After discovering that its Web-based services, such as shipping, stamp purchases, change of address requests and mail holding requests, were not widely recognized, the US Postal Service decided to launch its first major branding campaign in several years.
With the tagline, “Today’s Mail,” the multichannel effort includes print ads, postcards, banner ads and microsites. It aims to educate consumers and business owners about access options with the postal service.
“Showing customers interfacing with today’s technology and the mail is a good thing,” said Rod DeVar, manager of advertising and promotion at USPS. “It signals that mail is not old and dated. Mail is connected to your laptop. There’s a link between the way you use mail and technology today. They have a very compatible relationship.”
The print campaign ran yesterday in US Today. During this week every household will receive a pink postcard that drives them to usps.com/household. The creative features a checklist of tasks that merge mail and print, such as “create customized postage of your kid’s artwork or “Use our friendly eco-friendly packaging.” Business leaders will be directed to visit usps.com/business where they can learn about “tracking international shipments while on the train” or “driving customers to your Web site with a catalog.”
“It was really important to us that we didn’t over-promise,” said DeVar of the campaign’s messaging. He said that all of the capabilities are available today and many of them have been in development for over three years.
During the second week of November, USPS will be the first campaign execution using the direct mail line. “Today’s holidays need today’s mail” will feature consumer holiday situations and promote holiday shipping and e-commerce.
