Direct Mail for Holiday 2025: Traditional Formats Offer Newfound Precision

Digital channels continue to capture attention with their scale and speed, while traditional formats—especially direct mail—prove their staying power by evolving into precise, measurable tools. Once considered a legacy channel, direct mail is now experiencing a resurgence driven by data, automation, and a renewed focus on incrementality. Although channels like connected TV (CTV) and retail media continue to grow in scale and sophistication, direct mail is reaffirming its role as a highly effective tool for re-engaging lapsed customers, increasing subscription reactivations, and guiding high-consideration buyers across the finish line.

At the heart of every effective holiday media plan is a business outcome. Whether the objective is revenue growth, conversion acceleration, or maximizing iROAS, advertisers are making strategic decisions based on which channels can deliver performance—not just presence. Direct mail is expected to grow 2.5–2.8% year-over-year in the second half of 2025. Although not as significant as double-digit growth in other forms of advertising, it is estimated to reach $69.5 billion in spend by year’s end. This growth is largely fueled by innovation in programmatic direct mail, which now mimics digital in its ability to trigger, personalize, and scale based on real-time data signals.

Advanced personalization has become a standard rather than a novelty. Names, codes, product-specific offers, and dynamic creative based on browsing behavior or purchase history significantly lift response rates by as much as 135% compared to static formats, according to Amra & Elma market research. Marketers are also deploying triggered direct mail tactics based on CRM activity, cart abandonment, or website engagement, leading to a 150% increase in behavior-based mail programs year-over-year. These efforts aren’t isolated; they are designed to integrate smoothly with digital channels, reinforcing messaging and driving conversions across the entire funnel.

Compared to 2024, the strategic posture for holiday media planning in 2025 has sharpened. There is a greater emphasis on campaign segmentation, with creative and offer strategies tailored to specific customer cohorts based on recency, frequency, or predicted lifetime value. Brands are launching holiday mail campaigns earlier in the season—often in late October—and extending them through mid-December to reflect evolving shopper behaviors. This expanded window accommodates both early deal-seekers and last-minute gifters, maximizing reach and response.

This year’s USPS rate increase has placed additional scrutiny on direct mail performance. To mitigate cost pressure, brands are locking in volume discounts early, choosing partners with transparent and bundled pricing, and targeting high-intent, high-value audiences. Each campaign must justify its spend through modeled response rates and demonstrated CPA thresholds. Another major change is the shift toward rigorous measurement. As media costs rise, advertisers are moving beyond basic attribution and utilizing holdout testing and incrementality measurement to understand the true value of each channel. Direct mail programs in 2025 are increasingly designed with control groups, enabling marketers to measure the lift caused by mail compared to digital-only exposure.

Importantly, direct mail no longer operates in a vacuum. Digital channels are amplifying its effectiveness and extending its reach in meaningful ways. Instead of viewing digital and traditional media as separate strategies, marketers in 2025 are embracing their complementary strengths.

Digital campaigns can prime audiences before a mailer arrives—through email reminders, social media engagement, or display ads targeted to the same segment. Once the mail piece lands, digital retargeting can reinforce the message and guide customers toward conversion, making the entire experience feel cohesive and intentional.

In many cases, traditional media serves as the anchor for digital activation. Direct mailers now frequently include QR codes, personalized URLs, and mobile-friendly redemption experiences that easily connect consumers from mailbox to mobile. This not only improves attribution but also streamlines the path to purchase. Mailers may spark initial interest, while subsequent digital interactions close the loop with urgency or additional incentives.

Programmatic capabilities have further blurred the lines, allowing brands to send triggered mail within 24 to 48 hours of a digital interaction—effectively creating a multi-touch journey that combines the strengths of both physical and digital media.