There is nothing I love more than writing letters and cards. The opportunity to choose a card with someone in mind, sit down with a pen and let the words pour out brings me great joy. But more than that, it’s the act of thinking about the person on the other end – what they’ll feel, what they’ll remember, what will resonate – that makes it so meaningful.
And perhaps that’s why, the more I think about it, the more I realise that letter writing and great marketing have more in common than you might expect.
It starts with knowing your audience
For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved words: writing them, reading them, and of course, speaking them. As a child, I was given letter writing sets at Christmas and would use them to thank relatives for gifts. At the time, it felt like a bit of a chore during the school holidays, but it instilled something far more valuable: the habit of thinking about the person I was writing to meaning that no two letters were ever the same.
Even then, I was (unknowingly) considering tone, message and audience. What would make this person smile? What would feel personal to them? That’s exactly where the best communications strategies begin today. Whether it’s a press release or a wider campaign, the starting point is always the same: who are we speaking to and what matters to them?
Creating something that lasts
I truly believe that one of my love languages is cards – I love to give them, and I love to receive them. The thrill of seeing a hand-written envelope as you cross the threshold of your home is unmatched. It’s tangible, you can hold it in your hands and display it in your home. It lingers for a time and leaves a trace.
In contrast, much of our modern communication is fleeting. Messages arrive, are read and quickly buried under the next notification. I’m definitely not the only guilty party when it comes to reading a message from a friend or family member and forgetting to respond because the notification is gone. A handwritten card holds attention, and it earns its place in your home. This is something brands are constantly striving for.
In a crowded media landscape, where audiences are bombarded with content across all channels, the challenge isn’t just to be seen, it’s to be remembered. The campaigns that cut through are the ones that feel human and intentional, giving people a reason to pause amid their busy lives.
AI, efficiency and the importance of originality
Having attended the Marketing Society’s Navigate Now and Next conference last week, I’ve been thinking a lot about AI and how it’s shaping the way we communicate.
There’s no doubt it has a powerful role to play. The way that AI can quickly scan information and pull out key findings frees up time, time that can be better spent on the value that humans bring simply by being human: creativity, emotional intelligence, free thought and the ability to understand something within a nuanced context.
A question on many marketeers’ minds is, if we’re not careful, with everyone using AI, will copy flatten and will everything start to sound the same? The message at the Marketing Society event was clear: this is where being human becomes critical.
The most effective communications don’t just convey information, they carry personality and they make the recipient feel something. They feel like there is a purpose behind them and they’ve not just been assembled at speed for the sake of it.
AI can support the process of crafting messaging, absolutely, but original thought, distinctive tone and a genuine perspective are what make it resonate. That’s true whether you’re writing a card to a friend or building a brand narrative.
The power of voice and storytelling
At the turn of the year, I read The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, a novel told entirely through letters written by, and received from, its protagonist, Sybil Van Antwerp.
It was a narrative technique I’d never encountered before, and it created an immediate sense of connection. Through her words alone, I understood her relationships, her regrets, her humour and her world view. It reminded me just how powerful a clear voice can be. It’s not only me who this book resonated with, it’s been shortlisted for the 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction.
In communications, we often talk about ‘tone of voice’ as a guideline or framework. When it’s executed well, it becomes something much more than that, it becomes a way for your audience to feel like they really know you.
The brands that stand out are the ones that sound like themselves consistently, across every touchpoint. Not those that sound generic or interchangeable with another brand.
Intentionality in every word
In a world where many of us are constantly online, moving between emails, Teams calls, Slack channels and social platforms, letter writing feels, to me, like a moment to pause. When I sit down to write a card, the world goes quiet.
I think carefully about what I want to say, the tone I want to strike and the limited space I have to say it in. There’s no backspace, just a finite space and a need to get the message right.
That level of intentionality is something we encourage in all forms of communication here at GRA. Whether it’s a thought leadership piece, an out of home ad or a social post, every word carries weight. Clarity, tone and precision aren’t just nice-to-haves, they’re what shape perception.
Why it matters for brands today
Handwritten letters might feel like a world away from modern marketing channels, but the principles behind them are more relevant than ever:
- Know your audience
- Be intentional with your message
- Create something that resonates and lasts
- Protect your voice and point of view
- Use AI to enhance (not replace) human creativity
At its core, great communication is about connection. The medium may change, but that fundamental truth doesn’t. Whether we’re crafting a campaign, building a brand or supporting clients with their communications strategy, those are the principles we come back to time and time again.
If you’d like to discuss how your brand can create more meaningful and memorable communications, we’d love to chat.