In a world dominated by likes, swipes, and scrolls, it might sound counterintuitive—but young adults are drawn to direct mail and the tangible, personal connection it brings.    Gen Z (those born in the late 90s to early 2010s), the first fully digital-native generation, isn’t just glued to their screens. They’re actively engaging with marketing that shows up offline—especially in the form of tangible, thoughtfully designed mail. Gen Z Is Paying Attention to Print Raised in a digital world, this generation craves authenticity, tangibility, and real-world experiences that stand out from the constant scroll of online content. Gen Z grew up digital, but that also means they’re used to being constantly advertised to—on every platform that they interact with. Digital fatigue is real. For brands seeking to cut through the noise, direct mail is emerging as a go-to tactic for meaningful and memorable engagement with this powerful audience.

U.S. firms announced the most job cuts for any October in more than 20 years, fueled in part by mass layoffs at major retail companies. Retail has been one of the hardest hit industries this year, behind only warehousing and non-profits. So far in 2025, the sector has announced 88,664 job cuts, a 145% increase from the 36,136 recorded through October last year. “Over the last decade, companies have shied away from announcing layoffs in the fourth quarter, so it’s surprising to see so many in October,” Challenger said in the report. “With the onset of social media, and the ability for workers to share their negative experiences with their employers, the trend of announcing layoffs before the holidays — a practice that seemed particularly cruel — fell away.” Retailers are also pulling back on holiday hiring. Companies are expected to add fewer than 500,000 seasonal positions this year — the lowest since 2009, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Several retailers, including Kohl’s and Target, have declined to disclose their 2025 seasonal hiring plans, a departure from previous years. Some companies plan to keep the seasonal hiring levels unchanged from 2024. Amazon said it plans to hire 250,000 workers for the peak holiday season, while Bath & Body Works announced plans to hire 32,000 workers, the same as last year for both companies.

LocaliQ, Gannett Co., Inc.’s Digital Marketing Solutions business, successfully achieved Service Organization Controls (SOC) 2 Type II audit and certification, which validates LocaliQ’s robust controls, effective risk management and adherence to industry best practices. LocaliQ is an all-in-one marketing platform used by local businesses across the country to attract, convert and retain customers. The certification provides a greater level of trust for both current and prospective business partners and customers after an extensive review which evaluated LocaliQ’s control design, implementation and operating effectiveness. Designed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the SOC 2 Type II auditing procedure examines a company’s commitment to data privacy and information security standards through five key criteria: security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and privacy. Obtaining SOC 2 Type II certification demonstrates rigorous safeguards protecting clients’ sensitive information and reassures stakeholders that client data is in capable hands.