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.
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I wouldn’t mind so much if it were going to bring postal costs down (or keep them from increasing so quickly), but somehow I don’t see that being the case.
look for the new draft fcb group to push the concept on direct mail clients. hell, draft may have even proposed the notion, as they service the usps.
Personally, I think if it lowers costs, great. Unfortunately, we know that it won’t. Branded stamps have been available for quite some time now and they are far more expensive than regular stamps. If that increase in price was used to lower the price of regular stamps I would say that this was a great thing.
It’s not the case.