MUMBAI: The mailbox continues to thrive in the digital media age in the US.

The Gen X, Gen Y, and the Mail study commissioned by the US Postal Service examined the attitudes of Generation X and Generation Y towards mail and found that over three-quarters of this generation reads and responds to mail just like their older counterparts.

The Gen X generation was born between 1965 and 1972, and makes up roughly 17 per cent of the US population. Born between 1977 and 1994, Gen Y makes up about 25 per cent of the population. Despite developing trends in new media channels, the findings conclude that young consumers are more likely to read and respond to printed material such as flyers, circulars, catalogues and newsletters that reach them through the mailbox. The study examined how young consumers perceive mail, how they use it and how mail fits into their high-tech lives.

US Postal Service executive VP and CMO Anita Bizzotto says, "To effectively reach this younger generation of Americans, whose lives are being shaped by digital media, marketers must deliver smarter, more sophisticated and relevant messages and must use the right media channel to drive their messages".

The study's findings show that 86 per cent of Generation X and 87 per cent of Generation Y bring in the mail the day it is delivered. 70 per cent of Generation X and 82 per cent of Generation Y sort through their mail immediately. These young consumers feel comfortable searching for products online, but more than half said they keep catalogues for an extended period of time and browse through them repeatedly.

"Mail offers marketers the unique ability to make a physical connection with these young adults. It gets their attention and builds brands with them," Bizzotto added. The Gen X, Gen Y, and the Mail study included several key findings:

- Mail plays an important role in the lives of both the groups
- Young consumers rate 75 per cent of the mail they receive as valuable
- 58 per cent of Generation X and 66 per cent of Generation Y prefer mailed bills to manage finances
- Mail keeps Generation X and Y in touch with the marketplace and influences them to make a purchase
-- 74 per cent of Generation X and 68% of Generation Y direct mail receivers read retail advertising mail
- 68 per cent of Generation X and 73% of Generation Y retail direct mail readers have used mailed coupons
- Mail is preferred by both groups for financial services offers