As 2025 wraps up, one theme keeps coming up in conversations: people didn’t want more from brands this year. They wanted better. Cleaner creative. Clearer messaging. Marketing that sounded like a person instead of a press release.
Before we fast-forward into planning season, we’re taking a moment to look at what actually mattered in 2025 — and what might be worth carrying into 2026.
In this issue:
What 2025 taught us about audiences
What Taylor Swift can teach you about direct mail marketing
How smart brands are turning data into marketing
What we’re leaving behind — and taking with us — in 2026
1.
What 2025 Taught us About Audiences
A few patterns stood out this year — and the data backs them up:
People expect relevance. In our own analysis of consumer behavior, 71% of customers now expect personalized interactions, and they’re far more likely to engage when the message feels tailored.
Attention goes to brands that show they actually know their audience. According to the same research, 42% of consumers say they feel frustrated when content feels generic or irrelevant, and frustration is one of the fastest ways to lose someone in a crowded channel.
Clarity beat complexity all year long. Campaigns that used clean design, direct messaging, and a single focused idea outperformed multi-layered campaigns that tried to do too much.
Trying to appeal to everyone still resonates with no one. This year reinforced that specificity drives connection, not volume.
What Taylor Swift Can Teach You About Direct Mail Marketing
Taylor Swift didn’t build brand loyalty by accident; she built it through consistency, audience awareness, and intentional moments. The same principles apply to effective direct mail.
From playing the long game to segmenting her audience to creating physical pieces fans actually want to keep, her strategy mirrors what works best in mail today. We break down the parallels and how to apply them to direct mail marketing in our latest blog.
Some of the strongest campaigns this year didn’t just analyze data; they used it to decide what message was worth delivering. That same logic is what makes direct mail measurable and effective.
Spotify Wrapped Spotify uses individual listening data to determine what content each person receives. In direct mail, this looks like tailoring the offer, message, or format based on past behavior — not sending the same piece to everyone.
Strava Year in Sport Strava turns activity data into a personalized recap that reinforces progress and loyalty. In mail, this translates to recap-style messaging: reminding recipients what they’ve done, supported, or purchased — and prompting the next step.
Duolingo Year in Review Duolingo highlights streaks and milestones to keep users engaged. Direct mail applies this by recognizing tenure, frequency, or milestones, which increases relevance and response without increasing volume.
In all three cases, data determines who receives what and why. That’s the same shift happening in high-performing direct mail: fewer generic sends, more intentional messaging tied to real behavior.
What We’re Leaving Behind in 2025 and What We’re Taking Into 2026
As we head into a new year, a few shifts feel less like “trends” and more like course corrections across marketing as a whole.
What We’re Leaving Behind in 2025
Chasing every new platform or feature. Not every tool deserves a place in the mix. Brands that tried to be everywhere often struggled to be effective anywhere.
AI-first thinking. Automation without oversight led to content that felt hollow, repetitive, or disconnected. Technology works best when it supports strategy — not replaces it.
Over-optimization at the expense of clarity. When everything is tested, tweaked, and layered, messages lose their meaning. Simpler ideas traveled further this year.
Short-term thinking. One-off campaigns without a longer narrative or follow-up plan made it harder to build momentum or loyalty.
What We’re Taking Into 2026
A more intentional media mix. Digital, print, and physical touchpoints working together; each chosen for what it does best, not because it’s available.
Personalization with purpose. Using data to inform relevance, timing, and experience, not just variable fields.
Creative that respects attention. Clear messages, clean design, and fewer distractions across all channels.
Measurement that matters. Moving beyond vanity metrics toward understanding how different channels contribute to real outcomes — including direct mail.
Trust as a differentiator. Transparent messaging, consistent brand voice, and marketing that feels earned instead of interruptive.
The shift heading into 2026 isn’t about doing more (we are all too tired for that). It’s aboutdoing fewer things better, with intention behind every touchpoint.
See you in January for more meaningful connections.
.png?upscale=true&width=1120&upscale=true&name=3%20(1).png)
