The Millennial, the Mail and the Election

politicalmailerJust how much does our youngest generation of voters value political mail? Some of these stats may surprise you.

Whether they are feeling the Bern, backing Hillary, or making America Trump again, there is one thing Millennial voters agree on: They are paying close attention to political direct mail.

The USPS wanted to get a better understanding of the Millennial generation and its attitude toward and engagement with political mail. Results from on online survey and several focus groups provided some interesting insights.

Among the key findings in the Political Mail and Millennials report:

  • That moment between the mailbox and the front door – when the recipient is touching, turning and scanning the piece – is critical for creating engagement.
  • Millennials read, discuss and use political mail more than any other age group: 78% of them discuss political mail with others; and 75% of them use it to remind them when to vote.
  • 66% of Millennials are likely to search online for more information about a candidate after receiving direct political mail.
  • 80% prefer political ads via direct mail over online.

The focus groups also provided some great insights into preferred design and creative approaches for political mail:

  • Millennials want to see some way (url, QR code, social addresses) to connect with and research a candidate or issue.
  • Imagery is important, and should reflect themselves and their lives rather than the typical shot of candidates and their families. “Stay away from the whole glamour shot,” replied one focus group participant.
  • Design should be simple (avoid bi- and tri-folds); copy should be concise and clear (think Twitter and the 140 character tweet); and be sure your main points stand out. This age group is used to garnering information quickly and easily.

We aren’t completely surprised by this around here. We know Millennials prefer print for things that truly matter to them. While they were raised with electronic devices, they find real value in print. Marketers are realizing this too.

“Campaigns are increasingly sophisticated in their ability to reach every voter and deliver specific, customized messages thanks to advanced data-mining techniques. This means voters can connect to the issues they care about most, and in turn, advertising dollars are spent more efficiently,” notes the report.

Whether you are aiming to attract Millennials for your candidate, or marketing any type of business or service to this younger generation, it’s good to know the facts about Millennials and print media.