The Return of Direct Mail: Why Print Marketing Is Making a Comeback

The Return of Direct Mail: Why Print Marketing Is Making a Comeback

In an era of overflowing inboxes and endless social feeds, an old-school marketing channel is experiencing an unexpected revival. Businesses are rediscovering the power of direct mail to cut through digital noise and engage customers in tangible, memorable ways. Recent data and industry trends from 2023–2025 show that physical mail is making a comeback as a high-impact marketing medium. From improved ROI and consumer trust in print, to fatigue with digital ads and the seamless integration of mail into omnichannel strategies, direct mail is again proving its value. In this article, we’ll explore why businesses are turning back to physical mail and how new technology – including DPi’s high-performance variable inkjet printing systems – is supporting this resurgence.

Digital Fatigue and the Search for Tangible Connection

Figure 1: Likelihood of Reading Direct Mail vs. Email. Surveys indicate consumers are more likely to read a physical promotion an equivalent marketing email. (Source: InfoTrends)

After years of ever-increasing digital marketing, many consumers have hit a saturation point. We’re **drowning in emails, texts and we’ve started to tune them out. Studies confirm this digital fatigue: 69% of consumers report feeling overwhelmed by the number of digital brand messages they’re seeing via social posts, etc.. In fact, 81% of people unsubscribe from brands that over-message them digitally. It’s not just younger tech users – digital burnout spans all generations, with about 75% of Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X and Boomers alike saying they feel bombarded by online ads and email. In this climate, physical mail offers a welcome change. Unlike a crowded inbox, a mailbox isn’t overflowing daily for most people – only 23% of consumers say they get “too much” postal mail, versus 46% get too many emails. This relative novelty and scarcity of physical mail in the marketing mix means that when a well-crafted direct mail piece arrives, it commands attention.

Consumers also trust print more. Direct mail and print ads consistently rank among the most trusted advertising channels. For example, 76% of consumers say they trust ads they receive in the mail, nearly on par with the trust levels for ads in newspapers and magazines. By contrast, purely digital engagements can feel fleeting or suspect – roughly 39% of consumers are less likely to trust brands that advertise only via digital channels

There’s something concrete about a mailed offer or catalog; the tangibility of paper engenders. You can hold it, examine it at your own pace, and easily refer back to it later. In a world of impersonal pixels, a physical mail piece feels more real and trustworthy.

Just as important, physical mail gets more attention. Studies show people spend 45% longer engaging with direct mail ads than with digital ads. In one survey, 55% of respondents said they pay more attention to direct mail ads, versus only 39% who said the same of digital ads. It makes sense – a glossy postcard or creatively designed mailer in your hand has a way of focusing your attention in ways a banner ad or email cannot. Even younger consumers respond to this tactile engagement: 82% of 18–24-year-olds say they read the marketing mail they receive and feel positive about it. In fact, Gen Z consumers—raised in the digital age—find direct mail novel and exciting: 63% of Gen Z respondents in one 2023 survey said they’re more excited about receiving direct mail now than they were a year ago (263 Direct Mail Statistics You Should Know in 2025). All of this shows how direct mail’s tangible, physical presence offers a fresh antidote to digital fatigue, allowing brands to connect with consumers in a way that feels different from yet another email blast.

High Engagement and ROI: Direct Mail Delivers Results

Direct mail isn’t just gaining attention anecdotally – it’s delivering concrete results that marketers can measure. By many performance metrics, direct mail outshines its digital counterparts, which explains why marketers are gravitating back to mail in their mix. One headline statistic: Direct mail response rates are 5 to 9 times higher than any other advertising channel. Industry data has long shown that while email or display ad campaigns might be lucky to get a 1% response, a well-targeted direct mail campaign can see response rates in the 5–9% range – an almost order-of-magnitude difference in effectiveness. Part of the reason is simple math: people actually open and read their mail. Up to 90% of physical mail gets opened, whereas only 20–30% of marketing emails are ever opened (263 Direct Mail Statistics You Should Know in 2025). That alone tilts the odds in favor of mail when it comes to engaging customers.

It’s no surprise, then, that direct mail has a proven track record of return on investment (ROI). In fact, recent surveys show marketers are increasingly convinced of mail’s ROI advantage. In 2024, 84% of marketers agreed that direct mail delivers the highest ROI of any channel they use – up from 74% who said the same in 2023, and 67% in 2022 . This sharp rise (captured in Figure 2 below) indicates that as marketers try mail and see the results, they’re recognizing its profitability. Direct mail’s ROI comes from the combination of higher response rates and the quality of responses – recipients of mail are often motivated buyers. For example, one study found 25% of people had purchased something in the past year as a result of direct mail they received. Even tech giants like Google have leveraged direct mail for customer acquisition, knowing that a well-timed postcard can bring in business in ways digital ads might miss.

Figure 2: Marketers’ Confidence in Direct Mail ROI (2022–2024). An industry survey shows the percentage of marketers naming direct mail as the highest-ROI channel has climbed dramatically in recent years. (Source: CompereMedia/Lob)

Crucially, direct mail doesn’t have to work in isolation – it often amplifies the impact of other channels, boosting overall campaign ROI. Integrated marketing studies have found that when you include direct mail in a multi-channel campaign, overall ROI gets a lift. One report noted campaigns that incorporated mail achieved a 12% higher ROI compared to those without mail. Marketers themselves attest to this synergy: 91% of marketing professionals say that integrating direct mail with digital channels improves campaign performance and results. Direct mail can serve as the response-driving linchpin of a campaign – perhaps the mail piece contains a promo code or compelling call-to-action that drives customers online or into stores. In fact, over 56% of consumers who respond to direct mail end up going online or visiting a store as a next step, and 62% make a purchase after responding to a mail offer. These are valuable conversion actions that start with a physical mail touchpoint.

Marketers are clearly seeing the returns from mail. Many companies that shifted heavily to digital marketing are now rebalancing their spend to include more direct mail. A 2023 industry survey found 75% of marketers had reallocated some of their digit to rising digital privacy limits and line ad effectiveness. In other words rumble and social media becomes less predictable, tried-and-true direct mail is gaining. All signs point to sustained growth in direct mail investment: one study projected that spending to increase by 27% in 2023 as brands seek to combat digital fatigue with physical outreach (Failing to Acknowledge Digital Fatigue Will Be a Fatal Marketing Flaw in 2023). And according to another report, 82% of marketers planned to increase direct mail spend in 2024, a huge jump from 58% the year prior (263 Direct Mail Statistics You Should Know in 2025 - PostcardMania). This resurgence isn’t nostalgia – it’s driven by data. Simply put, direct mail is working, and businesses are following the strong ROI.

Omnichannel Integration: Combining Print with Digital for Greater Impact

Far from being a throwback or an either-or alternative to digital, direct mail has thrived by becoming part of the omnichannel marketing ecosystem. Modern marketers are learning that print and digital channels work best together, each enhancing the other’s strengths. Rather than compete with your email, a mailed piece can reinforce it. Rather than replace social media, a postcard can trigger a customer to engage online. The goal is a cohesive brand experience, and direct mail plays a unique role in that mix.

Research backs up the power of integration. When consumers receive a physical mailer in addition to seeing digital ads, it boosts overall engagement and recall. For example, one study found that consumers primed with direct mail spent 30% more time looking at the brand’s social media ads afterward – the mail piece created familiarity and interest that carried over to online channels. Likewise, integrated campaigns (combining mail, email, social, etc.) get 39% more attention on average than digital-only campaigns. The reasoning is simple: multiple touchpoints reinforce the message. A recipient might see a postcard, register the offer, later see a matching email or ad and be more likely to respond because the mail piece made it more memorable. In marketing, repetition wins, and direct mail is another valuable touch.

Today’s direct mail is also fully plugged into the digital tech stack. Companies are using tools and data to send mail in smarter ways – for instance, triggering an automated postcard mailing when a customer abandons an online shopping cart, or following up an e-commerce purchase with a thank-you coupon in the mail. These kinds of digitally informed direct mail tactics blend the immediacy of online behavior with the lasting impact of a physical mail piece. They’re highly effective because they reach customers at just the right moment with a tangible reminder. Not surprisingly, 60% of consumers say they’re more likely to take action on a promotion when they see it across multiple channels versus just one. The mail + digital one-two punch can significantly lift conversion rates.

Marketers are embracing mail’s new role in the omnichannel journey. QR codes and personalized URLs on direct mail pieces, once novel, are now common bridges connecting print to digital – a quick scan takes the reader to a landing page or video, letting them engage further or respond instantly. The USPS’s Informed Delivery service even links email and physical mail by emailing consumers a digital preview of the day’s mail (often with a clickable link), combining the tactile and online experiences. We also see innovation in formats: catalogs driving shoppers to online stores with QR codes, postcards that augmented reality (AR) can bring to life via a smartphone, and so on. All these approaches recognize that direct mail is most powerful when it’s part of an orchestrated campaign – reinforcing messages, appealing to multiple senses, and guiding customers between offline and online engagement. In the digital age, direct mail has evolved, not vanished: it’s now a high-touch component of successful omnichannel strategies.

The Power of Personalization: Variable Data Printing Unlocks Effectiveness

One of the game-changers in direct mail’s comeback is personalization. We’re not talking about the old “Dear ” form letters of yesteryear, but truly customized content on each printed piece – made possible by advances in digital printing technology and data analytics. Modern variable data printing allows every mailer in a campaign to be uniquely tailored: text, images, offers, and layout can all change based on the recipient’s profile or behavior. This level of personalization transforms direct mail from a one-size-fits-all broadcast into a targeted communication, and the results are impressive.

Marketers overwhelmingly agree that personalized campaigns outperform generic ones. In fact, 98% of marketing professionals say personalization improves response rates and overall campaign results. Direct mail is no exception. For example, simply printing a person’s name or relevant information can dramatically increase engagement – one study noted that 84% of consumers are more likely to open a mail piece if it’s personalized with details that matter to them. And as personalization gets more sophisticated (beyond just a name to perhaps tailored product images or messages based on purchase history), the impact grows. Past research from RIT found personalization can boost direct mail response rates by up to 500% when fully utilized. While a 5x improvement might not happen every time, there’s no doubt that relevance drives response. A mailer that speaks directly to the recipient’s needs or interests – say, featuring the specific model of car they’ve been considering, or referencing a recent interaction – is far more likely to catch attention and prompt action than a generic “Dear Customer” piece.

Personalization at this scale is made possible by variable data printing and automation software. And marketers are rapidly adopting these tools. As of 2023, 84% of marketers using direct mail report they have some form of automated or programmatic mail platform in place, allowing them to trigger and customize mailings as easily as they manage email campaigns. With the right setup, a company can mail a welcome postcard automatically when someone signs up on their website, or send different brochure versions to high-value customers vs. prospects, all without manual effort. This blending of data and print has turned direct mail into a dynamic medium. No longer is it about printing 10,000 identical postcards – it might be printing 10,000 unique postcards in one batch, each one speaking directly to its recipient.

Of course, executing this level of personalization requires robust data management and coordination between marketing and print production. There’s more upfront work in planning data-driven content, and it demands printing technology that can handle constant changes on the fly. But the payoff is better targeting (sending the right offer to the right person) and less waste (mailing only to relevant audiences with relevant messages). As one print industry expert put it, personalization means “more results for fewer impressions”, which ultimately boosts ROI. We’re now in an age where direct mail can be as nimble and data-responsive as digital channels. This capability to deliver one-to-one messaging at scale is a huge factor in why direct mail is thriving again – and it’s made possible by the latest generation of printing systems designed for variable data.

DPi’s Variable Inkjet Printing Systems Fuel the Direct Mail Revival

(Variable Inkjet Mailing — Digital Print, Inc) Figure 3: High-Speed Variable Inkjet in Action. A DPi Hawk M7 inkjet system (shown above integrated with a mailing line) personalizes each piece in real time, using advanced print heads and software to sync with variable data. These systems enable print providers to meet the surge in demand for customized direct mail.

The resurgence of direct mail has gone hand-in-hand with advancements in print technology. To execute fast, efficient, variable data printing at scale, direct mail providers rely on high-performance equipment – and that’s where **DPi’s variable inkjet printing systems...– and that’s where DPi’s variable inkjet printing systems come in. DPi (Digital Print, Inc.) is not a direct mail service provider; it’s a manufacturer of the high-performance printing systems that enable print shops and mail houses to produce personalized mail at scale. In other words, DPi builds the cutting-edge variable data inkjet printers behind many successful direct mail campaigns. As demand for faster turnarounds and customization grows, print providers are turning to DPi’s technology to deliver speed, flexibility, quality, and cost-efficiency in their mail production.

DPi’s inkjet systems are designed specifically for variable data printing, meaning they can print a different address, name, or even entirely different content on each piece without slowing down. Take DPi’s flagship Hawk series: it uses advanced inkjet heads (built on Kyocera technology) that achieve 600 dpi resolution for crisp text, graphics, and barcodes, and it’s expandable up to 22 inches wide to handle formats from postcards to catalogs. Thanks to LED UV-curable inks that dry instantly, these systems can print on a broad range of materials – glossy postcards, coated stock, even plastics – with consistent, high-quality results. Importantly, they do this at very high speed: up to 250 feet per minute at full 600×600 dpi quality, and even faster at slightly lower resolutions (500+ ft/min). In practical terms, that means tens of thousands of personalized mail pieces can be produced per hour on a single DPi unit. This kind of throughput allows mail producers to meet tight deadlines (like getting a promotional mailer out while a lead is still “hot” from an online interaction) and to handle large campaigns economically.

Flexibility is another key benefit. DPi’s systems are modular and compact, so they can be integrated in-line with existing presses or used as standalone units, fitting into various production workflows. Whether a printer needs to imprint variable addresses and offers onto pre-printed forms (mailing systems) or do full variable color printing on blank stock, DPi likely has a solution. Because these are digital print systems, there are no plates to make or change for different jobs – switching from one campaign to the next is as simple as loading a new print file. That means short runs and frequent changeovers are efficient and cost-effective, with minimal setup time and waste. Print providers can take on more jobs (even small, highly targeted mailings) and turn them around quickly, which in turn keeps their customers – the marketers – happy and coming back. “Maximize your profits with DPi’s compact variable printing systems” isn’t just a slogan; by enhancing efficiency and saving floor space, DPi’s equipment helps printers increase output without a massive footprint or labor overhead.

Sustainability is also part of the equation. Digital inkjet printing can be more environmentally friendly than traditional print methods for direct mail. By printing only what is needed, when it’s needed, waste from overproduction is reduced. There’s no need to trash thousands of unused brochures because you can economically print in smaller batches on demand. DPi’s use of LED UV inks is another plus – LED curing is energy-efficient and avoids the emissions associated with older mercury UV lamps or solvent-based inks. And because each mail piece can be personalized, marketers can target their audience more precisely, sending fewer, more impactful mailers rather than blanket-bombing a entire zip code. That means less paper waste and a more targeted use of resources, aligning direct mail with sustainability goals.

Ultimately, DPi’s variable inkjet systems give print providers and in-plant print operations the firepower to meet the new direct mail boom. They deliver the speed to crank out millions of pieces on tight timelines, the flexibility to handle different formats and data-driven content, the quality to meet marketers’ high standards (sharp images, professional look and feel), and the efficiency to keep costs per piece competitive. For the print businesses investing in this technology, the ROI is clear: they can capture the rising demand for personalized print marketing and do so profitably. And for the marketers working with those print providers, it means their creative ideas and data insights can be brought to life in mailboxes without delay. It’s a win-win enabled by the right equipment.

Conclusion: Direct Mail’s Second Act is Here to Stay

Not long ago, many had dismissed direct mail as a relic of the pre-digital era. Yet here we are in 2025, witnessing the renaissance of print marketing. The evidence is overwhelming that direct mail has reclaimed a valuable spot in the modern marketer’s toolkit. Driven by consumer fatigue with digital overload, a desire for tangible and trusted media, and new technologies that make mail more targeted and efficient than ever, direct mail is achieving results that command attention. Marketers are reporting improved ROIs, higher response rates, and better customer engagement when they incorporate mail into their strategies – and they’re backing that up with increased budgets for print. Far from being replaced by digital, direct mail has evolved to complement digital channels, creating a true omnichannel experience for customers.

In many ways, this is the best of both worlds: the emotional and physical impact of a printed piece, enhanced by the data-driven precision of digital marketing. A clever mailer can drive a customer online, and digital insights can trigger perfectly timed mail. Consumers, for their part, appreciate the extra effort and personal touch that comes with a piece of mail addressed to them – something they can hold and keep. And with personalization and variable printing, that mail piece can feel as if it was made just for them (because it was). In an age where customer experience is king, that kind of attention to detail matters.

As we move forward, expect to see direct mail continue its second act. The medium will likely keep blending into the digital ecosystem – with more integration, more personalization, and continued innovation in formats and printing techniques. For companies like DPi, which provide the technical backbone of this industry, the challenge and opportunity will be to keep pushing the envelope (quite literally) on what print hardware can do – faster speeds, higher quality, more inline data connectivity – all in service of marketing creativity and effectiveness. Given the trajectory we’re seeing, the mailbox is set to remain a strategic marketing channel in the years ahead.

In the end, the resurgence of direct mail reminds us that marketing is most effective when it engages all senses and channels. Print marketing is making a comeback not by nostalgia, but by proving its value in the digital age. For businesses, the takeaway is clear: don’t count out the power of print. In a world of digital saturation, a thoughtfully crafted piece of direct mail can be the touch that cuts through – building trust, sparking engagement, and delivering results that truly move the needle. The printers are humming, the data is dialing in, and the mailbox is waiting – direct mail is back, and it’s delivering.

Sources: Recent industry reports and surveys on direct mail trends and performance were referenced in this article, including data from PostcardMania’s 2025 Direct Mail Statistics, the ANA/CompereMedia 2024 reports, the SG360 2023 Direct Mail Preferences study, and research compiled by Thysse and others on direct mail ROI and consumer behavior. Technical specifications for DPi’s variable inkjet systems were cited from DPi’s product literature. These sources reflect the state of the direct mail industry as of 2024–2025 and underline the article’s insights into why print marketing is making a strong comeback.