Cover Story

2017 Mailing Promotions for Winter and Spring

The 2017 Mailing Promotions continue to build on the engagement strategies of past promotions. To demonstrate that mail continues to be a relevant part of the marketing mix and has the potential to offer greater value, the Postal Service™ is encouraging marketers, mailers, MSPs, and printers to adopt and invest in technologies that enhance how consumers interact and engage with mail. The promotions also support marketing strategies that use mail to engage in a tactile, sensory, and/or interactive experience with mail recipients. This improves the long-term value of mail, which provides continued benefits in future years. The first three promotions for 2017 currently running are:

1. Earned Value Promotion (January 1 – June 30, 2017)

The U.S. Postal Service® uses this promotion to enhance the value of First-Class Mail^®. The Earned Value Promotion is offered to marketers, mailers, MSPs, and printers who use Business Reply Mail (BRM) enclosures and Courtesy Reply Mail (CRM) enclosures. Share Mail™ enclosures have also been added to this promotion. Participants must register their Mailer IDs (MIDs) and permit(s) to which future earned credits will be applied on the Business Customer Gateway. Registration closed on December 31, 2016.

What’s New for 2017?

Earned Value Promotion 2016	Earned Value Promotion 2017
Eligible Mail: CRM and BRM pieces.	Eligible Mail: CRM, BRM, and Share Mail cards and letters.
3 Month Promotion Period n April 1 through June 30, 2016.	6 Month Promotion Period n January 1 through June 30, 2017.
1 Acceptance Period for Credits n $0.02 per BRM and CRM pieces counted based on their MIDs for first time mailers or those who did not meet or exceed each BRM and CRM MIDs previous total counts from the 2015 Earned Value Promotion. n $0.03 per BRM and CRM pieces counted when mailers meet or exceed each BRM and CRM MID’s previous total counts from the 2015 Earned Value Promotion.	2 Quarter Acceptance Periods for Credits n Quarter 1 January 1 through March 31, 2017. n Quarter 2 April 1 through June 30, 2017. n $0.05 x Total BRM pieces counted based on each MID by Quarter. n $0.05 x Total CRM pieces counted based on each MID by Quarter. n $0.05 x Total Share Mail pieces counted based on each MID by Quarter.
Threshold to qualify for higher credit.	No threshold to receive $0.05 credit.

2. Tactile, Sensory, and Interactive Engagement (February 1 – July 31, 2017)

This promotion leverages some of the latest technological advances within the print industry, and provides marketers with exciting new ways to enhance and encourage sensory engagement with a mailpiece. The print industry has been innovative not only in print production equipment, but the fundamental elements of mail itself through new developments in papers/stocks, substrates, finishing techniques, and inks. These elements can be incorporated to engage in a multi-sensory experience through the use of special visual effects, sound, scent, texture/tactile treatments, and even taste. Registration runs December 15 through June 30, 2017.

What’s New for 2017?

2016 Tactile, Sensory, and Interactive
Engagement Promotion

2017 Tactile, Sensory, and Interactive
Engagement Promotion

7 ½ Month Registration Period

n January 15 through August 31, 2016.

6 ½ Month Registration Period

n December 15 through June 30, 2017.

Specialty Inks

n Metallic ink and clear ink are eligible.

Specialty Inks

n Metallic ink and clear ink are not eligible.

Specialty Papers

n Laminated postcards, full coverage gloss varnish, and spot gloss varnish are eligible.

Specialty Papers

n Laminated postcards, full coverage gloss treatments, and spot gloss treatments are not eligible.

Self-Service Terminal (SST) is available to submit mailing for promotion.

SST is available to submit mailing for promotion:

n Certify the agreement on the screen;

n Submit a mailpiece sample; and

n Submit a postage statement.

Program Office responds to all inquiries within 2 – 3 business days.

Program Office responds to all inquiries within 4 business days.

3. Emerging and Advanced Technology (March 1 – August 31, 2017)

This promotion encourages mailers to integrate mail with advances in mobile technology using NFC technology, Video in Print, Bluetooth Low Energy/Beacon technology, “Enhanced” Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, or Digital to Direct Mail experience to allow the recipient to engage in innovative digital and mobile experiences triggered from their mailpiece. New for this year is the inclusion of Virtual Reality to generate opportunities to immerse consumers by creating interactivity and harnessing a first-hand engagement experience. We have also added Digital to Direct Mail to this year’s promotion to elicit a higher response from consumers by using dynamically printed, personalized messaging that is automatically triggered based on a digital interaction. Registration runs January 15 through August 31, 2017.

What’s New for 2017?

2016 Emerging and Advanced Technology/ Video in Print Promotion	2017 Emerging and Advanced Technology Promotion
Technology Qualifiers: n TechnologyNear Field Communication. n iBeacon/Beacon Technology. n “Enhanced” Augmented Realty. n Video in Print.	New Technology Qualifiers: n Virtual Reality. n Digital to Direct Mail.
A/B Testing Opportunity.	No A/B Testing Opportunity.
Mailpieces may be submitted to the Program Office for review and approval.	All mailpieces must be submitted to the Program Office for review and pre-approval.
SST is available to submit mailing for promotion.	SST is available to submit mailing for promotion. n Certify the agreement on the screen; n Submit a mailpiece sample; and n Submit a postage statement.
Program Office responds to all inquiries within 2 – 3 business days.	Program Office responds to all inquiries within 4 business days.