JICMAIL methodology
Everything you need to know about how JICMAIL data is collected and managed.
What does JICMAIL measure and why do we measure it?
JICMAIL measures mail engagement, volume and response using three core methodologies:
- JICMAIL panel data for reporting on mail reach, frequency, lifespan, attention and commercial effectiveness.
- JICMAIL Response Rate Tracker data gathered directly from key accredited partners to report on mail response, ROI, average order value (AOV) and Cost per Acquisition (CPA).
- Mail Circulation data is measured by a published on the Nielsen Ad Intel platform and endorsed by JICMAIL.
Core panel data overview
As with the majority of other Joint Industry Currencies (JICs), JICMAIL is a planning currency that measures the media consumption habits of key advertiser target audiences. It measures the reach of mail campaigns, the frequency with which audiences are exposed to (or interact with) their mail, the ad impressions generated by mail campaigns, how long mail is looked at for, along with a whole host of commercial outcomes for advertisers.
- JICMAIL generates mail media metrics that are equivalent to BARB’s measurement of TV viewership, RAJAR for Radio listenership or PAMCO for publisher readership. JICMAIL data is also integrated into longstanding media planning surveys, IPA Touchpoints and TGI.
- JICMAIL data allows marketers access to data for media planning and measurement of reach and frequency within defined audiences to allow efficient and effective cross channel media planning, measurement and evaluation.
- JICMAIL further measures commercial outcomes taken as a result of receiving mail to allow for more accurate attribution of online browsing, brand discussions in the home and other upper funnel consumer behaviours previously not attributed to mail. Purchases and store visits are also measured.
- JICMAIL subscribers also have access to our Mail Item Database that enables them to analyse the mail journeys of specific brands and competitors allowing insights by brand (sender) for targeting and outcomes based on actions taken with received commercial mail.
How does JICMAIL’s panel-based mail measurement work?
The panel is recruited and managed by Kantar, one of the largest research agencies in the world, who conduct audience measurement research across many media categories and countries.
JICMAIL together with Kantar, has developed a diary-based mobile app that is used by panellists to capture mail activity in the household. The methodology developed has won awards from and been highly commended by the Market Research Society (MRS), Adwanted’s Media Research Awards and the Media Research Group (MRG).
The diary-based app captures the mail activity of people living within 1,100 UK nationally representative (matched to UK population Census data) households per month. The panel is divided into four evenly sized cohorts, and each of the four groups is assigned a week in the month to track all mail that they receive. Each household then tracks everything that they do with their week’s worth of mail over the course of a twenty-eight day period.
The household co-ordinator in each household takes on the tracking role: they take a photo of each commercial mail item (i.e. a piece of direct mail, business mail, partially addressed mail, catalogue or a door drop) that is delivered to the home and record how it is interacted with, by whom, and when for the twenty-eight day period.
JICMAIL panel data reporting on mail reach, frequency, lifespan, attention and commercial effectiveness is regularly released to the industry on a quarterly basis and is available for interrogation through our analysis tool: Discovery.
How is the data monitored to ensure it is accurate and representative?
The JICMAIL methodology and oversight is governed by a Technical Committee, chaired by JICMAIL’s Director of Data Leadership and Learning. Oversight is provided by members drawn from the buy side and sell side of the industry and the IPA. The committee monitors the methodology and outputs for compliance, impartiality and accuracy.
Kantar operates an automated monitoring system that will flag any exceptional behaviour and runs a programme of communication with the panellists to ensure they are recording their behaviour accurately and input their data timeously on the app.
Want to know more about our methodology?
Here are some useful explanations of frequently asked questions
-
How do we capture exposures and action via the diary?
Our online rotating panellists can access their diary on the website or an App depending on the devices they use. Each panellist is enrolled into a rotation made up of four full calendar weeks. Panellists log all the mail received by the household in week one only and then record all the interactions (by all household members), with each mail item, during weeks one to four.
In week five, they begin a new four-week rotation. In order to ensure we capture mail recorded in each week of the year, we have four separate groups of rotating panellists with different starting weeks for their rotations.
-
Why do we measure exposures and action via a household co-ordinator (HHC)?
Circa 80% of households (with 2+ members) report that they already have someone in the household who sorts the post, providing a strong rationale to the decision to adopt an HHC approach for diary completion on behalf of the whole household.
Qualitative interviews have found high levels of diary compliance and reporting of household member items and actions by the HHC.
-
How are we capturing exposures and actions in household members beyond the HHC?
There are two reminders given to HHC’s during the rest of the 4-week response period, for all mail items considered ‘live’. Any further interactions are recorded as further impacts until the household co-ordinator claims to have discarded/thrown away the item or the item is still live at the end of the 4-week cycle. Similarly, the HHC is requested to respond on behalf of other household members and is reminded to do so through prompts sent to the active panel.
-
What proportion of items are still live at the end of the four week period?
As of full year 2025, 43% of Direct Mail items were still live in the home after four weeks (i.e. had not been thrown or filed away). 12% of Door Drops were still live and 71% of Business Mail items.
JICMAIL does not measure mail exposure beyond four weeks.
-
Is the data collected in the same way as that of other JICs?
No, each media has a unique methodology. Digital data is collected passively using tracking technology; TV is measured using a set top box. JICMAIL is most similar to radio in terms of its methodology by using a diary-based app.
-
How often is data published by JICMAIL?
- JICMAIL panel data reporting on mail reach, frequency, lifespan, attention and commercial effectiveness is regularly released to the industry on a quarterly basis.
- Circulation data reporting on mail volumes and spend is released on a monthly basis via the Nielsen Ad Intel platform.
- Response, ROI, AOV and CPA benchmarks are released via the Response Rate Tracker annually.
-
How and by whom is the data used?
Data is released to the industry quarterly and is available on TelmarHelixa, TGI Choices, DataTile and on the JICMAIL Discovery Portal (subject to registration and training).
The data is used in the Advertising industry by planners, advertisers, media owners, data suppliers and mailing houses to pitch, plan, deliver and evaluate more efficient and effective mail campaigns.
JICMAIL data is also fused with longstanding media analysis tools IPA TouchPoints and TGI.
-
Who is JICMAIL’s main research partner for the core panel data?
JICMAIL has worked with Kantar since 2017 to provide panel recruitment, management, data collection, processing, data delivery and other bespoke data and insight functions with relation to the main JICMAIL project.
https://www.kantar.com/inspiration/podcast/jicmail-uncovering-the-value-of-mail-with-kantar
-
How does JICMAIL’s Response Rate Tracker work?
The JICMAIL Response Rate Tracker contains aggregated anonymous campaign level data gathered from fifteen organisations spanning sell-side businesses, agencies, data and technology partners.
In addition to Response Rate data, benchmarks are also available for Cost Per Acquisition (CPA), Average Order Value (AOV) and Return on Investment (ROI) metrics.
Benchmarks are available for over twenty sectors and product categories, including the retail / online retail, mail order, finance, charities, telecoms, travel and medical sectors.
For more information on the Response Rate Tracker, here’s a link to an overview and here’s a link to our latest results.
-
What is the mail circulation data published by Nielsen and JICMAIL?
Available via Nielsen’s Ad Intel measurement system, this gold-standard mail circulation data set was rebooted in January 2024.
Endorsed by JICMAIL, Nielsen takes a direct feed of advertising mail volume data from key-players on the supply-side of the mail industry, while applying a simplified set of rates to calculate spend. There are also high quality images of each mail piece.
As of Q1 2024 the resulting data set provides an enhanced view of mail activity for media planners, measurement practitioners, client-side marketers and sell-side organisations alike.
For more information on mail circulation data, here’s a link to an overview.
