The U.S. Postal Service has joined forces with The National Newspaper Association and the American Forest and Paper Association to encourage marketers to use a media mix of direct mail and newspaper advertising.
The campaign, which was dropped last week, was created by Young & Rubicam Inc., New York. About 30,000 cover letters went to advertising decision-makers around the country and five black-and-white “Say It In Print” advertisements were sent to 3,500 NNA members throughout the United States.
The initiative is designed to demonstrate that a blend of broad-based newspaper advertising combined with targeted direct mail advertising is more effective than two stand-alone campaigns. The campaign also encourages the competing industries to gather ad dollars from other media, such as the Internet and broad-based TV and radio advertising.
“This is a revitalized alliance between two industries, which recognize that by working together we can accomplish more than by working alone,” said postmaster general William J. Henderson.
Henderson was joined by Lockwoode Philips, president of the NNA; W. Henson Moore, president/CEO of American Forest and Paper Association; and Thomas Lemke, vice president of database marketing and Internet commerce at Kmart Corp., Troy, MI, who said that direct mail and newspaper advertising are integral parts of Kmart’s advertising program.
