Ian Gibbs: "It's the tactile channels that generate the highest number of response effects"

The broader outlook: cautious optimism

When asked about the broader perspective on door drops and direct mail in the UK, Gibbs is refreshingly frank. "I hate making predictions about the future," he admits. Despite this reluctance, he acknowledges the challenging economic climate: "I think people are still going to be having very difficult conversations with CFOs around their budgets this year."

However, Gibbs sees a silver lining for traditional print channels. "It is the channels which are most measurable, most accountable, least susceptible to fraud, the most transparent, and those with the highest levels of consumer trust, which I think have a real opportunity to assert themselves this year," he explains.

Issues around trust and platform power in the digital space, he notes, are likely to come under scrutiny this year, creating an opening for traditional channels like print to reassert their value. "We remain optimistic about the year ahead for sure. Our forecast is to look healthy," Gibbs adds, basing this optimism on projected volumes.

As Director of Data Leadership and Learning at JICMail, Gibbs plays a pivotal role in providing marketers with the tools to navigate this evolving landscape. JICMail, the Joint Industry Committee for Mail, offers standardised audience measurement data for mail in the UK, enabling marketers to understand and optimise the effectiveness of their campaigns. DMA UK, the Data & Marketing Association, complements this by representing the interests of the direct marketing industry, setting standards, and fostering innovation across the sector. Together, these organisations help ensure that direct mail and door drops remain relevant and impactful amid the shifting tides of the marketing world.

Creativity and performance: print’s strong position

Discussing a recent DMA report on creativity in marketing, Gibbs reveals an interesting trend. "Print tends to get above-average creativity scores assigned to it," he notes. While acknowledging the subjective nature of creativity, he emphasises that aggregated trends from various judges point in a similar direction.

Gibbs draws a compelling link between creativity and performance, particularly for tactile channels like print. "It's the tactile channels that generate the highest number of response effects, or performance marketing effects," he explains, positioning print as a strong contender in today’s marketing mix.

The challenge of promoting print

When asked if the industry is doing enough to promote print among marketers, Gibbs acknowledges the challenge. "Agency planners are increasingly time poor, and younger agency planners... they're not necessarily taught all the rigour of cross-channel planning," he observes.

He suggests that the demand for effective advertising needs to come from advertisers themselves. "You have to ask more pointed questions about the effectiveness of their agencies and not be spoon-fed this insight," he advises, highlighting the need for more proactive engagement.

Print vs Digital: complementary, not interchangeable

On the topic of retail media and its relationship with traditional print channels, Gibbs sees potential for synergy rather than competition. "Retail media and mail and door drops can work really nicely together. I don't think they're interchangeable," he states.

He cites the example of Tesco, which can reach 21 million people in the UK with its retail media. Gibbs suggests that supplementing digital retail media with mail presents a huge opportunity for retailers, especially those with existing customer databases.

Elaborating on this distinction, Gibbs notes, “Door drops have a unique ability to reach a broad audience, including those who might not be actively engaged in digital channels. They’re excellent for brand awareness and acquisition strategies.” In contrast, he points out that retail media often targets consumers who are already in the purchase funnel. “Retail media is more about influencing decisions at the point of sale or just before. It’s great for conversions, but it might miss out on introducing your brand to new potential customers.”

This complementary relationship means the two channels can cover the entire customer journey when used together effectively. While door drops build broad awareness and generate new leads, retail media drives conversions by targeting audiences closer to making a purchase.

However, Gibbs cautions against viewing door drops and retail media as direct substitutes. "Door drops should be used almost like a mass-market channel," he explains, contrasting this with retail media’s role in targeting consumers who are already close to making a purchase decision.

Sustainability: a pressing concern

When it comes to sustainability in marketing decisions, Gibbs expresses concern about the current trends. Referencing upcoming DMA research, he reveals, "Way down CMOs’ priority list is sustainable marketing, which is really depressing." He notes a sense of "green fatigue" setting in among both consumers and marketers.

Despite this, Gibbs believes that sustainability remains crucial. "It feels a bit like now or never for sustainable marketing," he says, suggesting that brands who get it right could reap rewards in customer engagement and loyalty.

Gibbs highlights the efforts of organisations like Two Sides and Print Green in promoting the sustainability of print media. “Two Sides has been doing great work in educating people about the environmental impact of print versus digital,” he notes. “And the Print Green initiative, which involves stakeholders like Market Reach, Royal Mail, BPIF and the DMA, is providing resources and carbon calculators to help people understand the sustainability of the print channel.”

To illustrate, Gibbs recalls a recent example where a brand successfully reduced its carbon footprint without compromising performance, underscoring that it is possible to balance sustainability with results.

The impact of AI

Looking towards the future, Gibbs sees potential in AI beyond just efficiency gains. "I would hope that 2025 becomes a year we start talking about the effectiveness benefits of AI," he muses. He envisions AI being used for better targeting, more personalised ads, and more dynamic ad testing.

Gibbs is particularly excited about the intersection of AI with programmatic mail. "Imagine extra layers of automation being put in by AI. That's really exciting," he enthuses, seeing this as a potential bridge between the digital world and traditional mail.

Looking ahead: print’s enduring relevance

As our conversation draws to a close, Gibbs shares a parting thought. "Print isn’t just surviving; it’s evolving," he remarks. With creativity, sustainability, and technological innovation at the forefront, direct mail and door drops seem poised to continue playing a significant role in the UK’s marketing landscape. The enduring power of tactile engagement, he suggests, lies not only in its measurable impact but in its ability to connect with consumers on a deeply human level.