The Last First Impression

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🎯 The Last First Impression: How Direct Mail Fixes Leaky Funnels Better Than Retargeting Ads

In digital marketing, brands chase customers with ad after ad—hoping something sticks. But as CPMs rise and consumers grow immune to endless digital noise, returns diminish.

What if, instead of bombarding people, you made one unforgettable first impression?

That’s where direct mail steps in. Not outdated flyers—personalized, AI-powered campaigns that physically land in your customer’s hands. It’s how brands like Kettle & Fire achieved a 15x ROAS and saw 1.4% response rate lifts—numbers digital ads rarely touch.

Here’s how direct mail fixes funnel leaks:

1. Why First Impressions Fail in Digital

Most brands don’t lose customers because their offer is bad. They lose them because they blend in. Consumers scroll past 10,000+ ads daily. Even the best creatives get buried.

Direct mail, however, demands attention. It interrupts the day, not the feed. Physically holding a personalized offer activates memory far more effectively than pixels ever could.

2. Fixing Abandoned Carts With Physical Reminders

Abandoned carts aren’t dead—they’re dormant. Instead of exhausting retargeting budgets, smart brands use direct mail to trigger intent.

After cart abandonment, Kettle & Fire sent personalized mailers featuring their product, customer name, and a limited-time offer. The result? 15x ROAS and significantly higher conversions compared to digital alone.

Want to see how direct mail can drive results like Kettle & Fire? Book a free demo with Poplar and get a one-month trial of their Pro Plan ($499 value) with no minimum spend.

3. Memory Wins When Retargeting Fails

Digital ads vanish in seconds. But a well-crafted mailer lives on countertops and desks, serving as a subconscious brand reminder. Studies show people recall physical ads 70% better than digital.

That lingering presence often leads to time-shifted conversions—purchases days or weeks later that can’t be directly attributed to a single click. But the brand recall remains.

Not every funnel leak is fixed with more digital spend. The most effective move isn’t shouting louder—it’s creating a moment that lasts.

Smart brands don’t just make impressions. They make the last first impression—the one that sticks.

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📊 Google Ads Experiment Could Shake Up CTR & Impressions
Insights from Search Engine Roundtable

Google Ads is running a double-serving experiment that could affect your Top/Absolute Top Impression rates and Click-Through Rates (CTR). By showing the same ad in different positions through separate auctions, advertisers might notice shifts in performance metrics.

The Breakdown:

1️⃣ Impact on Impression Rates and CTR - The experiment allows the same ad to appear in multiple locations through distinct auctions. This means you might see fluctuating Top/Absolute Top Impression rates and changes in overall CTR.

2️⃣ Monitoring and Analysis - Google’s Ads Liaison, Ginny Marvin, confirmed that while the definition of impressions remains unchanged, advertisers should closely monitor metrics like Impression Share and CTR to gauge the experiment’s impact on their campaigns.

3️⃣ Enhanced Support with “Get a Call” - Google is also rolling out a “Get a Call” support option, allowing advertisers to request callbacks instead of navigating long wait times. This addition, alongside existing call, chat, and email options, ensures faster issue resolution.

With Google’s evolving ad placement strategy, advertisers should proactively track their ad performance. The double-serving experiment may offer opportunities for increased visibility but could also distort key metrics. Additionally, the new support options provide quicker assistance, ensuring you stay informed and responsive to changes.

🚀 Quick Hits

❓ Want to Boost CTR by 73% Like TikTok? Neurons AI predicts how well your ads will perform, so you can tweak creatives before launch. Brands like Google and L’Oreal have used it to maximize impact and brand recall. Get started with a free demo today!

🗝️ Instagram is introducing a Re-Posts feature that allows users to share content directly to their followers’ feeds, similar to retweets that can provide creators and brands more opportunities for engagement and interaction.

🔍Google is introducing new conversion tracking columns for Demand Gen campaigns, offering advertisers clearer performance insights. With 100% attribution to the last touchpoint, these columns enable direct comparisons with social platforms through view-through conversion data

🌟 Amazon has launched a new AI feature called "Interests" that provides personalized shopping recommendations based on customers' hobbies and activities. Currently available to select U.S. users, Interests uses generative AI to analyze prompts and notify users of relevant products, restocks, and deals.

📌 Users spend 15% more time on ads in positive environments like Pinterest, according to a MAGNA study. With 20% higher emotional engagement and increased purchase intent, Pinterest’s focus on positivity makes it a powerful platform for advertisers seeking better results.

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