New ad campaign from the U.S. Postal Service - Return to Sender!

From Ad Age: 


Postal Service Sticks With Pitch: Paper Mail Can't be Hacked

So... after losing 22% of its mail volume in the past 5 years, The U.S. Postal Service will continue attempting to slow the migration of first-class mail to electronic communications by sticking with an advertising campaign begun in September that tells businesses that refrigerators and cork boards can't be hacked.


Really?


The aim of the campaign is to slow down the loss by 1%. We also learned that every 1% in lost business translates to $300. So... so far, the USPS has managed to lose $6.6 billion in business and sticking letters to the refigerators or pinning them to a corkboard is the best they can do?

Let's talk messaging for a moment: Do something simple, like talking to consumers, business owners and executives and you'll quickly learn why everyone migrated to email:

1. Free
2. Immediate
3. Convenient


Now look at this spot:

So, from a messaging point of view... will Mr. Captain of the Industry or Mr. Head of Procurement turn around and say "Golly! This is terrible! I'm going back to spending 40 cents in postage, increase the number of mailroom employees and spend all the extra money in paper and envelopes to make sure that Mrs. Consumer's statement is not hacked by some evil force and she can either stick it on the refrigerator or pin it to a cork board. Yes siree".


And some people have to ask why the advertising industry is in trouble.


Then let's talk media.


On national TV. The super effective, magnificently-efficient media in which to reach high powered heads of procurement. Never mind that TV highly over-indexes against lower and middle class women.


Now let's talk real world:


I get my email on my computers (my home and business are fully synched), on my cell phone and on my tablet. And the USPS really thinks I want to get a paper statement?


My suggestions to Ms. Joyce Carrier (Carrier? For real?) USPS's Manager of Advertising and Media Planning:


#1 - Drop that pitch. It has no traction. Since the advent of https:// and other verification services, no one really worries about hacking, but everyone worries about cost.
#2 - Drop the TV. Waste of money if businesses are your target.
#3 - Instead, develop a campaign for mass mailers: it is way easier to hit delete on an email than it is to throw a circular in the trash can.
#4 - Go online, use search, use mail, something distinctive that someone won't "delete"
#5 - Invent new products because like King Canute found out centuries ago... there is no rolling back the tide


Oh... and, Ms. Carrier... drop me a line: marcelosalup@gmail.com