We also wanted to find out how heavy users of digital devices such as smartphones and tablets – primarily, but not exclusively, younger people – view and interact with mail.
We explored both the quantitative and qualitative evidence using both an age and a life stage approach. The latter proved the best way to gain useful insight about people’s attitudes and behaviours. This approach also helped us generate insights that advertisers can use to improve their response rates.
Age is a conventional framework that many marketers use to differentiate different groups of people. But it can sometimes be a blunt tool. An individual aged 18–24 who lives at home is not the same as one who lives in shared accommodation or one who is part of a couple
The 7 groups we looked at in depth were:
Fledglings: young adults living in their parent(s) home
Sharers: adults living in shared accommodation
Couples: adults living only with their partners
Young Families: living with at least one child below the age of secondary school
Older Families: living with at least one child at secondary school or further education
Empty Nesters: no children at home and at least one of the adults still working
Older Retirees: either one or two adults living as partners and dependent on income from pensions
Download the report for statistics and top tips in creating mail for people in these life stages