The direct marketing industry, worth £14bn, will grow 7% to reach £15.2bn in 2012, according to the Direct Marketing Association (DMA).

The organisation’s Putting a price on direct marketing study forecasted that growth will be driven primarily by increased expenditure on digital channels.

Companies predict their investment in email marketing will grow by 11.9% to £2.5bn, social media marketing expenditure will rise by 8.1% to £2.2bn and total internet search advertising spend will increase by 6.3% to £516m, the findings showed.

Meanwhile, the report revealed that UK companies on average attribute 23% of their total sales to direct marketing.

Chris Combemale, executive director of the DMA, said: “While the UK remains mired in a protracted recession, the creative industries are among the few that are performing strongly, with direct marketing in particular making an outstanding contribution to the UK economy.”