The Surprising Role Direct Mail Is Playing In the AI Marketing Era

For the past few years, it feels like every marketing conversation has revolved around AI. AI-generated content. AI-powered targeting. AI-driven analytics. AI this, AI that.

With all the attention being paid to digital transformation, you might assume traditional channels like direct mail would be losing ground. The latest research from Winterberry Group suggests the exact opposite.

Their new study, Delivering Performance in the Era of AI, surveyed more than 250 marketing professionals and found that marketers are increasingly investing in performance-focused marketing channels, including direct mail. In fact, 83% of respondents plan to grow their direct mail budgets in 2026. That's a remarkable number in an era where many predicted print would become less relevant.

As someone who has spent more than three decades helping organizations improve direct mail performance, I don't find the results surprising at all. What I do find interesting is why it's happening.

Why AI Is Making Direct Mail More Effective

AI can analyze data. AI can identify patterns. AI can help marketers optimize campaigns faster than ever before. But AI still can't create a physical experience.

It can't place a highly personalized offer in someone's hands. It can't create the tactile engagement that comes from touching a well-designed mail piece. And it can't replicate the trust that physical communication carries.

In many ways, AI is making direct mail stronger because it helps marketers become more precise with who they target, when they mail, and what message they deliver. The technology is making the channel smarter, not replacing it.

Better Data Leads To Better Results

One of the most compelling findings from the Winterberry study was that marketers reported improved targeting accuracy as the top benefit of AI within direct mail programs. Better targeting naturally leads to improved response rates and stronger return on investment.

This is where I see many organizations finding success. Instead of mailing larger audiences and hoping for the best, marketers are using predictive modeling, behavioral data, and customer insights to focus their efforts on prospects most likely to respond.

The result is often fewer pieces mailed and better outcomes. That's a win for both marketing budgets and campaign performance.

My Tip: AI Is A Tool, Not A Strategy

One mistake I see marketers make is assuming AI will somehow solve all of their marketing challenges. It won't. AI can help identify opportunities, but it still takes human insight to create an offer people actually care about. It still takes strong creative, compelling copy, and a thoughtful customer experience to drive results.

The best direct mail campaigns still start with understanding the audience. AI simply helps us get there faster. Before investing in new technology, make sure you're asking the right questions. Who is the ideal prospect? What problem are you solving? Why should they respond now? AI can help refine those answers, but it can't replace them.

Direct Mail Gives Digital Marketing A Lift

Another finding that stood out was the impact direct mail has on digital marketing performance. According to the study, marketers reported stronger results from online display advertising, paid social campaigns, and paid search when those channels were used alongside direct mail.

This mirrors what many of us have been seeing for years. Consumers rarely follow a straight path to purchase anymore. They may see a digital ad, receive a direct mail piece, visit a website, click a retargeting ad, and finally convert days or weeks later.

The direct mail piece often serves as the physical anchor that helps tie the entire experience together. Rather than viewing mail and digital as competing channels, successful marketers are using them together.

My Tip: Create A Seamless Customer Journey

If your mail piece is expected to work with digital channels, make that next step easy. Include a QR code. Create a personalized landing page. Use informed visibility tools when appropriate. Connect your mail to email, social media, and retargeting campaigns.

The highest-performing campaigns aren't relying on a single touchpoint anymore. They're creating connected customer journeys where each channel reinforces the next. When direct mail is integrated into a broader marketing strategy, it becomes far more than a standalone tactic. It becomes a driver of engagement across every channel.

The Opportunity For Printers And Mail Service Providers

This research should also serve as a reminder for print providers. Our role is evolving. Customers increasingly need help connecting data, automation, personalization, and print production into a single strategy. The conversation is no longer just about ink on paper.

It's about helping clients use data more effectively, integrate channels more intelligently, and measure results more accurately. The printers and mail service providers that embrace that role will be positioned for long-term growth. The shops that simply manufacture pieces will always compete on price. The providers that help clients improve performance will compete on value.

Why The Future Is AI And Direct Mail Together

One of the biggest misconceptions in marketing today is that AI and traditional channels are moving in opposite directions. The reality is they're becoming increasingly interconnected.

As AI improves audience targeting, campaign planning, personalization, and attribution, it makes direct mail more efficient, more measurable, and more accountable. That's one reason marketers continue to invest in the channel despite having more digital options than ever before.

The future isn't about replacing direct mail. It's about making direct mail perform even better. And according to the latest research, marketers are already seeing the results.

References

Winterberry Group. Delivering Performance in the Era of AI: Technology, Data and New Opportunities to Unlock Omnichannel Success (June 2026). Available at: https://winterberrygroup.com/delivering-performance-in-the-era-of-ai-technology-data-and-new-opportunities-to-unlock-omnichannel-success

Winterberry Group media release, June 2026. Findings based on a survey of more than 250 U.S. advertising and marketing professionals.

The preceding content was provided by a contributor unaffiliated with Printing Impressions. The views expressed within may not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of Printing Impressions. Artificial Intelligence may have been used in part to create or edit this content.