As visual creatures, we are compelled by what we see. Images draw our attention. They hold our interest. They spark our memories, our emotions. They move us to react, and to act. As marketers, we strive for breakthrough creative moments with our audience. We want to make an instant impression and invite them into our world. Photography, a moment captured in time, is a tremendous asset that tells the story of a brand. Photography can often be your biggest investment. And it can easily be your biggest impact. Here are three ways to make photography tell your story - go to: https://www.jschmid.com/blog/breakthrough-creative-photography/

The advertising industry is being reshaped by a convergence of necessity, curiosity and opportunity, driven by consumer expectations for more privacy and advancements in technology. A new generation of performance advertising is emerging. Currently, 86% of users state that privacy is a high priority, and this number continues to grow. Mozilla and Apple have already responded to this demand by blocking third-party cookies completely, and now Chrome—the browser with the highest market share—is poised to dramatically increase the fraction of users who won’t allow third-party cookies to be set. This growing demand for privacy, combined with customer expectations for personalized interactions presents a challenge and opportunity for brands, requiring innovative solutions and a shift in thinking.

There are many times when customers reach out to us to help them increase their response rates. When that happens, the first question is “What was the response rate on your last mailing?” Now you would think after 32 years in the business that the standard response to this question would no longer shock me, however that is not the case. When I hear “I am not sure”, I cringe. In 2024, how can they not know what the response rate was? They need to know this information. So, let’s take a look at what the 2024 Lob State of Direct Mail found: > 84% of marketers agree direct mail provides the highest ROI of any channel they use. > 82% of respondents are increasing direct mail spend in 2024. > Personalized URLs are the most popular way to measure conversions from direct mail campaigns. > Letters and postcards are the most popular direct mail format sent by respondents followed closely by brochures, catalogs, and self-mailers. One key takeaway is that direct mail response rates are higher than all digital media in the study. Direct mail can benefit the marketing mix, but you need to know their numbers so that you can keep doing what works and fix what is not working.