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Today’s consumers expect more from the brands they do business with than ever before. In addition to personalized interactions, consumers expect their experiences to be seamless across all media channels. Although these demands can strain businesses’ marketing budgets, complex consumer behaviors also present opportunities for brands to form deeper connections with their audiences.
The success of any campaign hinges on understanding the varying needs and preferences of the target audience. Recent research from Keypoint Intelligence indicates that younger adults have different priorities and values compared to older generations. By developing campaigns that reflect these differences, brands can craft meaningful experiences that foster engagement and loyalty.
Understanding the nuances of various age groups can play an important role in fostering connections and delivering better results. Not surprisingly, the preferences of younger adults (consumers between the ages of 18 and 26) sometimes differ from those of older consumers. Understanding these preferences can help attract loyal consumers and nurture them into brand ambassadors for your products and services.
At the end of 2024, Keypoint Intelligence conducted a web-based survey of over 1,500 total consumers in the United States and Canada. Of these, 17% were younger adults between the ages of 18 and 26.
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Keypoint Intelligence’s research shows that direct mail plays a crucial role in driving digital interactions, even among younger consumers. While all age groups responded positively to direct mail, younger consumers were considerably more likely than the oldest respondents to engage with marketing e-mails after receiving a piece of physical mail. In fact, 70% of respondents aged 18-26 reported that they were more likely to open e-mails from a brand if they had previously received direct mail from that brand. This compares to only 45% among consumers over age 68.
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Diving deeper into the impact of direct mail on brand connections, catalogs emerge as a standout marketing tool across all age groups. As shown in the Figure below, over half of all respondents agreed that catalogs still shaped their perception of brands—underscoring the effectiveness of well-crafted printed materials in driving engagement. Significantly, the youngest consumers were especially likely to report that catalogs made them feel more connected to a brand. Catalogs remain successful due to their immersive nature, and because they deliver an experience that digital ads often struggle to match.
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Relevance, clear messaging, and timeliness make it possible for marketers to deliver successful direct mail campaigns across all demographics. Thanks to ongoing advancements in production inkjet technology, marketing teams can now produce cost-effective short runs, enable A/B testing, deliver targeted messaging by demographics or location, and create highly personalized campaigns without sacrificing brand identity or print quality. As a result, direct mail remains a powerful and competitive channel in today’s digital-first world.
Production inkjet technology is a valuable tool for age-based marketing because it effectively caters to the unique preferences of different generations. Despite being digital natives, younger adults respond well to direct mail—making inkjet printing a great way to foster meaningful connections. By integrating interactive elements like QR codes and personalized URLs, marketers can seamlessly bridge print and digital channels to create an engaging omni-channel experience. Across all age groups, production inkjet's ability to support quick turnarounds and personalized content empowers marketers to respond swiftly to changing preferences. Relevance and timing are the keys to success in today's fast-moving marketing landscape, and production inkjet can help ensure that direct mail remains a competitive and influential channel across generations.
Age-targeted marketing is an important strategy for reaching a wide range of consumers. By recognizing the distinct preferences of each age group and leveraging the power of production inkjet technology, printers and mailers can craft campaigns that are visually striking and highly effective. Production inkjet provides the versatility and accuracy needed to excel in today’s competitive landscape. The opportunity to engage with audiences of all ages is here, so now is the perfect time to take advantage.
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