EPISODE · May 18, 2026 · 28 MIN
Ep 20: Direct mail wins the attention economy with Jonny Harrison
from Mail Unleashed with Rory Sutherland · host Marketreach
In a world where 75–80% of ad spend is digital, why is Digital Strategy Director at the7stars, Jonny Harrison, making the case for direct mail? That’s because he’s seen how it wins the attention economy. For episode 20 of Mail Unleashed, Jonny has joined our host Rory Sutherland to break down: Why digital struggles to get creative right and how direct mail can help How “hand-delivered communications” can earn 90 seconds of undivided attention Why no media channel is truly expensive if it drives the right outcome Why precise geo-targeted marketing is often overlooked in digital marketing How programmatic mail bridges digital efficiency with physical impact Plus, they reveal why the most underrated media channel could be the most effective one in your mix. 00:00 Intro 00:41 Welcome to Jonny 01:47 Why is Jonny, a Digital Strategy Director, making a case for direct mail? 04:21 Why do digital display ads struggle creatively? How looking at physical mediums can help 07:01 Marketing vs attention. Direct mail generates 90 seconds of undivided consumer attention 10:52 The rise of retail media and the opportunities mail can bring 13:34 The problem with relying on AI in digital marketing 15:18 Programmatic mail: why physicality is so important in today’s digital world 18:00 The power of geo-targeting in physical and digital marketing 22:48 Why digital-first brands benefit from using direct mail. Example from Ocado and Waitrose 24:27 Is any media channel actually expensive? 27:28 Outro Jonny Harrison is a Digital Strategy Director at the7stars, the UK’s largest independent media agency. He focuses on driving advertising performance through data, technology and experimentation across channels. Jonny also supports new business, leads internal events, and contributes to the IAB Mobile Steering Group and Performance Council. Follow Jonny. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/j-harrison430/ Follow Rory. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rorysutherland/ X - https://x.com/rorysutherland TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@rorysutherlandclips?lang=en Watch the full episode. Website - https://www.marketreach.co.uk/mail-unleashed/jonathan-harrison-the-7-stars YouTube - https://youtu.be/PWZBmXejd58 Looking for innovative marketing ideas to spark your creativity. Follow us to get those creative juices flowing. ⬇️ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketreach-from-royal-mail/ X - https://x.com/MarketreachUK Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/p/Marketreach-100057126832884/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@marketreachuk
What this episode covers
In a world where 75–80% of ad spend is digital, why is Digital Strategy Director at the7stars, Jonny Harrison, making the case for direct mail? That’s because he’s seen how it wins the attention economy. For episode 20 of Mail Unleashed, Jonny has joined our host Rory Sutherland to break down: Why digital struggles to get creative right and how direct mail can help How “hand-delivered communications” can earn 90 seconds of undivided attention Why no media channel is truly expensive if it drives the right outcome Why precise geo-targeted marketing is often overlooked in digital marketing How programmatic mail bridges digital efficiency with physical impact Plus, they reveal why the most underrated media channel could be the most effective one in your mix. 00:00 Intro 00:41 Welcome to Jonny 01:47 Why is Jonny, a Digital Strategy Director, making a case for direct mail? 04:21 Why do digital display ads struggle creatively? How looking at physical mediums can help 07:01 Marketing vs attention. Direct mail generates 90 seconds of undivided consumer attention 10:52 The rise of retail media and the opportunities mail can bring 13:34 The problem with relying on AI in digital marketing 15:18 Programmatic mail: why physicality is so important in today’s digital world 18:00 The power of geo-targeting in physical and digital marketing 22:48 Why digital-first brands benefit from using direct mail. Example from Ocado and Waitrose 24:27 Is any media channel actually expensive? 27:28 Outro Jonny Harrison is a Digital Strategy Director at the7stars, the UK’s largest independent media agency. He focuses on driving advertising performance through data, technology and experimentation across channels. Jonny also supports new business, leads internal events, and contributes to the IAB Mobile Steering Group and Performance Council. Follow Jonny. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/j-harrison430/ Follow Rory. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rorysutherland/ X - https://x.com/rorysutherland TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@rorysutherlandclips?lang=en Watch the full episode. Website - https://www.marketreach.co.uk/mail-unleashed/jonathan-harrison-the-7-stars YouTube - https://youtu.be/PWZBmXejd58 Looking for innovative marketing ideas to spark your creativity. Follow us to get those creative juices flowing. ⬇️ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketreach-from-royal-mail/ X - https://x.com/MarketreachUK Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/p/Marketreach-100057126832884/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@marketreachuk
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Ep 20: Direct mail wins the attention economy with Jonny Harrison
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