Definition

Unsolicited direct mail that everyone hates but somehow still works because occasionally human brains malfunction and respond to offers.

Example Usage

Our direct mail campaign had a 0.5% response rate, which is terrible but still profitable because CPM is basically free.

Origin

Pejorative term for direct mail, popularized in 1980s

Fun Fact

Despite being called 'junk,' direct mail ROI (3.5% average) outperforms email (2.6%) and other channels, probably because people have lower defenses against paper

Source: Direct mail marketing

Related Terms

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truth decay

The gradual erosion of factual accuracy in marketing claims through iterative copywriting until statements become technically false. The telephone game played with compliance.

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ecommerce

The art of selling stuff online instead of in physical stores, revolutionizing retail by eliminating the need to wear pants while shopping. It encompasses everything from Amazon's global empire to your neighbor's Etsy shop selling handmade soap. Born in the '90s, it's now the default way humans acquire everything from groceries to furniture, much to the despair of malls everywhere.

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paid media

Any marketing channel where you pay for placement or exposure, from Google ads to billboards. It's the straightforward 'give us money and we'll show your stuff' approach that makes traditional advertising feel honest by comparison.

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Disintermediation

Cutting out the middleman by selling directly to consumers, which sounds great until you realize middlemen existed because direct sales are expensive.

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Bleed-through

When print advertising extends beyond the trim edge, or in digital terms, when brands' messaging accidentally spills into each other's territory—awkward both ways.

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