I first came across this direct mail piece at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival last summer, and was blown away by the simplicity of the idea.

With postal and production costs rising and more consumers looking to online, some say that direct mail may be nearing its end as an effective marketing tool — but others disagree.

Cutting mail delivery is often cited as a way to cut costs, but the postal industry counters that it would adversely affect consumers. Our experts assess the potential impact of a five-day postal week

The presidential election is over - finally! - and we can all breathe a sigh of relief after two years of fundraising, debates, attack ads, Saturday Night Live skits and — oh yes — issues. As you may be, I am all electioned-out. But I'm not tired of considering the far-reaching effects of one of the most powerful aspects of the campaign — direct marketing.

An industry expert shares three tips on how to boost your response quickly and cheaply.

Free shipping can add appeal to a retailer's overall offer; however, the incentive has become fairly common and more costly for retailers to deliver. Our experts offer different perspectives.

I am a direct mail fanatic. I go to my friends and ask them for their unwanted junk mail. Then I scan to find the diamonds, and trash the rest. Did you know that several studies today claim direct mail has a lifespan of about 10 to 20 seconds before the reader tosses it in the recycle bin?

A direct mail campaign using a CD-ROM can play a key role in the overall suc­cess of a digital campaign. To maximize the value of this type of promotion, marketers must ensure that the message on the disc is clear, persuasive and completely user-friendly before it arrives in a target's mailbox.

This self-mailer from Unimac Graphics has a lot going for it. But there are some questionable design and copy choices as well. Let's take a closer look.

The recent focus on "customer experi­ence" has a lot of people revisiting Web site designs, call center processes and cus­tomer relationship management platforms. It also means looking closely at your direct mail programs to ensure they are keeping step with other go-to-market channels.