Since 2009, the mailing services team has offered mailing promotions with the general purpose of increasing the value of direct mail and enhancing the retention of First-Class Mail®. Building upon past successes, the U.S. Postal Service® introduces the 2015 Promotions Calendar. It is designed to encourage mailers to try new ways to integrate mail with digital as part of a multi-channel marketing mix.
The 2015 promotions strive to help marketers engage their customers by using dynamic color print, mobile technology and new innovations in traditional mail techniques. The promotions are designed to create excitement about mail by encouraging interesting techniques while building the bridge between physical mail and digital experiences. These tools can help increase customer engagement and response rates, which help drive the overall value of mail. The 2015 promotions provide mailers with multiple opportunities to participate in any of the four following promotions:
Mailers are familiar with this promotion which has been running for the past two years. Mailers who register their Mailer ID information and use eligible Intelligent Mail® barcodes (IMb) on their reply pieces will receive a postage credit for each Courtesy Reply Mail™ or Business Reply Mail® piece that is returned to the mailer during the promotion period. There is also an opportunity for past participants to earn an additional $0.01 per mailpiece by meeting or exceeding their 2014 mail counts.
Registration Period: Registration is closed.
Promotion Period: May 1–July 31
Credit Release: Starting August 1, 2015
Credit Expiration Date: December 31, 2015
Credit Amount:
n $0.02 cent per mailpiece.
n $0.03 cent per mailpiece for participants who met or exceeded their 2014 mail counts.
Eligible Mail: Reply piece can be sent to recipients in any class/category of mail. Credits can only be applied to First-Class Mail presort and automation letters, cards and flats or Standard Mail® letters and flats (excludes all single piece First-Class Mail).
The U.S. Postal Service continues to encourage mailers to integrate mail with mobile technology or new advances in print. Participating mailers can earn a 2% discount upfront through this promotion.
Eligible mailpieces can incorporate NFC technology, or “enhanced” augmented reality experiences, that allow the recipient to engage in an interactive experience. In addition, this promotion encourages mailpieces that leverage innovations in inks, papers, and interactive folds or mailpiece designs that the recipient can manipulate and engage. This promotion extends not only to Standard Mail but to First-Class Mail as well.
Registration Period: March 15–November 30
Promotion Period: June 1–November 30
Discount: 2 percent per eligible mailpiece.
Eligible Mail:
n First-Class Mail presort and automation letters, cards, and flats.
n Standard Mail letters and flats.
n Nonprofit Standard Mail letters and flats.
The Color Transpromo promotion returns in 2015. In 2014, the U.S. Postal Service introduced this promotion to encourage mailers of bills and statements to incorporate color messaging through a dynamically printed production process to create a greater connection to and response from consumers. This enabled mailers to enjoy the value-added benefit of additional marketing messaging to the recipients of transactional mailpieces. The Postal Service™ intends to continue this approach to grow the value of First-Class Mail and encourage mailers to invest in color print technology.
Registration Period: April 15–November 30
Promotion Period: June 1–November 30
Discount: 2 percent per eligible mailpiece.
Eligible Mail:
n First-Class Mail commercial letters that are part of an IMb Full-Service mailing.
n Mailpiece Content Restriction: Bills and statements only.
This promotion builds on previous Postal Service mobile technology promotions and demonstrates how direct mail, combined with mobile technology, continues to be a convenient method for consumers to engage and interact with their printed mailpieces. This is an important strategy for merging the inherent value of the physical mailpiece with a digital experience.
Registration Period: May 15–December 31
Promotion Period: July 1–December 31
Discount: 2 percent per eligible mailpiece.
Eligible Mail:
n Standard Mail letters and flats.
n Nonprofit Standard Mail letters and flats.
Program requirements documents and additional information about all of the 2015 promotions can be found on RIBBS at https://ribbs.usps.gov/index.cfm?page=mailingpromotions.
— Mailing Services,
New Products and Innovation, 7-9-15
