal and Global level. The Postal Advisory Council may also solicit input from the Committee on various issues and actions affecting the industry.

All meetings are free for ANA client-side and MSP members to attend in-person when appropriate or via webinar.

Committee Co-Chairs:
Chuck La Tournous, Vice President, Marketing, American National Multiple Line Agencies
Debora Haskel, Vice President Marketing & Communications, Moore 

Have a case study or 'how to' session to share?  
Contact the ANA staff managing the Data & Direct Marketing Committee  -  Tina Jordan and Lisa Merizio Smith.

Discussion Topics:

• Direct Media Channels & Tactics
• Integrating Online & Offline Marketing
• Data-driven segmentation & personalization
• Print and supply chain shortages
• Measurement (e.g. ROI, brand lift, brand awareness)
• Effective creative in direct mail & print advertising
• Consumer privacy & postal issues
• Understanding consumer behavior
• Data quality and sources
• Emerging technology

Thought Leadership

The 2022 Response Rate Survey is now out in the field!
Help set industry benchmarks! 

ANA and Demand Metric have partnered again to produce the ANA Response Rate Report for 2022. The primary objective of this study is to collect data on the performance of direct media for benchmarking purposes and to share that data with ANA members and the data-driven marketing community. The report will provide key insights for future planning and help identify new norms and trends in today’s ever-changing marketplace. Media benchmarked in this report include direct mail, email, social media, paid search, display and SMS; and in particular, the effectiveness of QR codes. 

Participate! We are currently seeking participation from ANA members and the direct marketing community to take part in the study, which is scheduled to be released at the end of September 2022. The report will once again be free to ANA members and anyone who participates in the survey. Please have your team participate as this helps the industry as a whole by providing accurate benchmarks. Thank you in advance. Gather your team and take the survey.

Note: You can still access the 2021 Response Rate Report here. 

2023 ANA International ECHO Awards - OPEN FOR ENTRIES: Data and analytics continue to be the world’s most effective tools for building engaging marketing experiences with the greatest potential to drive real business growth. Celebrating exceptional data-inspired strategy, creative, and results for more than 92 years, the ANA International ECHO Awards are one of the most coveted awards in marketing, precisely because they are real campaigns that enable art and science to move brand and business objectives. See all 2022 winners here. Enter your successful work here: www.echoawards.org. Early Bird Deadline: Sept. 9, 2022.

Newest ECHO Award: Marketing Data Strategy of the Year Awards: The ECHO Marketing Data Strategy of the Year award is a special category that showcases how organizations fully leverage and optimize their available data to achieve marketing and business goals. The winners in Gold, Silver and Bronze represent best in class examples of strategic and creative use of marketing data to elevate the way marketers engage with their audiences, streamline processes, and augment the role data plays in their organization to achieve marketing and business objectives and generate real growth. With data, technology, and measurement being recognized by the ANA’s Global Growth Council as the engines that will power marketers into the future, the ECHO Marketing Data Strategy of the Year award, could perhaps be our most important ECHO Award ever. Enter your work for the 2023 competition here: www.echoawards.org. 
See all 2022 winners and honorable mentions here. 

USPS Gold Mailbox: In a world more complex than ever, only one medium has been woven into the very fabric of our lives for centuries — and continues today to endure as a fantastic opportunity for marketers to balance high tech with high-touch. Mail. Every year, one outstanding campaign is honored with the Gold Mailbox Award. This special INTERNATIONAL ECHO recognizes the most innovative use of the medium, whether as a solo effort or a major part of an integrated campaign. The winner EXEMPLIFIES best-in-class techniques including:

• Sophisticated use of data
• Innovation and personalization within the MAIL PIECES
• Messaging that spoke to consumer pain points
• Urgent and compelling call-to-action

USPS Industry Alerts and Notices  

June 17, 2022 - Paper Availability - In acknowledgement of the nationwide paper availability challenges, the Postal Service and mailing industry have developed a two-step process to explore the opportunity to expand paper options outside of current specifications to enable the continued production and entry of mail. 

Step 1. Alternative paper may be tested and approved for use by Postal engineering to meet machinability requirements for specific formats. 

Step 2. Exceptions to use approved paper for specific commercial mailings will be considered on a case by case basis. Exception requests for mailings must be sent to and approved by the Pricing and Classification Service Center: PCSC@usps.gov 

A complete set of instructions for tests (Step 1 above) has been posted on our Postal Pro website along with the list of paper that has been approved based on Postal engineering tests to meet machinability requirements for specific formats: Letter Mail Paper Testing Instructions | PostalPro (usps.com)