Brad Kugler, CEO and co-founder of DirectMail2.0, joins the podcast to talk about moving from his family’s packaged media business hit by streaming-driven revenue declines after 2011–2012 into disrupting direct mail with technology and recurring revenue. Kugler explains how DM2.0 combines “ink on paper” with a bundled SaaS “performance stack” including landing pages, QR codes, email, USPS mail tracking, and attribution to measure real-time engagement rather than just ROI, typically targeting 3–5% engagement and identifying individual responders.
He describes acquiring Who’s Mailing What to expand a direct mail database, using AI propensity modelling across 80,000 campaigns and two billion mail pieces, and applying multiple LLMs to grade creatives and recommend improvements. Kluger notes direct mail fits high-LTV sectors and is underutilized in B2B and advises persistence and learning AI skills.
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About DirectMail2.0
DirectMail2.0 is the creator of the industry’s first Complete Direct Mail Performance Stack, a connected ecosystem that helps marketers plan, optimize, execute, and measure more successful direct mail campaigns. The stack combines Who’s Mailing What! for direct mail intelligence and prospecting, DM20.ai for AI-powered campaign prediction and optimization, and DirectMail2.0 for omnichannel campaign execution, tracking, and attribution. Together, these platforms give brands, agencies, printers, and mail service providers everything they need to make smarter direct mail decisions and drive better marketing results.
About Brad Kugler
Brad Kugler is the CEO of DirectMail2.0, Who’s Mailing What!, and DM20.ai, three platforms dedicated to helping marketers and commercial printers achieve better results from direct mail. A lifelong entrepreneur and innovator, Brad combines data, technology, and market intelligence to help businesses make smarter marketing decisions, improve campaign performance, and uncover new growth opportunities in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
Time Stamps
00:00 Welcome and Introductions
00:39 Brad’s Career Pivot
03:56 Why Direct Mail Works
05:01 Direct Mail 2.0 Tech
08:40 Scaling the Platform
10:21 Best Fit Industries
13:04 Tracking Engagement Data
15:33 Who’s Mailing What Data
17:29 AI Creative Grading
23:25 Advice and Wrap Up
Quotes
“No gatekeeper… No worrying about them getting 600 emails a day and deleting 590 of them in 10 minutes.” Brad Kugler, CEO at DirectMail2.0.
“Direct mail… turns heads. It’s tactile. You can touch it. You can see it. You can feel it.” Brad Kugler, CEO at DirectMail2.0.
“This AI revolution… will dwarf the internet e-commerce revolution of the early 2000s.” Brad Kugler, CEO at DirectMail2.0.
Follow Brad:
Brad Kugler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradkugler/
DirectMail2.0 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directmail2.0/
DirectMail2.0 on X: https://x.com/directmail20
DirectMail2.0 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/directmail2
DirectMail2.0 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcF4C08OsZIRbiMbWtG27hw
DirectMail2.0 website: https://directmail2.com/
Follow Mike:
Mike Maynard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemaynard/
Napier website: https://www.napierb2b.com/
Napier LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/napier-partnership-limited/
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Want more? Check out Napier’s other podcast – The Marketing Automation Moment: https://podcasts.apple.com/ua/podcast/the-marketing-automation-moment-podcast/id1659211547
