USPS: A Brand that Delivers
iPod. Honda. Google. Lexus. The United States Postal Service.
One of those things is not like the other, you say? Think again. In a survey conducted by NewMediaMetrics, the USPS edged into the top 15 brands – alongside those other familiar names, and more – to which customers are most emotionally attached.
It’s not hard to understand. Three factors are at work here:
- Ubiquity. Honestly, it only seems like everyone has an iPhone. But unlike all those other brands, the USPS is an unavoidable part of our daily lives. (Well, six days a week, anyway.)
- Reliability. A mailbox at every residence and business only has value if its utility is respected. Anecdotal bad-delivery stories notwithstanding, Americans trust the Postal Service to get the job done.
- Positivity. The first two conditions could also apply to utility companies, banks, or even the IRS. But opening the mailbox is opening the door to possibilities. Sure, there’s bad news mixed in with the good; but still we keep looking for postal carriers to arrive. They bring communication from the outside world – and it’s hard not to get excited about that.
Cumulatively, these three factors have created a brand with power – and in business, that kind of power can’t be ignored. No one can argue the wisdom of companies engaging in multi-channel communications, but the brand equity of print mail demands that it remain a dominant player in your media mix.
Mail service providers, pass that link on to your customers and show them the way. And in the meantime, tell us: what one word describes how you feel about opening your mailbox every day?
