Mercedes-Benz, Direct Mail Delivers

I read an article in yesterday’s NY Times which talked about how many advertisers have dropped the Baby Boomer market segment like a hot potato in favor of the millennial group. The article also highlighted advertisers who continue to court boomers, but use the wrong message.

Then, the writer goes on to mention a few smarter companies who “get it”. The prime example is Mercedes-Benz, who produced a Super Bowl commercial last year that targeted baby boomers using a spot that featured Peter Fonda, reprising his Easy Rider persona by putting on a leather biker jacket and riding off in a Mercedes.

While I totally commend their ad agency on creating a message that resonates with Boomers, but what about the delivery of that message?

Remember the USPS motto – Direct Mail Delivers? Well, Mercedes, time to get with the program and consider some direct mail because direct mail delivers. Look at the open rates (and I do mean open rates) for new creatives made possible with Irresistible Mail

It’s certainly no problem to use data intelligence to create a quality targeted mailing list based on Mercedes current customers. It’s also easy to select lists of auto owners, pulling by make, model and year or even a mailing list of prospective auto buyers, using modeled data.

And, in today’s omni-channel world, I suggest that Mercedes could benefit from blending their direct mail campaign with other channels, perhaps, chased by a Facebook match program.

For those ad agencies that forgot about direct mail when everyone got enamored with digital – direct mail is the only medium that will get Mercedes’ message into the right homes.  Direct Mail Delivers.

Plus, with today’s technology, they can select a terrific list that can be used for multiple channels, which will enable them to boost response and build brand engagement.