Integrating video into direct mail
Direct mail marketers need not fear the electronic apocalypse some had predicted. Mail has remained strong through the online age and can benefit from integrating digital techniques like video. Marketers who are willing to take the next step with video can see a big boost in customer engagement as the interactive quality of video in mail is a huge asset. It's also a big investment, and marketers won't want to waste the interactive potential by not using address verification software to ensure accurate mailing.
One of the easiest way for marketers to do this is by including a QR code in mail that will take the recipient straight to the video after scanning. There are a couple of options in this choice: Marketers can link right to a popular video site like YouTube, but they can also embed that video on a social platform site and send the scanner there, which will increase the chance the viewer shares content.
From there, it gets a little futuristic. A recent Sports Illustrated issue featured a Lexus advertisement that made use of an emerging technology called CinePrint. Users cue up a video on a tablet app that the marketer created and place the device behind the print page. The screen acts as a backlight, and if in proportional sync with the print page, it will flash different animations across the page and bring real life to the inanimate print. One highlight was a glimmer on the car's body and the headlights springing into action.
The CinePrint technology is similar to augmented reality, which also pairs mobile device apps with print media to bring a whole new level of interaction to direct mail.