Access to never-before-used advertising space, in high-traffic locations in virtually every U.S. market, has quietly been going on sale over recent months at a new venue.
     That site is the U.S. post office, and there are 38,000 of them.
     For the past two centuries the U.S. government has reserved delivery vehicles, stamps and envelopes and their brick-and-mortar storefronts to advertise their own products and services. 
     Now that’s changing. 
     To find out how to buy poster space in the lobbies, or how to put your client’s logo on the side of delivery trucks, ready-to-mail envelopes and stamp book covers, read on.
     This is one in a Media Life series on buying the new out-of-home venues. They appear weekly.

Fast Facts:

What:  
     “Postal Ad Network” -- that is, advertising on U.S. Post Office property.

Who:  
      United States Postal Service.

How it works:
     Advertisers can buy ad space on U.S. Post Office delivery trucks and collection boxes in the top 25 markets.
    Ad space can also be bought on priority, ready-to-mail envelopes, on the covers of stamp booklets and in any post office lobby. 
    Co-branding is the post office model. “The important thing is for the advertiser to have some connection with the mailing industry,” says Gerry Kreienkamp, post office media relations representative. “For instance, there are millions of stamp booklet covers. A company could buy those and place a public service message on them that ties in with the stamp.
     “It’s not a case where Joe’s hamburger shack can slap a sign on a collection box.”
     Co-branding campaigns have included America Online (they mail their promotional CDs through the postal service) advertising on postal trucks, Pitney Bowes (manufactures mail meters) on priority mail envelopes and Replacements, LTD, on trucks and collection boxes. Replacements, LTD ships china, crystal and silver through the U.S. mail.
     Branding and promotion campaigns will both be accepted as long as the product fits into the post office guidelines (see product categories).
     The Postal Service is limiting advertisers to those who are looking for a campaign with national reach, preferably using a variety of post office media. 
     Exclusivity is available. 
     Campaigns can be conducted on a rolling basis. For example, Replacements, LTD is staggering their ads on postal delivery trucks in the top 11 markets over a 45-day period.
     As with many new venues, advertisers are getting free secondary or trickle-down coverage through local media outlets. “We’re getting coverage on TV and in the papers,” says Liam Sullivan, Manager of Public Relations for Greensboro-based Replacements, LTD. “People are generally very excited about it. We’ve gotten comments about what a great way it is to reduce the government deficit.”
      Creative is currently co-designed by the advertiser and the postal service. America Online and Replacements, LTD are using art that includes their company logos and a U.S. postal service priority mail package, Kreienkamp says. 
     “AOL used the legend ‘You’ve Got Mail’ with a shot of our priority mail packages on postal vehicles. They realize that direct mail works to grow their business, so it’s a natural fit,” Kreienkamp says.
      Internet access information is also a creative component. For instance, Replacements, LTD is incorporating their web site address, www.replacements.com, into their ad.
     Ads can be changed during a campaign. For instance, Pitney Bowes is running two consecutive ads during their two-month campaign.

Markets:
      Mail delivery trucks and collection boxes are available in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, Sacramento, Boston, Washington, D.C., Dallas/Ft. Worth, Detroit, Houston, Atlanta, Seattle, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Cleveland, Miami, Phoenix, Tampa/St. Petersburg, Denver, Greensboro (NC), Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Baltimore, San Diego and Orlando.
     Lobby signage is available in all 38,000 post offices nationwide.
     Ready-to-mail envelopes and stamp book covers are also available nationwide.

Numbers:
     Seven-and-a-half million customers walk through post office lobbies every week.
     There are 20 million priority mail envelopes available annually, Kreienkamp says.
     There are 25,000 collection boxes available in the top 25 markets.

Research:
     What product categories do well?
     The Post Office’s Commercial Advertising Policy determines acceptable advertisers, Kreienkamp says. “The policy basically excludes any advertising that takes a position that is political or anything on public policy or involving religion. Or anything from a competitor, or anything that is indecent, obscene or violent.” Tobacco and alcohol would also be excluded, as they don’t fit the co-branding model.

Demographics:
     Virtually every demographic profile is included among post office customers who purchase and receive envelope and stamp materials, visit post office lobbies, use collection boxes and see collection boxes and delivery trucks.
     Demographics can be targeted. “An advertiser could target a business or banking district,” Kreienkamp says.

Making the buy:
     Variables that affect pricing include number of markets, advertising vehicles (delivery trucks, collection boxes, lobbies, envelopes, stamp book covers) and campaign length. 
     “We offer negotiable terms, depending on the reach an advertiser wants, what media and where they want to go,” Kreienkamp says. “We don’t have flat rates. However, truck advertising would run a little under what it costs to advertise on city buses.”
     For specific pricing Kreienkamp recommends contacting Gordon Medencia of Van Wagner Communications at 212-699-8600.
     Contract length is negotiable, with a one-month minimum.
     Lead time is two months. 

What’s unique:
     Since the days of the pony express, the U.S. Postal Service used available space to advertise their own products and services. Now, after 226 years in existence, the post office is selling space to compatible advertisers.

Who’s already on postal property?
      America Online, Pitney Bowes, Tour de France Visa and Replacement, LTD.

What they’re saying:
      “For twenty years we’ve been mailing about 600,000 parcels annually with the post office. So, we decided to look at this opportunity to go from the inside of the truck to the outside.” -- Liam Sullivan, manager of public relations for Greensboro-based Replacements, LTD.
     Replacements, LTD is advertising on delivery trucks in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Detroit, Atlanta, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Miami, Houston and Dallas and on priority mailboxes in Greensboro.

Web site info: 
    www.usps.gov

April 9, 2001 © 2001 Media Life

-Kathy Prentice writes about out-of-home advertising  for Media Life, penning her stories from the resort town of Traverse City, in the upper reaches of Michigan.

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