Consumer insights – direct mail and the leisure and entertainment sector

This 2011 report looks at leisure and entertainment consumers and their attitudes to marketing channels, including direct mail.

Consumers are spoilt for choice in the UK’s £70 billion leisure and entertainment sector – whether it's digital TV and on-demand services in their own homes, visiting cinemas, theatres and galleries, working out at the gym or pubbing and clubbing.

Yet as spending on leisure shrinks in response to the recession, they are switching to in-home entertainment. Betting and gambling has also seen an increase.

This report uses Ebiquity, Mintel and TGI data to build a comprehensive picture of the marketing responses among different audiences across this diverse sector.

Key findings include:

• ABC1 men under 35, affluent over-55s and single person households are least likely to have changed their leisure spending habits.

• Direct mail aimed at theatre and concert-goers was the most common form of entertainment mail sent in 2010-11, with 2.5 million mailings sent.

• Men and 15-34 year olds in general, are currently under-mailed in the leisure and entertainment sector.

• Mailings in the leisure sector are currently targeted more towards women and at older, 35+ age groups.

• Nearly 70% of consumers are making more use of vouchers, special offers and discounts.