Advertising Goes Postal

You can't beat a great ad, but soon you may be able to lick one. This month the Prez signed a law that legalizes including company logos as part of self-printed postage.

Since May of 2005 Stamps.com has been testing PhotoStamps, a service that allows people to upload images and print them as valid postage. Previously, a federal law prevented business logos from being incorporated.

Now it is up to the U.S. Postal Service to approve the use of marketing images in self-printed stamps. If approved, this would allow bulk mailers to begin their marketing to consumers even before the envelope is opened, providing brand reinforcement. Stamps.com had a mishap when the service was first tested when TheSmokingGun.com used images of the Unabomber and Monica Lewinsky's stained dress on stamps.

Who knows if this will changing buying habits of anyone outside of postal workers, but it change the face of direct mail.