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Have you recently produced a piece of mail that is exceptionally creative? Notably innovative? Perhaps even irresistible? If so, we have some exciting news to share.

This year, the United States Postal Service will be giving out an “Irresistible Mail Award” to the marketer, agency, or mail service provider that created the most unique and innovative piece of mail in 2015.

As many of us in the industry know, direct mail is constantly pushing the envelope (pun intended). Always striving towards a new way to be unique and memorable, many mail pieces these days are being crafted with unique designs, unexpected features, and a degree of interactivity, all meant to engage and delight potential customers.

In line with this quest for industry innovation, the Postal Service wants to showcase creative success by displaying some of the best work at the USPS’s booth at the National Postal Forum. From there, all pieces will be voted upon and a winner will be selected.

“Innovative pieces may include features on the following list, or they may include completely different types of innovation.”

  • Items with unique shapes (2D or 3D), sizes, textures, or colors designed to be noticed in the mailbox
  • Design and messaging on the outside of the envelope/self-mailer designed to increase open rates (e.g., transparent envelopes)
  • Digital interactivity (ability to link from mail piece to digital experience through QR codes, AR, URLs, PURLs, NFC, etc.)
  • Video in print
  • Physical interactivity (ability to manipulate the mail piece through folding, etc.)
  • Multisensory engagement through:
    • Olfactory (scent)
    • Texture of envelope, paper, or ink
  • Specialized inks (water-, heat-, light-sensitive, or conductive inks)
  • Personalization (greeting, content)
  • Engaging content marketing (magazines and magalogs)
  • Physical items designed to be generate ongoing impressions (e.g., magnets, calendars, etc.)

We encourage all of our amazing clients to participate in the contest. Entries are due by February 22nd, so if you’re interested in entering, don’t delay!

For more details about the contest and how to enter, visit https://ribbs.usps.gov/index.cfm?page=irresistiblemail