Marketers are always looking for new ideas and inspirations to add to their direct mail campaigns. One such opportunity is the inclusion of icons within a campaign. Pointing to a digital world these are often seen as innovative and represent a true bridge between the print and digital world.

What is an icon?

Here are two popular definitions for an icon:

• Collins English Dictionary –  “A pictorial representation of a facility available on a computer system, that enables the facility to be activated”
• Oxford English Dictionary –  “A symbol or graphic representation on a screen of a program, option, or window.”

Why use icons in direct mail campaigns?

Here are five reasons to incorporate icons into your direct mail campaigns:

• Breaks up text – adding icons as with images adds appeal and breaks up text
• Emphasis – icons can be used to add emphasis and importance, as with bold/larger text
• Familiarity – everybody loves to see images they recognise, the inclusion of these brings comfort
• Promote social media – icons are a classic way to promote social media (see below)
• Visually stunning – recipients often find icons stunning, they enhance a mailing

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Opportunity to integrate with social media

All direct mail campaigns should include links to social media websites and what better way than the use of icons? Include items to popular sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and YouTube, etc. after all, this is better and more impactful than just using the names of the channels in text.

Including these icons will indicate the sending organisation is “social media savvy” which will appeal to all generations but particularly younger aged recipients like millennials who will

have grown up with social media. There is an opportunity here for campaign ROI to increase further with some additional intangible returns such as increased social media followers, shares and likes.

The translation of icons to print challenge

Making your icons translate to print can be more of a challenge than many organisations think, it’s all about the print type used. Full-colour digital printing works best where all of the icons colours can be used. In many cases, one colour versions will be available but these often fail to impress when viewed by mail recipients.

Speak to bakergoodchild – the direct mail experts!

If the thought of icons in your direct mail campaigns sounds stimulating, then why not contact us here at bakergoodchild? We’d love to hear from you and have a range of ideas to tactically add icons and pictograms into campaigns. We can also advise on all the artwork considerations too! Call us today on 0800 612 1972 or complete our contact form for further details about how we can help.

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