Earlier this week, I bought stamps at the post office. I picked out a book of Katherine Anne Porter stamps which led to a literary discussion with the mail clerk. It left me feeling glad that a federal worker was so well versed in American culture.
Now this from Ad Age:
The U.S. Postal Service last week canceled an old law that forbade businesses from placing ads or logos on any type of currency — including postage — relinquishing to marketers once-hallowed ground unsullied by commercialism.
The effort is part of the USPS’ push to stem a loss of income as consumers increasingly turn from so-called snail mail to Internet correspondence. First-class mailings have plunged since the mid-1990s from almost 55 billion pieces mailed in 1998 to just over 43 billion last year.
Somehow, I don’t see myself getting too excited by a piece of snail mail with a miniature print ad affixed to it in the upper righthand corner.
