The document discusses how direct mail can effectively engage multiple human senses to create memorable brand messages. It provides examples of 5 direct mail pieces sent over 5 weeks, with each piece targeting a different sense: touch, sight, taste, sound, and smell. The document advocates that engaging multiple senses increases brand impact and engagement by 70% compared to messages that only engage 1-2 senses. It aims to demonstrate how direct mail can uniquely appeal to all human senses through interactive sensory challenges included with each mailing.

1. Mail
Media
Unit
#EngageTheSenses

2. “The
average
consumer
is
exposed
to
5,000
brand
messages
everyday.”
BRAND-­‐DRIVEN
Conference
Report
(2009)
“97%
of
all
brand
communicaDons
only
engage
two
senses.”
Lindstrom,
M
(2005),
"Broad
Sensory
Branding",
Journal
of
Product
and
Brand
Management

3. “When
brands
appeal
to
three
or
more
senses,
and
therefore
different
parts
of
the
brain...
brand
impact
and
engagement
increases
by
70%.”
MarDn
Lindstrom,
Brand
Sense
(2010)

4. “Tell
me
and
I
forget,
Teach
me
and
I
remember,
Involve
me
and
I
learn.”
Benjamin
Franklin
(1706
–
1790)

5. Very
few
channels
have
the
power
to
engage
all
the
human
senses
and
therefore
create
a
mulD-­‐sensory,
memorable
and
compelling
message.
Direct
mail
has
that
power.

6. To
demonstrate
this,
we
sent
5
mailings
over
5
consecuDve
weeks.
Each
mail
engaged
a
different
human
sense…

7. Touch
We
humans
have
more
tacDle
receptors
in
our
liYle
fingers
than
we
do
on
our
enDre
back.
When
we
encounter
a
pleasant
touch,
the
brain
releases
‘feel
good’
hormones,
oxytocin
and
dopamine.
“The
skin
is
the
largest
organ
of
the
body.
We’re
instantly
alert
to
cold,
heat,
pain,
or
pressure.
Experts
esDmate
that
there
are
fi]y
receptors
per
100
square
millimetres,
each
containing
micro
receptors
in
our
brains
dedicated
to
the
senses.”
(MarDn
Lindstrom,
Brand
Sense,
2010)

8. Are
you
ready
for
your
first
engage
the
senses
challenge?
Press
your
hand
on
the
panel
below
for
15
seconds...
Gavin
The
power
of
direct
mail
is
at
your
finger
Dps.

9. Sight
As
a
result
of
informaDon
overload,
most
visual
messages
are
blocked
by
our
perceptual
filters,
leading
to
us
being
highly
selecDve
in
deciding
which
messages
will
receive
our
aYenDon.
If
visual
markeDng
messages
can
win
the
consumer’s
aYenDon,
they
tend
to
be
effecDve
as...
83%
of
informaDon
people
retain
is
received
visually.
(MarDn
Lindstrom,
Brand
Sense,
2010)

10. To
take
this
senses
challenge,
expose
the
panel
below
to
direct
sunlight
for
one
minute
and
see
how
you
can…
Engage
the
Senses

11. Taste
We
have
about
10,000
taste
buds,
mostly
on
our
tongue,
which
send
powerful
messages
to
the
brain.
“18%
of
the
Fortune
Top
1,000
brands
could
add
taste
to
their
brands,
yet
almost
none
have
so
much
as
given
taste
a
cursory
glance.”
(MarDn
Lindstrom,
Brand
Sense,
2010)
What
does
your
brand
taste
like?

12. Which
taste
challenge
will
you
take
a]er
your
miracle
mberry®
tablet?
Level
1
(Beginner)
Lemon
and
Limes
Grapefruits
Tomatoes
Level
2
(Curious)
Salt
and
Vinegar
Crisps
Ketchup
Mustard
Level
3
(Adventurous)
Balsamic
Vinegar
Stout
Beer
Hot
Sauce

14. Sound
is
strongly
connected
to
mood.
In
fact,
sound
creates
mood,
as
well
as
feelings
and
emoDons.
Hearing
is
passive;
listening
is
acDve.
We
hear
with
our
ears,
we
listen
with
our
brains.
MarkeDng
messages
need
to
be
both
heard
and
listened
to
if
they
are
to
influence
purchase
behaviour.
Sound
is
emoDonally
direct
and
is
a
powerful
tool.
(MarDn
Lindstrom,
Brand
Sense,
2010)
Sound

15. To
take
this
senses
challenge,
just
whistle…
#EngageTheSenses
@MailMediaUnit

17. Our
sense
of
smell
can
dramaDcally
alter
our
mood.
Test
results
have
showed
a
40%
improvement
in
our
mood
when
we
are
exposed
to
a
pleasant
fragrance
–
parDcularly
if
that
fragrance
taps
into
a
pleasant
memory.
There
are
100,000
odours
in
the
world,
1,000
of
them
are
considered
primary
odours.
Each
primary
odour
has
the
potenDal
to
alter
mood
and
behaviour.
(MarDn
Lindstrom,
Brand
Sense,
2010)
Smell

18. The
lunar
surface
of
the
moon
has
a
very
disDncDve
smell.
Now,
through
the
sensory
power
of
direct
mail,
you
have
experienced
it.

20. One
small
step
for
direct
mail...
...one
giant
leap
for
your
brand.

21. “If
you
do
something
interesDng,
people
will
be
interested.
It’s
that
simple.”
Patrick
Collister,
Head
of
Design
at
Google

22. Here
are
5
examples
of
interesDng
and
engaging
direct
mail
communicaDons
from
around
the
world…

23. Indian
Lass
Natural
CosmeDcs
has
minimal
arDficial
bits
and
bobs
in
its
products,
however
that
means
the
creams
and
ointments
don’t
last
as
long
on
the
shelves.
Working
with
Indian
agency
Mudra
CommunicaDons
they
sent
coupons
to
customers,
printed
on
a
leaf,
that
would
naturally
dissolve.
This
communicated
the
brand
values
as
well
as
adding
some
urgency
to
the
campaign.
1

24. New
Zealand
energy
company,
Genesis,
wanted
to
help
people
reduce
their
bills
and
energy
consumpDon.
The
idea
executed
by
agency
Dra]
in
NZ
saw
flyers
with
fluorescent
ink
printed
and
delivered
to
people’s
mailboxes.
Recipients
literally
had
to
turn
off
the
lights
to
read
the
message.
2

25. New
Zealand
energy
company,
Genesis,
wanted
to
help
people
reduce
their
bills
and
energy
consumpDon.
The
idea
executed
by
agency
Dra]
in
NZ
saw
flyers
with
fluorescent
ink
printed
and
delivered
to
people’s
mailboxes.
Recipients
literally
had
to
turn
off
the
lights
to
read
the
message.
2

26. Land
Rovers
can
take
on
any
obstacle
in
the
desert;
their
owners
cannot.
This
edible
survival
guide
for
the
Arabian
Desert,
created
by
Y&R
in
the
UAE,
was
delivered
to
5,000
homes
in
Dubai.
It
has
the
nutriDonal
value
of
a
cheeseburger.
It
also
had
reflecDve
packaging
which
you
could
use
to
signal
for
help.
3

27. Ad
agency
Grey
Canada
were
challenged
to
come
up
with
an
interesDng
way
to
promote
the
GGRP
sound
design
company
in
Vancouver.
They
sent
a
flat
cardboard
mailing
which
contained
a
vinyl,
a
needle
and
a
pencil.
Recipients
were
asked
to
place
the
needle
on
the
vinyl
and
spin
using
the
pencil.
When
they
did
they
listened
to
the
message
through
music.
This
engaging
and
remarkable
piece
created
a
lot
of
conversaDons,
on
and
off
line.
4

28. Rethink
Canada
were
asked
to
help
bring
aYenDon
to
the
launch
of
US
cat
liYer
warehouse.
They
infused
postcards
with
catnip
and
kises
went
crazy
for
it.
As
soon
as
the
mail
arrived
in
their
human’s
mailboxes,
the
cats
were
drawn
to
the
scent
and
pounced.
When
their
cats
like
something,
owners
take
noDce,
which
insured
this
piece
of
direct
mail
gained
their
aYenDon.
5

29. In
promoDng
its
parcel
delivery
service,
An
Post
recently
sent
a
parDcularly
engaging
direct
mail
communicaDon.
Upon
opening
the
piece,
a
video
automaDcally
played
that
could
be
seen
on
a
5”x
3”
LCD
screen
and
heard
through
inbuilt
speakers.
In
just
6
weeks
this
communicaDon
paid
for
itself
12
Dmes
The
result?

30. “For
standout,
for
novelty,
to
allow
people
to
literally
feel
something,
for
a
touch
of
the
unexpected,
direct
mail’s
creaDve
and
targeDng
opportuniDes
mean
brands
are
doing
the
once
unthinkable,
and
bringing
mail
back
into
the
mix.”
Victoria
Fox,
CEO
of
LIDA
(part
of
the
M
&
C
Saatchi
Group)

31. Direct
mail
is
making
a
comeback
and
it
has
nothing
to
do
with
nostalgia.
It
is
to
do
with
direct
mail
having
the
power
to…
cut
through
and
get
noDced,
create
memorable
experiences
and
connect
emoDonally.

32. Mail
Media
Unit
#EngageTheSenses

33. Mail Media Unit
Direct mail
has the power to…
#EngageTheSenses