Direct mail advertising and marketing in the United States – statistics & facts

While brands and consumers increasingly turn to digital media, direct mail – an advertising and direct marketing strategy entailing sending print material directly to residents' mailboxes – remains relevant well into the 21st century. According to the latest projections, direct mail annual ad revenues in the United States will reach almost 13.2 billion U.S. dollars by the end of 2023. While the figure was forecast to decline in the following years, it still accounts for around one-fifth of the global direct mail ad revenue. Perhaps most importantly, unlike the U.S.-only projections, the global forecast suggests a steady rise in spending as the 2020s unfold. Furthermore, many of the world's leading direct mail advertising companies are based in the U.S. This is particularly relevant considering how fragmented the industry is: None of the leading players held more than one percent of the market that year. Their shares combined did not surpass three percent.

Why direct mail stands tall

The expected decrease in expenditure in the U.S. likely reflects the decline in volume between before and after the pandemic. The number of pieces attributed to direct mail in the U.S. has increased yearly since 2020 but remained far from the pattern seen at the end of the past decade. The 2022 volume amounted to less than 90 percent of figures recorded in 2019 and 2018 – a sign of how lockdowns and mobility restrictions boosted online media's performance to the detriment of offline channels. Yet the post-pandemic growth is as palpable as a pamphlet or brochure. Between 2020 and 2022, the average number of regular marketing mail received by a U.S. household rose by eight percent. This print medium offers a financial advantage compared to its digital counterparts. 2022 data shows direct mail campaign's return on investment (ROI) of over 40 percent outperformed email, social media, paid search, SMS, and digital displays in 2022.

Direct mail's benefits

Direct mail's ROI goes even further in some sectors, exceeding 60 percent. According to a survey among marketers in North America published in early 2023, the e-commerce, financial services and banking, insurance, healthcare, and retail segments enjoyed exceptionally high figures, with the former three's ROIs surpassing 80 percent. Another study, conducted in 2022 by a global leader in the industry, indicated that this marketing tactic might expand not despite the internet's rise but rather because of it. Three out of four responding marketers reported reallocating some digital marketing budget into direct mail in response to consumers' data privacy concerns. Online anxieties aside, American consumers seem to know very well what they expect from companies' print messages. Over three-quarters of those surveyed in 2023 said an offer or promotion increased their likelihood to open a piece of direct mail sent by an interesting brand. For comparison, little more than half stated the same about a piece containing their first name.

This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.

U.S. direct mail ad revenue: 13.2bn USD

U.S. direct mail spending' forecast growth rate: 1.5%

Direct mail's share in the U.S. ad revenue: 4.2%

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Marketing

Top consumer attitudes toward marketing messages they received in the U.S. 2023

Marketing

Preferred change in volume of marketing messages among consumers in the U.S. 2023

Consumer perception of direct mail frequency in the United States as of July 2023

Traditional advertising

Consumer perception of direct mail frequency in the U.S. 2023

Recommended statistics

Market overview

Premium Statistic Direct mail ad revenue in the U.S. 2014-2027
Direct mail ad revenue in the U.S. 2014-2027
Direct mail advertising revenue in the United States from 2014 to 2027 (in billion U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic Change in offline marketing spending in the U.S. 2023-2024, by medium
Change in offline marketing spending in the U.S. 2023-2024, by medium
Change in offline marketing spending in the United States in 2023 and 2024, by medium
Premium Statistic Share of ad revenue in the U.S. 2022, by medium
Share of ad revenue in the U.S. 2022, by medium
Share of advertising media owners revenue in the United States in 2022, by medium
Premium Statistic Return on investment (ROI) of ad campaigns in selected media in the U.S. in 2022
Return on investment (ROI) of ad campaigns in selected media in the U.S. in 2022
Return on investment (ROI) of advertising campaigns in selected media in the United States in 2022
Premium Statistic Direct mail volume in the U.S. 2018-2023
Direct mail volume in the U.S. 2018-2023
Number of mail pieces attributed to direct mail in the United States from 2018 to 2023 (in millions)
Premium Statistic United States Postal Service advertising mail volume 2004-2023
United States Postal Service advertising mail volume 2004-2023
United States Postal Service's marketing mail volume from fiscal years 2004 to 2023 (in billion units)
Premium Statistic Direct mail pieces received by an average household in the U.S. 2020-2022, by type
Direct mail pieces received by an average household in the U.S. 2020-2022, by type
Number of direct mail pieces received by an average household in the United States from 2020 to 2022, by type
Premium Statistic Direct mail in the U.S. 2021, by format
Direct mail in the U.S. 2021, by format
Distribution of direct mail units sent in the United States between January and September 2021, by format

Market structure

Basic Statistic No. of establishments in the advertising industry in the U.S. 2007-2021, by segment
No. of establishments in the advertising industry in the U.S. 2007-2021, by segment
Number of establishments in the advertising and related services industry in the United States from 2007 to 2021, by segment
Premium Statistic Revenue of U.S. direct mail advertising companies 2000-2021
Revenue of U.S. direct mail advertising companies 2000-2021
Estimated aggregate revenue of direct mail advertising companies in the United States from 2000 to 2021 (in billion U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic Revenue sources of U.S. direct mail advertising companies 2021
Revenue sources of U.S. direct mail advertising companies 2021
Revenue generated by direct mail advertising companies in the United States in 2021, by source (in million U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic Expenses of U.S. direct mail advertising companies 2007-2021
Expenses of U.S. direct mail advertising companies 2007-2021
Estimated expenses of direct mail advertising companies in the United States from 2007 to 2021 (in billion U.S. dollars)
Basic Statistic Number of employees in the advertising industry in the U.S. 2009-2021, by segment
Number of employees in the advertising industry in the U.S. 2009-2021, by segment
Number of employees in the advertising and related services industry in the United States from 2009 to 2021, by segment
Premium Statistic Annual payroll in U.S. advertising services 2017-2021, by sector
Annual payroll in U.S. advertising services 2017-2021, by sector
Annual payroll in U.S. advertising and related services industry from 2017 to 2021, by sector (in million U.S. dollars)

Marketers' perspective

Premium Statistic Share of marketing budgets allocated to direct mail in Canada and the U.S. 2023
Share of marketing budgets allocated to direct mail in Canada and the U.S. 2023
Percentage of marketing budgets allocated to direct mail according to marketers in Canada and the United States as of December 2023
Premium Statistic Changes in direct mail budget according to marketers in Canada and the U.S. 2023
Changes in direct mail budget according to marketers in Canada and the U.S. 2023
Planned annual changes in direct mail's budget according to marketers in Canada and the United States as of December 2023
Premium Statistic Leading direct mail types planned for 2024 in Canada and the U.S. 2023
Leading direct mail types planned for 2024 in Canada and the U.S. 2023
Leading direct mail types planned for 2024 according to marketers in Canada and the United States as of December 2023
Premium Statistic Top tactics for measuring direct mail's ROI in Canada and the U.S. 2023
Top tactics for measuring direct mail's ROI in Canada and the U.S. 2023
Leading tactics for measuring direct mail's return on investment (ROI) according to marketers in Canada and the United States as of December 2023
Premium Statistic Sectors with direct mail's best ROI according to marketers in North America 2023
Sectors with direct mail's best ROI according to marketers in North America 2023
Sectors where direct mail presented the best return on investment (ROI) according to marketers in North America as of January 2023
Premium Statistic Share of direct mail campaigns according to marketers in Canada & the U.S. 2023
Share of direct mail campaigns according to marketers in Canada & the U.S. 2023
Distribution of direct mail campaign types according to marketers in Canada and the United States as of December 2023
Premium Statistic Direct mail's leading challenges according to marketers in North America 2023
Direct mail's leading challenges according to marketers in North America 2023
Direct mail's leading challenges according to marketers in North America as of January 2023
Premium Statistic Top benefits of print marketing vs. digital according to marketers in the U.S 2022
Top benefits of print marketing vs. digital according to marketers in the U.S 2022
Leading benefits of print marketing compared to digital according to in-house marketing decision-makers in the United States as of November 2022
Premium Statistic Change in direct mail's importance according to marketers in the U.S 2022
Change in direct mail's importance according to marketers in the U.S 2022
Change in direct mail's importance over the previous year according to marketers in the United States as of August 2022
Premium Statistic Marketers reallocating digital marketing budget into direct mail in the U.S 2023
Marketers reallocating digital marketing budget into direct mail in the U.S 2023
Percentage of marketers responding to consumer data privacy concerns by reallocating some digital marketing budget into direct mail in the United States as of September 2023

Consumers' perspective

Premium Statistic Top consumer attitudes toward marketing messages they received in the U.S. 2023
Top consumer attitudes toward marketing messages they received in the U.S. 2023
Leading consumer attitudes toward the number of marketing messages they received in the United States as of January 2023
Premium Statistic Preferred change in volume of marketing messages among consumers in the U.S. 2023
Preferred change in volume of marketing messages among consumers in the U.S. 2023
Preferred change in volume of marketing messages among consumers in the United States as of January 2023
Premium Statistic Adult consumers' leading attitudes toward direct mail in the U.S. 2023
Adult consumers' leading attitudes toward direct mail in the U.S. 2023
Adult consumers' leading attitudes toward direct mail in the United States as of July 2023
Premium Statistic Consumer attitudes toward direct mail and email brand messages in the U.S 2022
Consumer attitudes toward direct mail and email brand messages in the U.S 2022
Consumer attitudes toward direct mail and email brand messages in the United States as of August 2022
Premium Statistic Preferred direct mail formats among consumers in the U.S. 2023, by brand familiarity
Preferred direct mail formats among consumers in the U.S. 2023, by brand familiarity
Direct mail formats consumers preferred to receive in the United States as of July 2023, by brand familiarity
Premium Statistic Consumer perception of direct mail frequency in the U.S. 2023
Consumer perception of direct mail frequency in the U.S. 2023
Consumer perception of direct mail frequency in the United States as of July 2023
Premium Statistic Top features encouraging consumers to open a piece of direct mail in the U.S. 2023
Top features encouraging consumers to open a piece of direct mail in the U.S. 2023
Leading features increasing the likelihood to open a piece of direct mail from an interesting brand according to adult consumers in the United States as of July 2023
Premium Statistic Image types making a direct mail piece most appealing to consumers in the U.S. 2023
Image types making a direct mail piece most appealing to consumers in the U.S. 2023
Image types making a direct mail piece most appealing to adult consumers in the United States as of July 2023
Premium Statistic Top actions consumers took upon receiving direct mail in the U.S. 2023, by age group
Top actions consumers took upon receiving direct mail in the U.S. 2023, by age group
Leading actions consumers took upon receiving direct mail in the United States as of July 2023, by age group
Premium Statistic Share of consumers excited to receive direct mail in the U.S 2022, by generation
Share of consumers excited to receive direct mail in the U.S 2022, by generation
Percentage of consumers excited to receive direct mail in the United States as of August 2022, by generation

Report on the topic

Go to report

Top Seller

Key figures

The most important key figures provide you with a compact summary of the topic of "Direct mail advertising and marketing in the U.S." and take you straight to the corresponding statistics.