Newspapers, magazines, commercial TV, radio and even Facebook are losing traction among those aged between 10 and 24 years who are turning to catalogues and unaddressed mail, according to new data from Roy Morgan Single Source.
Customer marketing and engagement specialist Salmat says that since 2013, letterbox media has achieved more growth among Gen Z than any other media, with reach increasing by seven per cent to 45 per cent of Gen Z in 2015.
“Gen Z are the next generation of consumers and are just starting to come into their purchasing power,” Salmat Chief Marketing Officer Sarah Pike said.
“They’re starting to move out of the parental home and enter the workforce, and, as such, are becoming big spenders. The media industry are watching their consumption habits closely, because in many ways, this generation will determine who has a future and who doesn’t.
“Gen Z are digital natives, but that doesn’t mean traditional media can’t reach them effectively. As we see more of Gen Z renting, they are more likely to be emptying the mailbox. They’re also more likely to be buying groceries and other items you need when you move out of home, like homewares and small electrical appliances, which means letterbox media has become increasingly important to them.”
Salmat finds that Gen Z are using letterbox media to help with purchasing decisions. Fifty-one per cent of Gen Z letterbox readers surveyed name letterbox media as most useful media for buying groceries while 33 per cent say it is most useful for buying small electrical appliances. In fact, 39 per cent bought from a printed catalogue in the last week.
Across all age groups, the reach of letterbox media continues to grow while most other traditional media has declined. Comparing the reach of media across all age groups in 2013 to 2015, commercial TV and radio, newspapers and magazines all declined while letterbox media grew alongside outdoor advertising, Facebook and Google search.
