“Matter”: Marketing by sending people free stuff

Britain’s Royal Mail is trying something new with direct mail: sending people a box of free stuff. Called “Matter”, the first one went out in mid-December to 30,000 people who had signed up to receive it. The box contained books, DVDs, CDs, shower products, a candybar, a pre-paid SIM card and a few other goodies.

The idea is that you try them, maybe give some to your friends, tell people about the one you like and otherwise interact with products in a way that’s more interesting than traditional direct-mail advertising.

The project was a collaboration with Tim Milne, who started the arts collective Artomatic. He says that the challenge so far has been getting advertisers to look past traditional direct mail. He told me:

“I've long believed that printed matter will gain new value in a digital world as everyone begins to crave the more physical / tactile / emotional nature of printed stuff.

Matter is revealing some interesting, unexpected behaviours. Matter is very social–people take the items (and sometimes the whole box) to work, to the pub and tell their friends and family about the cool things
they'd been sent. It fact, even though it's a physical medium, it behaves more like a digital channel.

The underlying concept–that if you give people nice things they'll better towards you is certainly true. What we're beginning to discover is how the simple act giving people something nice triggers a whole range of responses–using the objects, telling their friends and telling us what they think.”

The next box goes out in April.

Comments

[Bolaji - CustomerFlyPaper.com]

Chris,

This is pretty cool. The very bastion of "junk mail" - direct mail... starting to move toward permission marketing. Won't it be great to not have all that junk in the mailbox... and instead have cool stuff that you look forward to opening!

My wife is a Wyndham By Request member. We recently stayed at a Wyndham, and were THRILLED to find a basket of goodies waiting for us. Chocolate bars, juices, cheese and crackers... oh, and extra pillows on the bed.

All stuff my wife had opted into, earlier on.

So we'd asked for it. But it still felt like a christmas gift. :D

Giving folks stuff after they've asked for it, still creates those good vibrations that come from a surprise gift. And if what you're giving is word-of-mouth worthy...

fuhgeddaboudid.

[Reto]

Ok, opt-in advertisment is some kind of progress but in the end it is just another try to push people to sell things they don't really need ...

[Galen]

Do you know what the efficiency growth of package delivery looks like? I'm wondering if this project has been enabled by efficiency gains, or if package delivery efficiency has actually stagnated because you still need the same number of delivery people and the trucks can only get so big.

[Free Flash Game Man]

I think this is a great way for businesses to advertise up coming products or beta testing products i shall be looking out for this in april

[J S]

This is just a larger version of the weekly 'coupon collector' magazine or envelope of local businesses advertising.

This concept has the 'present box' idea worked in - so will get additional interest.

[Stephen Cribbett]

Imagine the power of this concept if Royal Mail could evolve the 'doorstep' experience into a digital 'co-creative' one, whereby subscribers to the service get the opportunity to 'have their say' in what goes in subsequent matter boxes....

[Steve Buchholz]

"For consumers it's a no-brainer."

There's a surprise.

Why are so many businesses unwilling, afraid, or uninterested in giving customers what they want? Why do we sell things, schedule events, and promote products the way we want instead of falling over ourselves to meet customer needs?

It's so frustrating to see companies (including my own) willingly make decisions to ignore customer desires and-as a result-make less money.

Why do we do this to ourselves?

[Rocky]

I am Rocky from London. It is very good website. It has much more valuable information.
Rocky

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[ahmedalaa]

thanks ,,

منتديات الابداع و التميز

[Paul Morriss]

I relate to what Tim says about physical things. I'd browsed on Amazon for a long time before I bought something. When I did I got an Amazon bookmark, and I thought that was really great to have. There's any amount of digital content out there which you could browse thousands of times over, but not very much coming through your letterbox that you want.

[ArunD]

My wife is a member of Vibe Village (www.vibevillage.com.au)... Similar Australian concept in that opt in free products arrive in our mail box. They have tried to integrate the whole social/sharing aspect into it more explicitly (not necessarily more successfully). They send you three products and ask that you pass two of them on etc.

[rick casteel]

Sir or Madam-

I am interested in sending a press release on a new, propriety online 3D art gallery we have developed which your readers may find very interesting.

Is there an appropriate person/email you can send so i may contact the correct person in this matter?

Regards, Rick Casteel

If you have a moment, I invite you to view the gallery and the exceptional work displayed.

http://casteelart.com/system/3DGallery_Viewer.html

[Lauren]

If a friend of mine were to receive this in the post I know I would constantly be talking about when I would get my very own box of goodies. Then when I finally did receive it I would go on to talk about it a bit more discussing the little gifts I had taken from it. Meaning I have then spoken countless times about the company to friends and familly generating a lot of word of mouth, very good idea in my eyes!

[watzabatza]

Marketing by sending people free stuff... same case here... i wonder why they do that? out of 100 people they sent, i think only 1 will reply positively... success is really effective on this way?

[Cytotec]

Nice post, thanks!

[Ward Roberts]

That's a great idea. A lot more original than the usual mail ads.

[Fishing]

That's all fair and well but how many products and useless stuff will you get for years to come, I'm not sure about this, seems like a waste of time and effort to me.

[Ferd]

Yes this is a great way of implementing your viral marketing campaign.

[alper]

thanks..

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[David]

This stuff works, When I did I got an Amazon bookmark, and I thought that was really great to have. There's any amount of digital content out there which you could browse thousands of times over.

David From the Deeper Voice Blog

[grow taller 4 idiots]

Why are so many businesses unwilling, afraid, or uninterested in giving customers what they want?

[Deals Hunt]

I think this is a great way to advertise our businesses

[sadasda]

تحميل فيفا 2010 تنزيل فيفا 2010 فيفا 2010

[Mike]

Very interesting post.

thanks

Mike

http://www.placeyourlinks.com

[adaptateurs secteur]

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[aion kinah]

There's any amount of digital content out there which you could browse thousands of times over.

[SEO Web Analytics]

your blog transparent and letting people know whether or not you are actually being compensated for your posts. This post is really very interesting as well as good informative post.. Thank you so much for sharing..