At the 2016 National Postal Forum in Nashville, Tennessee, the Postal Service™ introduced a “new” Irresistible Mail book and website. This is the second year for the Postal Service to do so and this year’s theme is “When paper and pixels converge, it’s Irresistible.” Irresistible Mail demonstrates the excitement mail can create using dynamic engagement applications like enhanced augmented reality, video in print, textures, inks, special papers, and more. The book and website feature many of the applications that our 2016 Mailing Promotions support. The promotions encourage marketers and mailers to engage with their customers using digital and interactive platforms.
Three of the 2016 promotions are in full-swing, and our customers are making the best use of innovative approaches that increase the value of their mail.
This mail promotion runs through August 31, 2016, and encourages customers to explore technologies such as, “enhanced” augmented reality, near field communications, and Video in Print. These and other technologies can be incorporated into the mailpiece and linked to a mobile device. Examples of best practices are illustrated throughout the Irresistible Mail book, which offers customers visual representations of how augmented reality and video can be used with their mailpieces to qualify for the promotion. The Promotions team recommends pre-approval to ensure that there are no issues claiming the 2 percent discount. Pre-approval pdf samples and requests should be sent to mailingpromotions@usps.gov. Responses should be expected between 2-3 business days, upon receipt.
Participants are eligible for additional discounts by submitting A⁄B testing results to the USPS® Program Office. More information on this new testing component can be found in the Program Requirements document located on our RIBBS page: https:⁄⁄ribbs.usps.gov⁄.
Another promotion that runs through August 31, 2016, Tactile, Sensory, and Interactive Mailpiece Engagement encourages mailers to use specialized papers, inks, and interactive mailpieces that enhance engagement and value. All mailpieces must be submitted to the Program Office for pre-approval.
The Earned Value promotion is also currently running. For this promotion, customers must include Business Reply Mail® or Courtesy Reply Mail™ in their outbound mailing. Mailers can receive a credit of 2 or 3 cents per piece based on meeting certain program thresholds. Registration for this promotion closed on March 31, 2016. Customers should monitor their reply mailpiece counts on the Business Customer Gateway. Credits will be computed and released after the promotion ends on June 30, 2016.
Starting May 15, 2016, registration will open for the final two promotions, Personalized Color Transpromo and Mobile Shopping.
This promotion is intended to use personalization and color to create a greater connection with and response from end customers. Research suggests that personalization and the inclusion of color leads to greater response rates. Customers must produce a full color, personalized transpromotional marketing or consumer message such as an “Onsert” or “OnStatement” to qualify, which is printed in-stream on a physical piece of paper within the content of the letter or statement to qualify for the 2 percent discount.
By including mobile technology with your mailpiece and taking advantage of the Mobile Shopping promotion, customers have the potential to boost their integrated marketing efforts and drive greater responses. The 2016 Mobile Shopping promotion encourages mailers to combine mobile technology with direct mail to create a convenient method for customers to do their shopping online. Customers can use QR codes or other technologies to launch customers into an online shopping experience. Examples of “buy now” technology, visual QR codes, and more can be found in the 2016 Irresistible Mail book.
For detailed program requirements, documents, and additional information about all of the 2016 promotions, please visit: https:⁄⁄ribbs.usps.gov⁄index.cfm?page=mailingpromotions. If you would like to engage in the Irresistible Mail experience, visit: http:⁄⁄www.irresistiblemail.com.
— Mailing Services,
New Products and Innovation, 4-14-16
