1. The Direct Consumer Survey
A consumer perspective on Direct Mail
November 2005

2. Why a Consumer Direct Survey?
Offer an up to date insight
in the consumer perspective on addressed DM
by positioning Direct Mail as part of peoples daily mail
by measuring consumer behaviour towards Direct Mail
by identifying consumer attitudes towards Direct Mail
Evaluate the potential of addressed Direct Mail
within a competitive environment
by comparing Direct Mail with e-mail
by identifying differences in Direct Mail according to business sectors
2

3. Methodology
1.169 CATI-telephone interviews
A representative sample of adult Belgians
51% woman, 49% men
58% dutch speaking, 42% french speaking
27% <34 yrs, 40% 35-54 yrs, 33% 55+
46% full time, 13% part time, 41% without professional activity
Survey executed by M.A.S. Research (July 2005)
3

4. Key results
Consumer perspective Our daily mail
Behaviour towards Addressed DM
Attitude towards Addressed DM
Addressed Attitude towards e-mail and
DM and some other media unaddressed DM
Preferences in function of content
DM in your sector DM in different business sectors
4

5. The vast majority of Belgians
welcome the daily mail.
5

6. Welcome the mail
“I’m always curious about what is new in my letterbox”
%
80
76
70 69 71
66 18
61 20 59 59 17
60
20 26
19 18
21
40
58
51 53
46 43 42
20 41 37
0
Total Men Women Dutch French <34 34-54 55+
(Fully) agree Rather agree
Base = all respondents (n = 1168) 6

7. Reading your mail is a treat
“Checking my mail is a pleasant moment”
%
80
69 69
63 63 63 62
60 57 58 20
25
25 26 24
28
25 27
40
50
44
20 38 37 39
32 34
31
0
Men Wom en Dutch French <34 34-54 55+
(Fully) agree Rather agree
Base = all respondents (n = 1168) 7

8. Emptying the mailbox is a must...
“When I get home, I hurry to empty the mailbox”
% 78
80
72
66 67 17
64 66
18
60 58 59
18
19 19
19
18
20
40
61
55
47 49 46
45
20 38 40
0
Total Men Wom en Dutch French <34 34-54 55+
(Fully) agree Rather agree
Base = all respondents (n = 1168) 8

9. ...on working days and in the weekend
“Number of days per week that the mail box is emptied”
3%
7 days / 7
33% 42%
6 days / 7
5 days / 7
4 days / 7 or less
22%
Base = all respondents (n = 1168) 9

10. Mailboxes are emptied ASAP
or when it’s convenient
“When is the mail box usually emptied ?”
%
30
25
20
15
24 23
10 22
19
17
5
8 8
0
each time the early in the morning before noon around noon during the afternoon at night it varies
postman passed
32% ASAP 68% when it’s convenient
Base = all respondents (n = 1168), multiple responses possible (sum > 100%) 10

11. Key results
Consumer perspective Our daily mail
Behaviour towards Addressed DM
Attitude towards Addressed DM
Addressed Attitude towards e-mail and
DM and some other media unaddressed DM
Preferences in function of content
DM in your sector DM in different business sectors
11

12. In the questionnaire Direct Mail was described as follows:
“Direct Mail is personally adressed commercial information.
It often concerns a promotion or publicity for a service or product
of a company.
But it can also be an invitation for a visit to a dealer or point of sales,
or a request for a gift.
In all cases your name, or the name of a family member, and your adress
figure on the enveloppe or bundle.”
On an average day, less than 1 in 4 Belgians receive Direct Mail
12

13. We receive every 3 days one Direct Mail
(mean = .34, median = 0)
“How many pieces of Direct Mail did you receive yesterday ?”
%
100
80
60
40
28 28
23 22 24 24
19 17
20
25 26 21
21 19 22
18 16
0 2 3 2 2 3 2 3 1
Total Men Women Dutch French <34 34-54 55+
3-4 1-2
Base = all respondents (n = 1168) 13

14. A vast majority of people (3/4) will open and read addressed
direct mail; 1/3 with sounded attention
100
% de mailings
80
60
100 70% Superficial
40 78
20
30% Attentive
0
Received Opened Quality of
readership
Base = 232 mailings received and analysed 14

15. If DM pressure seems relatively low,
the reported response level is high.
“Did you respond to DM offer or invitation during the last 12 months”*
60
50
% yes
40
30
53
48
45
20
10
0
Total Dutch French
*Declared response to DM offers of 12 sectors mentioned on the following slides
Base = all respondents (n = 1168) 15

16. There are significant differences between sectors,
with obvious interactions with sex and age.
“Did you respond to DM offer or invitation of one of these sectors during the last 12 months”*
% YES Total men women < 34 34-54 55+
Clothing - shoes 21,8 15,2 28,3 31,2 21,1 14,8
Food - cleaning products 19,8 15,3 24,2 23,7 19,8 16,7
Tourism - spare time 14,3 14,1 14,4 14,2 17,7 10,4
Mobile phone - operators 12,9 14,1 11,7 17,5 15,3 6,3
Beauty 12,8 7,7 17,9 17,1 13,8 8,1
Garden - Do It Yourself 11,9 12,1 11,6 11,1 12,4 12,2
Audio – video - photo 11,0 14,1 7,9 19,4 10,6 4,6
Computer - software 9,6 13,7 5,4 16,3 9,6 3,8
Banks - insurances 9,3 11,7 6,8 10,5 10,2 7,2
Furniture - decoration 9,0 6,7 11,1 12,8 9,1 5,7
Electrical appliances 8,9 10,0 7,7 12,6 9,0 5,8
Auto 6,6 8,3 5,1 5,5 8,3 5,6
Base = all respondents (n = 1168) 16

17. Key results
Consumer perspective Our daily mail
Behaviour towards Addressed DM
Attitude towards Addressed DM
Addressed Attitude towards e-mail and
DM and some other media unaddressed DM
Preferences in function of content
DM in your sector DM in different business sectors
17

18. There is no such thing as a ‘general attitude’ towards Direct
Mail: differs in function of sender and receiver characteristics
“Would you like to receive more DM ?”
% YES Total men women < 34 34-54 55+
Tourism - spare time 20,8 21,6 20,0 23,1 23,4 15,8
Clothing - shoes 19,4 14,4 24,4 27,1 19,6 12,9
Food - cleaning products 19,4 12,9 25,7 20,4 21,1 16,6
Garden - Do It Yourself 16,6 18,4 14,8 17,5 18,0 14,2
Computer - software 14,1 18,9 9,6 24,8 14,3 5,1
Audio - video - photo 13,8 19,4 8,6 24,7 13,0 5,9
Beauty 12,0 7,3 16,6 15,6 12,9 8,0
Furniture - decoration 11,8 10,0 13,5 15,7 12,3 7,9
Electrical appliances 10,9 12,0 9,9 15,5 9,7 8,5
Mobile phone - operators 10,8 13,2 8,7 20,2 9,1 5,3
Banks - insurances 8,8 10,8 7,0 8,4 10,2 7,6
Auto 7,9 12,4 3,7 13,2 6,5 5,4
Base = all respondents (n = 1168) 18

19. They value more companies that send them personalized
information
“A company that makes the effort to write me personnaly,
is more likeable than a company that doesn’t”
%
80
57 57 57 60 59
60
55 56 56
18
19 18 19 21 16
19 19
40
20 39 42 40
38 38 36 37 38
0
Total Men W omen Dutch French <34 34-54 55+
(Fully) agree Rather agree
Base = all respondents (n = 1168) 19

20. Trust and information value are the 2 key assets of DM for
the consumer
“How often do you consider DM...”
%
80
68 66
60 57 57
43
40 54 33
44
20
25 24
12 13
0
to be reliable to offer interesting to be funny & to be irritating
info entertaining
often/always sometimes
Base = all respondents who received mail yesterday (n = 972) 20

21. Involvement and activation are also key
“How often do you consider DM...”
%
80
60 52
47
41
40
39 45
31 24
20
20
8 7 10
0 4
do you consider DM does DM make you do you want to keep do you pass a DM to
personally want to respond a DM to look at it someone else
engageing later
often/always sometimes
Base = all respondents who received mail yesterday (n = 972) 21

22. Behind these population means,
hide rich and diversified sociodemographic differences
If you’re looking for a sympathetic eye,
try a french speaking woman in her twenties
If you want to confront your worst critics,
look for a dutch speaking man in his sixties.....
for details, click here
22

23. Key results
Consumer perspective Our daily mail
Behaviour towards addressed DM
Attitude towards addressed DM
Addressed Attitude towards e-mail
DM and some other media and unaddressed mail
Preferences in function of content
DM in your sector DM in different business sectors
23

24. Is email a threat to posted mail?
24

25. First, look at the basics!
People still prefers receiving paper mail
“I prefer receiving a posted mail to receiving an email”
%
78 84
4
80
76
73 10 73
71 9
10 68
11 12
10 61
60
14
40 80
69 67
63 60 60
58
47
20
0
Total Men W omen Dutch French <34 34-54 55+
(Fully) agree Rather agree
Base = all respondents (n = 1168) 25

26. People tend to read email only from companies they are in
relation with (previous purchase, request of information,…)
How attentively do you read emails from …..
NEWSLETTERS COMMERCIAL INFORMATION
100%
13 17
18
80% 19 I don't get those
newsletters
31 I don't read it
60%
57 I read it superficially
46 I read it attentively
40%
41
20%
23
23
10
0% 3
Companies Companies you are in relation Companies you are not in
with relation with
Base = all respondents having a personal email adress (n = 509) 26

27. Secured email is not yet largely accepted as an alternative
for official uses
% Preferring a personally adressed mail to a secured email when it concerns...
100
87
82
80
60
40
20
0
invoices other administrative
documents
Base = all respondents having a personal email adress (n = 509) 27

28. Is email a threat to posted mail?
Can DM be challenged by unaddressed mail?
28

29. At least ¾ people skims into the unaddressed mails looking
for their interest
What do you do when you receive unaddressed mail or leaflets?...
At first Later
100% 100%
24
80% 80%
60% 60%
51 93
40% 40%
20% 20%
22
2
3 5
0% 0%
I never look at them I usually throw them away
I always look superficially I usually pass them to someone else
I look superficially at some, attentively at others I usually keep them
I always look at them attentively
Base = all respondents that DON’T have a “no publicity” sticker on their mailbox (n = 981) 29

30. Key results
Consumer perspective Our daily mail
Behaviour towards addressed DM
Attitude towards addressed DM
Addressed Attitude towards e-mail and
DM and some other media unaddressed mail
Preferences in function of content
DM in your sector DM in different business sectors
30

31. Which channel do you prefer for an invitation,
e.g. for an open door event?
%
66
60
40
20
10
5
2 2 2 2 1 6 6
0
a email newspaper Door- television Radio Magazine Internet None Don't know
personally advertising todoor advertising
adressed
mail
delivered
by The Post
Q29 - Base = all respondents (n = 1168) 31

32. Which channel do you prefer for an invitation,
e.g. for an open door event?
Breakdown Dutch - French
%
69
66
62
60
Total Nl Fr
40
20
10 9 11 10
5 5 5 6 6
2 3 4
2 2 1 1 2 2 1 2
0 2 2 1 0 6 6
0
a email * *
Newspapers Door-to- TV * Radio * *
Magazine Internet* None *
Don't know
personally door
adressed
mail
delivered
by The Post
* ! Base too small: difference not representative Q29 - Base = all respondents (n = 1168) 32

33. Which channel do you prefer for an invitation,
e.g. for an open door event?
Breakdown Women - Men
% 66 67
65
60
Total Men Women
40
20
12
10
8 8
5 6 5 6
4 5
2 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 1 2 1
2 2 1 1 6 6
0
a email *
Newspapers Door-to- TV * Radio * *
Magazine Internet* None *
Don't know
personally door
adressed
mail
delivered
by The Post
* ! Base too small: difference not representative Q29 - Base = all respondents (n = 1168) 33

34. Which channel do you prefer for an invitation,
e.g. for an open door event?
Breakdown by age
%
80
72
66
64
60
60 Total <34 35-54 >54
40
20 16
11 12
10 11
7
5 4
3 4 3 3 4 4 4
2 2 2 2 2 3 3
1 0 1 1 1 1 0 6 6 1
2 2 1
0
a email * *
Newspapers Door-to- TV * Radio * *
Magazine Internet* None *
Don't know
personally door
adressed
mail
delivered
by The Post
* ! Base too small: difference not representative Q29 - Base = all respondents (n = 1168) 34

35. Which channel do you prefer for an invitation,
e.g. for an open door event?
A personally addressed DM delivered by Post
%
80
69
66 67 72
62 65
60 64
60
40
20
0
Total Nl Fr Men Women <34 35-54 >54
* ! Base too small: difference not representative Q29 - Base = all respondents (n = 1168) 35

36. Which channel a company where you are a loyal customer,
should use to give you commercial information ?
%
58
60
40
20
14
7
5
2
2 2 2 4 5
0
a email newspaper television Door- Magazine Internet Radio None Don't know
personally advertising advertising todoor
adressed
mail
delivered
by The Post
Q27 - Base = all respondents (n = 1168) 36

37. Which channel a company where you are a loyal customer,
should use to give you commercial information ?
Breakdown Dutch - French
%
62
58
60 56
Total Nl Fr
40
20
14 15 13
7 8 6 7
5 5 4 5
2 3 3 2 2 3 3
2 2 1 2 1 2 1 4 5
0
a email *
Newspaper TV * Door-to- *
* Magazine Internet
* Radio
* None
*
Don't know
personally door
adressed
mail
delivered
by The
Post
* ! Base too small: difference not representative Q27 - Base = all respondents (n = 1168) 37

38. Which channel a company where you are a loyal customer,
should use to give you commercial information ?
Breakdown Women - Men
%
63
58
60
53
Total Men Women
40
20
20
14
8 7 8
6 5 6 6 5
3 4 4 4 5
2 2 2 1 2 2 1 2 1
2 2 2
0
a email * *
Newspapers Door-to- TV * Radio * *
Magazine Internet* None *
Don't know
personally door
adressed
mail
delivered
by The Post
* ! Base too small: difference not representative Q27 - Base = all respondents (n = 1168) 38

39. Which channel a company where you are a loyal customer,
should use to give you commercial information ?
Breakdown by age
%
80
64
62
60
58
Total <34 35-54 >54
45
40
22
20 16
14
9
7 8 7 7
7 6
5 5 4 4
3 3 3 3 3 3 4
2 2 2 2 2 2 2
2 2 1 2 1 4 5
0
a email * *
Newspapers Door-to- TV * Radio * *
Magazine Internet* None *
Don't know
personally door
adressed
mail
delivered
by The Post
* ! Base too small: difference not representative Q27 - Base = all respondents (n = 1168) 39

40. Which channel a company where you are a loyal customer,
should use to give you commercial information ?
A personally addressed DM delivered by Post
%
80
62 63 64
62
58
60 56
53
45
40
20
0
Total Nl Fr Men Women <34 35-54 >54
* ! Base too small: difference not representative Q27 - Base = all respondents (n = 1168) 40

41. Which channel you prefer for a promotion or information on
new services or products ?
%
60
52
40
20
11
7 7 6
4 5
3 3 2
0
a email Newspaper TV Door-to- Magazine Internet Radio None Don't know
personally door
adressed
mail
delivered
by The
Post
Q28 - Base = all respondents (n = 1168) 41

42. Which channel you prefer for a promotion or information on
new services or products ?
Breakdown Dutch - French
%
60 58
52
47
Total Nl Fr
40
20
14
11
9 8 9
7 7 6 7 8
5 5 6
4 3 4
3 3
4 4
1 2 2 2
3 2 5
0
a email Newspaper TV Door-to- *
Magazine Internet
* Radio
* None
*
Don't know
personally door
adressed
mail
delivered
by The
Post
* ! Base too small: difference not representative Q28 - Base = all respondents (n = 1168) 42

43. Which channel you prefer for a promotion or information on
new services or products ?
Breakdown Women - Men
%
60 56
52
47
Total Men Women
40
20 16
11
8 9
7 7 6
7 7
6 5 5 6 5
4 4 4 3 4 3 5
1 3 2
3 3 2
0
a email Newspaper TV * Door-to- *
* Magazine Internet* Radio * None *
Don't know
personally door
adressed
mail
delivered
by The
Post
* ! Base too small: difference not representative Q28 - Base = all respondents (n = 1168) 43

44. Which channel you prefer for a promotion or information on
new services or products ?
Breakdown by age
%
80
60
54
57
Total <34 35-54 >54
52
40
40
18
20
13
11 12
10 10
7 7 8 7 8
6 6 5 5 6
4 4 4 5 4
3 3 2 2 2 3
1 1 6 2
3 3 2 5
0
a email *
Newspaper TV * Door-to- *
* Magazine Internet* Radio * None *
Don't know
personally door
adressed
mail
delivered
by The
Post
* ! Base too small: difference not representative Q28 - Base = all respondents (n = 1168) 44

45. Which channel you prefer for a promotion or information on
new services or products ?
A personally addressed DM delivered by Post
%
80
60 58 57
56 54
52
47 47
40
40
20
0
Total Nl Fr Men Women <34 35-54 >54
* ! Base too small: difference not representative Q28 - Base = all respondents (n = 1168) 45

46. Which channel do you prefer
for your bank account information?
%
100 Total
80 With internet
65 access
60 57
40
21
20 17 15
12
8 6
0
a personally printed by myself at consult through consult and print
adressed mail the bank internet but not through internet at
delivered by The print at home home
Post
Base = all respondents (n = 1168) 46

47. Key results
Consumer perspective Our daily mail
Behaviour towards addressed DM
Attitude towards addressed DM
Addressed Attitude towards other e-mail
DM and some other media and unaddressed mail
Preferences in function of content
DM in your sector DM in different business sectors
47

48. Declared DM funnel in different business sectors
%
100 4 3 3 3 5 4 3 4 2 4 3
7
26 30 28 29
80 40 32 32
39 37
34 47
48
60
44 43 46
40 36 43 52
41 52
47 51
35 41
20
26 25 24 22 20 18 15 14 13 11 10 9
0
Tourism Clothing Food Bank Garden Computer Furniture Beauty Audio/vid. Mobile Auto Electric.
Free time Shoes Cleaning Insurance DIY Software Deco Photo Operat. appliance
I never get DM from this sector
I never read it
I read it superficially
I read it attentively
Base = sectors were rotated, about 380 respondents per sector 48

49. Declared DM funnel in garden & DIY
%
100 5 5 5 6 3 2 4
9
26
80 32 30 28 29
34 38
44
60
47 43
41 42
40 43
45 45
38
20
20 24 23 24 24
16 15 9
0
Total Men Women Dutch French <34 34-54 55+
attentive superficially I don't I never get these
Base = sectors were rotated, about 380 respondents per sector 49

50. Declared DM funnel in automobile sector
%
100 4 5 3 4 4 6 3 5
80 29 36 32 36
39 43
48 47
60
40 51
47 49 55 51
43 45 37
20
10 15 12 11 11
5 7 8
0
Total Men Women Dutch French <34 34-54 55+
attentive superficially I don't I never get these
Base = sectors were rotated, about 380 respondents per sector 50

51. Declared DM funnel in food & cleaning
%
100 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2
17
28 30 24 28 26 30
80 38
60
47
46 42 52 44 48 44
40
44
20
33
24 26 22 25 23 24
15
0
Total Men Women Dutch French <34 34-54 55+
attentive superficially I don't I never get these
Base = sectors were rotated, about 380 respondents per sector 51

52. Declared DM funnel in electrical appliances
%
100 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2
80 33 35 30 34
37 41 39 46
60
40 53
51 55 50 53
48 53
48
20
9 8 10 12 14 10
6 5
0
Total Men Women Dutch French <34 34-54 55+
attentive superficially I don't I never get these
Base = sectors were rotated, about 380 respondents per sector 52

53. Declared DM funnel in mobile phone
and telco operators
%
100 2 1 2 2 1 1 1 3
80 35
47 46 45 43
48 50
61
60
40 47
41 40 40 44
40 42
20 32
13 13 17 12
11 9 7
0 5
Total Men Women Dutch French <34 34-54 55+
attentive superficially I don't I never get these
Base = sectors were rotated, about 380 respondents per sector 53

54. Declared DM funnel in computers & software
%
100 5
7 9 6 6 9 9 8
80 16
25 34
34 41 33 33
52
60
49
39
40 41 42 41 45
44 29
20
28 25
18 17 18 14 14
8
0
Total Men Women Dutch French <34 34-54 55+
attentive superficially I don't I never get these
Base = sectors were rotated, about 380 respondents per sector 54

55. Declared DM funnel in clothing and shoes
%
100 3 5 1 2 4 4 2 4
18
30 23 23 28
80 35
42 40
60 46
40
43 50 45
38
40
42
39
20 35 33
25 25 23 25
13 15
0
Total Men Women Dutch French <34 34-54 55+
attentive superficially I don't I never get these
Base = sectors were rotated, about 380 respondents per sector 55

56. Declared DM funnel in banks and insurances
%
100 3 4 2 2 3 5 3
80
40 35 35 35 39
44 43
46
60
36 40 37 38
40 36 33
36
32
20
22 25 21 22 24 22
19 17
0
Total Men Women Dutch French <34 34-54 55+
attentive superficially I don't I never get these
Base = sectors were rotated, about 380 respondents per sector 56

57. Declared DM funnel in tourism and spare time
%
100 4 6 3 5 4 5 5 3
25 18 22
80 26 27 25 27
38
60
50 46
44 46 45 42
42
40 36
20
26 25 27 25 28 28 27 23
0
Total Men Women Dutch French <34 34-54 55+
attentive superficially I don't I never get these
Base = sectors were rotated, about 380 respondents per sector 57

58. Declared DM funnel in furnishing and decoration
%
100 4 4 5 6 2 5 3 5
21 28 25
80 29 29 32 30
37
60
56 52
40 52 48 58 53
48 50
20
15 19 18 20
11 11 13 12
0
Total Men Women Dutch French <34 34-54 55+
attentive superficially I don't I never get these
Base = sectors were rotated, about 380 respondents per sector 58

59. Declared DM funnel in audio, video & photo
%
100 4 3 5 3 5 1 5
7
28 28 18 33
80 32 35 37 41
60
45
40 52 55
52 58
51 48
51
20
31
13 17 14
9 10 8
0 3
Total Men Women Dutch French <34 34-54 55+
attentive superficially I don't I never get these
Base = sectors were rotated, about 380 respondents per sector 59

60. Declared DM funnel in beauty
%
100 3 3 2 4 2 3 2 4
80 31
42 41 46
48 52 55
66
60
42
40 35
40
35 32 39
31
20
28
25 21
14 13 15 12 11
0 3
Total Men Women Dutch French <34 34-54 55+
attentive superficially I don't I never get these
Base = sectors were rotated, about 380 respondents per sector 60