US mailers encouraged to use envelopes for good causes

Pitney Bowes has launched a new social responsibility promotion for customers, highlighting the potential of its Connect+ mailpiece printing systems to promote worthy causes. The Connect for a Cause program encourages SME mailers to use their envelopes to host logos promoting nonprofit campaigns.

Pitney Bowes said its Connect+ mailers send out an average of 3,500 envelopes a month, which could be used to help promote worthy causes.

The company said that for the customer that delivers the most messages bearing a nonprofit organisation logo by December 31, 2011, will receive $1,000 to donate to the charity of its choice.

As well as supporting social responsibility, the campaign highlights the ability of Pitney Bowes’ Connect series, such as the Connect+ 2000, to pring high-resolution graphics and messages in colour – including QR codes – on the outside of envelopes.

Chris Giles, Vice President, Solutions and Competitive Marketing, Pitney Bowes, said mailers were keen to support good causes with donations, but in the current economy being able to give back was “not as easy as it once was”.

Giles said: “Through Connect for a Cause, we are giving small and medium-sized businesses a simple way to help charitable causes and, at the same time, helping to raise awareness to very worthwhile causes that will directly benefit from the additional exposure.”

Nominated causes

Pitney Bowes will be making suggestions for its customers to support certain nonprofit campaigns up to the end of the year. The first nomination, up to the end of July, is the America’s Backyard conservation program, run by the National Recreation and Park Association, which seeks to invest in public parks and green spaces.

The company said through its embedded technology, logos and messaging for its national nonprofits would be made easily available to Connect+ customers for printing on the outside of envelopes.

However, the company told Post&Parcel that its customers would also be able to support any nonprofit organisation they choose and take part in the promotion.

“In fact, we encourage them to become involved with either their local nonprofits or other larger nonprofits,” said spokeswoman Emily Sackett. “Pitney Bowes is partnering with one national nonprofit at a time not only to help promote each organization, but also to bring visibility to the possibilities and potential of the Connect+ to help these nonprofit organizations.”