News
DMA survey highlights poor perception of DM's green credentials
Direct mail continues to suffer from a poor environmental reputation in comparison with email, which is considered the "greenest" means of communication, according to a recent study.
More than 70% of respondents in the Direct Mail Association's (DMA) latest sustainability report claimed that email was the communication route with "the least environmental impact".
In contrast, just 9% of respondents considered direct mail to be environmentally friendly.
However, direct mail printers have questioned the environmental credentials of online communications, which come with an associated power usage that is often ignored.
John Ellis, group sales director at Sunline Direct, said: "With emails, there is the power required for the computer and that isn't that environmental.
"Direct mail gets a bad reputation but those views stem from the old days when mail was unaddressed on deliveries. Current DMA guidelines offer best practice, such as mailing to the right people and ensuring that it is being done in an economical way."
The survey also revealed that 50% of people view polythene wrapping on direct mail as "the worst" environmental offence.
However, Ellis claimed this is a misconception and argued that the direct mail industry has sound environmental credentials.
"There are alternatives to polythene. Lots of mailings are biodegradable and we encourage people to recycle," he said. "However, this is down to local government. Local government doesn't separate plastics like they do with paper and glass.
"Our company uses starch-based film and biodegradable products. Many people don't want to pay for the starch-based products as it is expensive. The biodegradable polythene that we offer is one of the most popular lines in our stock."
Lucy Edwards, assistant managing director at Howard Hunt, acknowledged that direct mail received unfair attention in the national media.
She said: "It would take a year's worth of direct mail to equal the amount of newspapers going to landfill in one day. People's environmental perceptions of direct mail are completely wrong.
"If you get data right and you target the right people with the right message, the direct mail will not be seen as junk and we will lose the junk mail tag."
Edwards added that the government should be lobbied about the benefits of direct mail, in order to clean up the industry's image.
"The DMA needs to lobby government to make them understand marketing communications. We need to give them the facts and tell them about the amount of people we employ," she said.
"This would help get us off the hit-list of the awful things in the world. The direct mail industry is important to the economy."
Edwards: DM is important to the industry
Comments
The comments below do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of printweek.com, Haymarket Media Group or its employees
Liam Crane - 09 March 2010
I have to say that I agree with this in the most part. Interestingly I started thinking about John's comment - "With emails, there is the power required for the computer and that isn't that environmental." Could any of us actually communicate or run our businesses without a computer being on anyway? - I think not.
Companies have tried to move to emails rather than DM due to cost and only now are they talking about environmental impact etc. The vast majority of these companies have realised though that emails will never completely replace DM, they should work hand in hand giving cross channel communications.
Liam Crane
Packpost Solutions
Print Elf - 09 March 2010
I'm glad they used a picture of Lucy and not John!!!
Jon Fennell - 09 March 2010
LC yes a cross channel mix gives a better result and email is not achieving the results and suffers from a lack of data to drive the best return.
There are also underlying environmental impacts associated with computer use which go beyond just power. Hardware disposal has massive issues environmentally. I think we spend too much time whats going into the atmosphere and not enough about the impact we have on poisoning the planet.
As much as the mail and print industry have cleaned up their acts, with regard to chemicals and waste, its good effects wil be outweighed by increased power generation and landfill issues created by computers and peripherals as well as mobile phones, ebooks ect.
The Two Sides. info site carries an enlightening piece of research carried out by McAfee on the effects of spam.
Also there is the power usage created by search and the ongoing problems faced by IP's on cooling servers as well as powering them.
The arguement on the environmental rights and wrongs are far from one sided.
Chris Lewis - 09 March 2010
I spend a huge amount of time just trying to get clients to undertsand that they are not being environmentally unfriendly by using print as their main communication device. To be frank, I am amazed that they really hadn't thought about it properly. If they are really bothered by the whole process, despite FSC and ISO accreditations, then I offer carbon offseting. This is a really simple process, and is quite cost effective. I admit that offseting the post isn't yet within my grasp, but being able to offset the rest of the process is brilliant. Of course, I could claim that the postman is going to everyones door anyway, a bit like the claim that everyones PC is switched on anyway ;o)
Jason Cromack - 10 March 2010
What it's important to take from this report is the word 'perception'.There is actually a lot of action within the industry to ensure that environmental credentials are met and in truth, the impact of DM isn't as harmful as some perceive.
As with all manufacturing processes, print requires energy and so will inevitably have something of a negative initial impact on the environment but we are far from alone in this and far from the worst offenders.
Many of the elements involved in the printing process are actually far less harmful than they are regarded to be by outside audiences. Take the use of paper for example, which whilst much maligned, is in reality is a highly sustainable resource; the paper industry is one of the biggest users of renewable, low carbon energy and half of this energy in Europe is derived from renewable sources.
We as an industry should focus on supporting initiatives which further the positive aspect of our industry with regard to environmental issues.
Mick Hart - 10 March 2010
Unfortunately print has allowed itself to be percieved as a 'tree destroyer' for many years, and alternative media have jumped on the opportunity this has afforded them to use/abuse this as 'fact'. We have a long way to go, but hopefully, if we pull together, and support initiatives like '2 Sides' we will get there.
Grow a tree, don't hug it - cut it down, grow another one (or two!) - it just makes sense!
Jon Fennell - 10 March 2010
Jason C, thanks for your input on this topic, good to see your response and that you're with the majority on here banging the drum. The perception has to be changed. We all have to challenge the corporate 'greenwash' which is digested by the using public.
Lena Johansson - 11 March 2010
I think the public's dislike of DM is more to do with badly maintained and out of date mailing lists than the environmental damage done by print per se. If you buy one thing by mail order you suddenly get added to a myriad of other mailing lists and more and more unwanted catalogues and brochures are put through the letter box. Now that I am in my mid forties I seem to have been added to a "mature ladies" list and they keep sending me information about comfy slippers and beige slacks with elasticated waists. The cheek!
Sending unsolicited blurb to uninterested parties IS a waste, however sustainable the method of communication is, and the industry can address this.
William Joyce - 11 March 2010
Redheaded fashion victim from Cardiff tottering on stilettos and in denial about expanding waist line .... Wind will be narrowing the identity down at this very moment. However, you're absolutely right Lena about the quality of mailing lists. And now I'd better go and have a row in a vain attempt to avoid beige crimplene slax with elasticated waist bands myself.
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