Unhappy Customers and Unexpected Opportunities (jschmid.com)

At this time, all mailing promotions are proceeding as scheduled with no changes. We will continue to evaluate existing and upcoming promotions in light of the rapidly changing circumstances due to COVID-19. If changes to an existing or upcoming promotion occur, notice will be provided in an Industry Alert and posted here, on our main PostalPro Promotion page: https://postalpro.usps.com/promotions Building upon the success of the Promotions Calendars over the last few years, the Postal Service has developed a Promotions Calendar for Calendar Year (CY) 2020. The 2020 Promotions continue to encourage marketers, printers, and mailers to utilize new technology and print techniques that enhance the traditional benefits of a physical mailpiece. This in turn can drive higher response rates and increase the overall return on the mailer’s investment in mail. By encouraging the use of technologies integrated in mail, the Postal Service expects to increase the value of direct mail and retain the volumes of transactional mail, thereby ensuring long-term product growth.

Marketers and PR people are in a wary mood, judging by a new study from CommsCo PR. Of those polled, 55% are more stressed than they were this time last year, and 63% now say they are expected to do more with less. But they are pushing ahead — 58% are increasing their budgets, versus 26% who are reducing them. Another 16% are keeping their budgets the same. Meanwhile, 45% believe AI will drive more investment in marketing, while 34% believe it will lead to reductions. In addition, 65% say AI will drive a wave of productivity. Only 13% are nervous about AI.

Dilly dilly. I’m lovin’ it. Get a Mac. Why is it so easy to rattle off the brands that introduced us to these catchphrases? Because Bud Light, McDonald’s and Apple are among the best at telling stories, catching us off guard and even making us laugh. They understand the power of a campaign and how disruptive a “big idea” can be. And how powerful it can be—helping us consider their products for the first time, or again in a whole new way. But for a campaign to reach—and disrupt—the most people, it must be executed across all touchpoints (in digital and in print).