fast.MAP/DMA Marketing-GAP Tracking Study 2009

There can be a big difference between what communications marketers think consumers find acceptable and what they are actually happy to receive – and it's a gap that can impact campaign effectiveness.

To measure this gulf between consumer understanding and marketer activity, online research company fast.MAP carries out the industry's only UK-wide tracking study.

The results for the 2009 fast.MAP/DMA Marketing-GAP Tracking Study not only provide a snapshot of the UK market and how it has changed since 2005, but they also give marketers pointers on which marketing channel to use to contact both existing and new customers.

Key findings include: 

• Consumers prefer marketing companies with which they have a relationship to contact them by email, then direct mail, but marketers have underestimated this preference by 23% and 8% respectively.
• Being called on their mobile or sent a text is the least popular method of communication.
• Consumer preference for email from marketing companies they have an existing relationship with has dropped by 5% since 2008, while their preference for direct mail has gone up by 6%.
• 67% of consumers who do not have an existing relationship with marketers would prefer no contact from them compared with only 22% of consumers who do have an existing relationship with them.
• Consumers are content to receive mail about local services, trades people and local shops, as well as catalogues and customer magazines.
• Although consumers are happy to be mailed about supermarkets and stores they use, and local restaurants and services, marketers have underestimated this preference by more than 7%.
• 86% of people open mail packs.