NASHVILLE, Tenn., March 23, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S. Postal Service today recognized Nahan Printing, Lawrence & Schiller and the South Dakota Department of Tourism with the first-ever Irresistible Mail Award for their ability to create exceptional and innovative mail pieces.
Irresistible Mail is a program that highlights mail pieces that increase engagement through innovative design, print or digital technologies.
"Mail is evolving, allowing marketers to leverage the unique interactivity of mail and create new and powerful experiences by seamlessly connecting mail with digital content and by employing new printing techniques to improve memorability and responses," said Gary Reblin, vice president of New Products and Innovation for the Postal Service.
The South Dakota Department of Tourism's piece "Black Hills & Badlands Direct Mail", which was designed by Lawrence & Schiller and printed by Nahan Printing, was one of six finalists recognized this year by the Postal Service at this year's National Postal Forum (NPF) in Nashville, TN. The other recognized finalist were:
• Shadow Box, QR and AR by Structural Graphics
• Augmented Reality for Eskridge Lexus by Allegiant Marketing Group
• Dell Mobile-in-Print Mailer by Americhip
• Blue Jean Mailer by Northern Ohio Printing
• Water Reveal Recruitment Mailer for Baylor University by OptiGraphics
All of the finalists were highlighted at the conference. The winner was selected by a vote of conference attendees.
The submissions to the Irresistible Mail Award showcased a multitude of engagement elements and their combinations, such as physical interactivity, multisensory experiences with scents and textures, augmented reality, video in print, colorful envelopes, uniquely shaped mail pieces, personalized messages, and keepsakes.
The Black Hills & Badlands Direct Mail included appealing high-quality photographs of the national parks, a pine-forest-scented scratch-and-sniff, and a hidden coupon for a free t-shirts available to tourists who would stop by the visitor center.
The 2017 Irresistible Mail Award Grand Champion will be selected in a similar fashion out of four quarterly winners. The 2016 finalists and the honorable mentions are on display on the program's website www.irresistiblemail.com.
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