While effects of the recession may still linger, advertising spending seems to be back on track. Ad spending rose 3.3 percent during the second quarter of 2010 and should finish the year up 2.8 percent according to MAGNAGLOBAL, a media tracking service.

No doubt, much of that spending has been allocated for digital communication channels, but as consumers’ inboxes become increasingly crowded, many marketers are rediscovering the value of mail.

That makes sense when you consider that direct mail has long been an effective and efficient way to market products and services. And with an ROI of $12.53 for every dollar invested, according to research by the Direct Marketing Association, it can add significantly to the bottom line of an organization.

But the value of mail goes beyond straight ROI. Mail can do things for a marketer that no other medium can. For example, mail can deliver a sample of your product to prospects, ensuring they get a true marketing experience, not just a message. It can reward a loyal customer with a gift that provides instant gratification and helps intensify his or her loyalty.

And customers like getting mail: 79 percent of all households read or scan direct mail they receive, according to our research. Even younger adults — whom we tend to think of as living entirely in the digital space — say they would prefer to receive offers through the mail, rather than in an e-mail or text message.

Mail creates an emotional connection with customers that digital cannot. They hold it, view it and engage with it in a manner entirely different from their online experiences.

All of this is evidence that even in an increasingly digital world, mail continues to have a bright future — not just in the United States, but around the world.

For more than 230 years mail has faced numerous challenges and held fast. Mail has survived because it delivers an experience that other communications simply cannot match. That’s as relevant in today’s world as it has ever been.