Direct Mail Creates an Experience
The best marketing campaigns are not always the loudest. The greatest attention seeking campaigns are not the clear winner. Over the course of time, repeatedly you will see, that it is making an experience that really delivers. There have been several rich experiences from marketers that not only get the attention of the media, but the attention and loyalty from the witnesses firsthand.
Chanel created an entire beach indoors for their latest runway. They had actual waves rolling as they unveiled the line up. The models walked barefoot through real warm sand with ocean water crashing on the shore. The crowd and media even sat on a full all wooden pier. A backdrop would have sufficed, but they went the extra mile with imported sand, wave machine, and beach cocktails. This was not just a runway, this was an experience worth talking about.
Other examples may not be as big, yet still deliver that experience that all customers want. 
We have seen pop-up stores, which are cool, and bus stop displays to make the individual play and entice curiosity with the brand. The image here is Coke allowing you to make your own gif while you wait for the bus. These interaction opportunities are growing in the traditional boring, or quiet hands-off environments, to making them fully hands on and immersive.
The ability to have artificial intelligence (layering data or graphics on real world lens) tell you deeper insights about a painting or sculpture is essentially the same as the info board next to it. However, with this model, it becomes personal to read what you want, it is actually at a font you can read, and you may skim or dive as deep as you want. It transforms the way you take in art.
Marketing experiences take a 3D approach. What is it? What does it smell like, feel like? What emotion does it produce? The questions for today’s marketer need to push beyond a one-dimensional approach.
It is time to put something in their hands. Let them experience it.
Catalogs are still a great success. You do not have to hope a Google search occurs. Mail them a hard copy directly that they can keep and read at their leisure. Let them experience seeing it on the coffee table for two weeks. Let the kids find it and give their insight. Allow your customer to take it all in.
Another example is to give them a postcard and url to download an app. Let the customer utilize artificial reality in their environment. They can experience their new pool right in their own backyard. And with measuring function built in, you could even give specific details and a one-button click to inquire about a quote. But you have to mail them the postcard first. They have to touch before they know.
There is much to bridge the gap between digital and hands on. When you think with an experience in mind, beyond just advertising, it makes the frequency of advertising campaigns less, and the quality that much better.
What can you put into your customer's hands? How do you turn them into faithful members?