A white paper from Royal Mail examining the future of media and marketing has challenged the industry to abandon traditional thinking in order to develop.

The white paper predicts that within the next decade, the distinction of using ‘the line’ between traditional media and marketing will disappear.

Written by Martin Hayward, former strategy and futures director at Dunnhumby, has written the paper; ‘Marketing Communications Towards 2020: Looking for meaning in a land of plenty’, which aims to set out the rules for marketing communications over the next ten years.

The white paper, produced with input from Patrick Barwise, Emeritus Professor of Management and Marketing at the London Business School, and industry commentators such as Alan Mitchell, and outlines the rules shaping the marketing communications industry.

Predictions within the paper include that the amount of data will be ‘plentiful’ but will need to be gained from consumers upfront and employed responsibly, while understanding and earning consumer permission regarding marketing will ‘paramount’.

Also predicated is that analogue communication will provide standout in a digital world, where over the next five years, marketing directors will expect the proportion of their advertising spent on direct mail to include, as will online, mobile and social media.

Meanwhile, as relevant targeting becomes easier and measurement becomes more accountable, the cost of marketing communications will fall as a result, although it is expected that the reliance on creative execution to create stand out will be reduced as a result of campaign delivering the right message, to the right person, in the right method.

The paper also says that another key driver for future success in marketing will include fostering restraint and avoid over-intrusion, which could threaten improved relevance and efficiency if not followed.

Media planning will also move away from using a channel-driven approach towards audience mapping and the accountability of marketing channels will also dramatically improve as marketing spend migrates in direct and accountable channels.

Martin Hayward, said: “The current ‘push’ model of marketing is becoming ever more obsolete as consumers have become more used to control over the media they choose to consume. Technology has empowered the individual and they are no longer forced to endure irrelevant communications.

“If recent developments in consumer interactions with marketing are any judge, the rulebook needs to be ripped up. Marketing and media have to change: engagement with the individual has to become the focus for judging campaign success,” he continued.

Mark Thomson, media director at Royal Mail, added: “This report tackles some of the major issues faced by marketers today and lays down some of the rules the marketing industry should play by if they are to enjoy success in the future. It is clear that marketing has to evolve to become more effective - it simply has to engage more directly with consumers to succeed. The consumer, their likes, needs and preferences have to become the centre of the marketers’ world.

“This is an issue broader than campaign success or failure. Channels which are used to bombard consumers with irrelevant messages and brands that refuse to learn these lessons will fall by the wayside,” he continued.