Public is the New Private

Have you ever received any kind of direct mail, including flyers, coupons or special offers? Of course you have. We, as consumers, have become very familiar with receiving this kind of mail. So much so, that often we glance at a few pieces and then toss the rest aside.

You notice a catalogue on the top of the pile from your favourite clothing store. You know you signed up to receive that subscription, but what about all the other miscellaneous flyers and pamphlets in your hand? Where did they come from? If you don’t remember signing up for all the mail you’re receiving, then how did each company get your name and address on their mailing list in the first place?

Many companies use direct mail to communicate on an individual basis with their customers. When a company wants to expand their database, they can acquire your contact information by simply renting it from another company who already owns this data. Creepy, right? This arrangement is completely legal; however, it might make some people uneasy to think about how many places their name and address are floating around in.

Personally, I love receiving direct mail. Holding a leaflet or catalogue in my hands with my name printed on the cover makes me feel like I’m connected with my favourite brands. As an added bonus, I love when companies reward me with coupons and exclusive offers for being a loyal and dedicated customer.

I am guilty of being sucked into corporate brainwashing. However, I do realize that this isn’t just a coincidence and that these strategies are put in place specifically to evoke these emotions from myself, as a consumer. As much as I love receiving the mail that I do sign up for, I find it really annoying to collect a hundred handouts about products and services I don’t even care about.

Unfortunately, there isn’t much we can do to control where our personal information is distributed in today’s world. This is the risk we take when signing up for the latest news and exclusive offers about our favourite companies.