Global brands line up for a place in Matter box

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Global brands line up for a place in Matter box
26/11/2008


Royal Mail today unveiled the first commercial Matter box, containing free brand representations from a range of international household names, which will be delivered to more than 30,000 UK consumers this weekend.

As part of its continuing drive to deliver innovation in marketing to engage consumers, Royal Mail rolled out Matter - a new advertising and communications channel (www.matterbox.co.uk) - as a trial earlier this year.

The trial box was sent to just under 1,000 ABC1 males and created a storm of interest, featuring on more than 100 blogs and websites, as well as YouTube, and provoking ¡V in just two weeks - more than 20,000 people to register to receive a box. Now more than 65,000 people have signed up to receive a Matter box.

The latest box ¡V which will be delivered this Saturday to anyone who subscribed before September 5 - is the first commercial mailing, with brands paying for their place in the Matterbox including Diageo, Original Source, O2, LoveFilm, HarperCollins and BBC Audio Books.

And Royal Mail, which developed the channel in an exclusive partnership with Matter Media Limited, is now talking to advertisers keen to be involved in subsequent boxes in 2009.

Matter is a box that fits the standard dimensions of a UK household letterbox, containing a range of physical brand representations. It enables advertisers to get their products and services into the homes of their target customers.

The first test mailing proved the power of Matter as an engagement tool as research conducted six weeks after the box was received revealed that the average recall rate for each brand representation was 85 per cent. Other findings included:

„X Almost half (41 per cent) of recipients used the items
„X 21 per cent gave an item to a friend or family member
„X 20 per cent spoke with a friend or family member about the brand
„X 14 per cent considered purchasing the brand
„X 10 per cent were prompted to visit the brand¡¦s website
„X 6 per cent actually purchased the brand.

Antony Miller, Head of Media Business Development at Royal Mail, said: ¡§Advertisers are no longer able to rely only on consumers seeing or hearing their messages to boost sales - they now have to really engage people to create standout. Matter harnesses the marketing power of direct mail ¡V communicating one-to-one with targeted recipients ¡V and allows brands to physically place their products into people¡¦s hands.¡¨

Tim Milne, Matter Media Limited, said: ¡§Interest in Matter has been phenomenal from consumers and brands since the first box was delivered. The beauty of packaging up and delivering an endless variety of tangible objects such as these lies in getting brands into the homes and hands of people. Subscribers look forward to receiving and keeping the items, or passing them on to family and friends.¡¨

Advertisers can discover more information about Matter and consumers can register to receive future boxes at www.matterbox.co.uk

ENDS

Issued on behalf of Royal Mail by Eulogy!
Email: royalmail@eulogy.co.uk

[BELIAL]

The guy who comes up with an Anti-matter mailing is going to make a killing

[NWpostie]

The guy who comes up with an Anti-matter mailing is going to make a killing

would they not cancel each other out in a massive explosion if they come into contact with each other ?

[k979aaa]

The guy who comes up with an Anti-matter mailing is going to make a killing

would they not cancel each other out in a massive explosion if they come into contact with each other ?

A bit like this :cfo + :lfo BOOM they both don't matter and i am anti both of them.

[BELIAL]

The guy who comes up with an Anti-matter mailing is going to make a killing

would they not cancel each other out in a massive explosion if they come into contact with each other ?

Precisely ! I realise that this will make life a thing of the past for all of you but we cannot stand in the way of modernization ,no change is not an option and by taking this step I believe we can successfully tackle the pension deficit issue and ensure the long term security of your retirement funds

[baldrick]

Well I haven't recieved mine.
Any of you delivery people seen them?

[Stormproof]

I have'nt seen any

[TrueBlueTerrier]

email was sent to those who signed up for it says not sending out till this Saturday.