Ep 9: How AI powers direct mail to drive results with Luke Whitehorn

Does AI have the potential to supercharge direct mail and improve results? Yes, it does, and you’ll find out why in this Mail Unleashed episode with Luke Whitehorn, Marketing Director at Domestic & General.  

Throughout this episode, Luke joins Rory to talk about the power of mail. Together they discuss:  

• Luke’s journey from working in a call centre to rising to Marketing Director at Domestic & General 

• Data from Domestic & General that shows how effective mail can be 

• Why personalised mail can build brand trust 

• AI’s potential with direct mail marketing  

• Luke’s experience working at Christadelphian Meal-a-Day 

Plus, they share real stats that show how mail has helped Domestic & General keep 86% of their customer base.  

00:00 Intro  

00:41 Welcome to Luke – his journey from the call centre at British Gas to Marketing Director at Domestic & General  

03:21 Build trust – the importance of personalised mail for marketing something intangible 

05:05 Is mail effective? Luke has 30 years of data that shows how effective it is in the marketing mix 

07:20 Luke and Rory discuss “The Halo Effect” of direct mail and its lasting impact 

09:33 Why direct mail works for insurance brands  

11:11 Direct mail is a blank canvas for marketers to get creative  

13:13 What potential does AI have in the world of direct mail? Propensity modelling, GenAI testing, and attribution models  

17:56 Luke's experience working as Marketing Director for the charity Christadelphian Meal-a-Day  

20:48 Outro  

Luke Whitehorn is the Marketing Director at Domestic & General. He is a passionate marketing leader with a background in customer experience and digital growth.  

He blends data and empathy to drive personalisation, build high-performing teams, and deliver results. From brand campaigns to data science, Luke brings strategic thinking and heart to everything he does, inside and outside of work. 

Follow Luke. 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-whitehorn/ 

X - https://x.com/LukeWhitehorn 

Follow Rory.  

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rorysutherland/ 

X - https://x.com/rorysutherland 

Watch the full episode here:  

Website - https://www.marketreach.co.uk/mail-unleashed/luke-whitehorn-domestic-and-general  

YouTube - https://youtu.be/NrdoCcfAI78 

Thinking of including mail in your media mix? Follow us on our socials for more great examples of why mail can have a lasting impact. ⬇️ 

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