In the past, designers would have to spec a more expensive, papers, matte film lamination or a UV matte coating, in order to achieve a similar effect. Although Soft Touch™ is a more expensive material than traditional aqueous coating, it does offer cost savings (and turnaround savings) versus off-line laminating or matte UV.

Soft Touch™ coating is a water base or aqueous coating. Like other aqueous coatings, it’s non-yellowing, it dries quickly and allows faster press speeds and turnaround times. In addition, aqueous coatings are environmentally friendly – they have very low VOC content, and water base coated papers can be recycled very easily.

Please be aware that ”Soft Touch™” is a registered trademark of one of the many manufacturers of this product. Other manufacturers are now adopting their own terms for this coating – such as “Soft Feel” or “Liquid Velvet.”

At Broudy, we have done many jobs utilizing the “Soft Touch™” coating on various substrates. Similarly to many other Matte coatings, the “soft touch™” does flatten the image quality somewhat. We have found the best results printing on a high quality gloss stock as the base substrate. This gives the best ink holdout allowing for superior contrast. The smoothness of the quality gloss paper also adds to the luxurious feel of the “soft touch™.”

The 2011 Mobile Barcode Promotion was so successful because it utilized emerging technologies and the prevalence of smartphones to integrate direct mail with modern devices. Customers and businesses alike benefited from the ease of use and the postal savings affiliated with this promotion.

The following information describes the proposed 2012 incarnation of the promotion:

The 2012 Mobile Commerce and Personalization Promotion provides mailers with an upfront postage discount on qualifying Standard Mail® and First-Class Mail® letters, flats, and cards that contain a mobile barcode or similar print technology that can be read or scanned by a mobile device.  The technology must lead the recipient to either:

1. A webpage that allows the recipient to purchase a product or service on a mobile device.
or
2. A personalized URL, which leads to a web page that is unique to an individual recipient.

Program Parameters

Registration Begins: May 1, 2012

Program Period: July 1 through August 31, 2012

Discount Amount: 2% of eligible postage. The mobile barcode discount is calculated in PostalOne!® and applied to the mailing statement at the time of mailing. Normal postage prices as listed in the published price schedule apply to the mailing, and the discount is applied to those prices.

Eligible Mail Classes: Standard Mail® letters and flats, Nonprofit Standard Mail letters and flats, First-Class Mail^® presort and automation letters, cards and flats

Registration Requirements

Program Registration: Participants and/or mail service providers must register on the Business Customer Gateway.  Mailers agree to participate in a survey about the promotion. Registration opens May 1, 2012 and will continue throughout the promotion period.

Mailing Submission Requirements

Documentation/Postage Statement:  Mailings must be submitted electronically via mail.dat, mail.xml or Postal Wizard.

Participating mailers will be required to affirmatively claim this promotion on electronic postage statement submissions.  All mailpieces in a mailing statement must be eligible for the promotion. Note, the discount must be claimed at the time of mailing and cannot be rebated at a later date.

Mailing Date:  Mail must be tendered for acceptance during the promotion period, July 1, 2012, through August 31, 2012.  Qualified PVDS mailings that are verified and paid for by August 31, 2012, will be accepted at destination entry postal facilities through September 15, 2012.

IMB Requirements:  Automation mailpieces must contain an Intelligent Mail barcode.

Postage Payment Method: Postage must be paid using a Permit Imprint, or Precancelled Stamp permit.  Some Meter Permit mailings may qualify.  OMAS and “Official Government Mail” mailings are not eligible for the promotion.

Mailpiece/Mailing Content Requirements

The two-dimensional barcode or similar print technology which takes a consumer to a mobile optimized site that either enables mobile commerce or is personalized for the recipient. All qualifying mail must contain a mobile barcode or equivalent technology that can read or scanned by a mobile device (this includes two-dimensional barcodes, tags, and watermarks).  The mailpiece must also contain text near the barcode or image providing guidance to the consumer to scan the barcode or image. Additional requirements are listed below.

Mobile Commerce

If the barcode is used to facilitate mobile commerce:

• The destination web page(s) must contain information relevant to content of the mailpiece, and some or all of the service(s) and/or product(s) advertised in the mailpiece must be available for purchase on a mobile device.
• The destination web pages must reside on a web site platform that contains (or is deeply integrated with) a checkout functionality so that consumers can complete the purchase of the good or service referenced in the mailpiece through a complete mobile optimized experience.
• Websites used for e-bill payment of prior purchases, or regularly scheduled payments (weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, etc.) for goods and services are not eligible.

Mobile Personalization

If the barcode leads to a personalized website:

• For each mailpiece recipient, the web address is unique to the recipient, as is the content of the web page.
• Unique web page content is based on relevant customer data such as prior behavior, life stage, segmentation, and demographics.

Requirements at the time of mail acceptance and post- mailing

At Mail Acceptance:  The mailer must provide a hard copy, unaddressed sample of the mailpiece showing the placement of the mobile barcode to the acceptance clerk. If a mailing contains mobile barcode mail from multiple mailers, a hard copy sample of each mailer’s mailpiece must be presented. If mobile personalization is used, at least two samples must be submitted in order to demonstrate that the web addresses are unique to each recipient.

Post Mailing Requirements:  All mailers who receive the discount must retain an electronic or hard copy sample of the mailpiece until October 31, 2012, and if requested by the Postal Service must forward such sample to the promotion program office.

Download the Proposal from the USPS

Broudy Postage Rate Summary

Entire USPS Rate Sheet

First Class Mail Highlights

• Letters (1 oz.) – 1-cent increase to 45 cents. This is the first increase in the price of a First-Class Mail stamp since May 2009.
• Single-piece letters additional ounce rate – unchanged at 20 cents.
• Postcards – 3-cent increase to 32 cents
• Letters to Canada or Mexico (1 oz.) – 5-cent increase to 85 cents
• Letters to other international destinations – 7-cent increase to $1.05
• The second ounce will be free for First-Class Mail Presort pieces weighing between one and two ounces.

Additional Price Adjustment Highlights:

Percentage of Price Change by Mail Class

JANUARY 22, 2012 MAILING SERVICES PRICE CHANGE

In a decision this week, the Postal Regulatory Commission granted the USPS’ request that it provide credit lines to direct mailers that enter into a negotiated service agreement with it, giving them the ability to pay postage via Automated Clearing House (online) methods. Currently, direct mailers pay upfront into an account for anticipated postage.

The Direct Marketing Association praised the decision. In a statement, DMA said, “By allowing credit billing rather than prepayment of postage, USPS enters the ‘real world of commerce.’ ” DMA has urged the PRC to expand the ruling to all direct mailers, not just large mailers with negotiated service agreements.

View the Full Statement from the Postal Regulatory Commission

The Pittsburgh Foundation works to improve the quality of life in the Pittsburgh region by evaluating and addressing community issues, promoting responsible philanthropy, and connecting donors to the critical needs of the community.

Day of Giving

The Pittsburgh Foundation is responsible for the Day of Giving, which took place on October 4, 2011, and generated funding for local nonprofits at the rate of nearly $75 per second over the 24-hour giving period. The total raised for charitable organizations in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties was $6,448,448, almost double compared with Pittsburgh’s Day of Giving in 2010.

More nonprofits than ever participated in the event – 654 local charities had completed or updated profiles on the Foundation’s PittsburghGives on-line site. And over 96 percent of those received credit card contributions from a total of 13,643 individual donations, up from the 7,788 donations in 2010.

The Charitiable Gift Card

Still looking for the perfect gift? The Pittsburgh Foundation’s Charitable Gift Card offers an inspiring and convenient way to give while helping to support the invaluable work of nonprofit organizations in our community.

The cards are available in increments of $25, $50 or $100 to share with family, friends and business associates and may be purchased here using a valid credit card.

Purchase or Redeem a Charitable Gift Card here

By purchasing green power, Broudy Printing qualifies for EPA’s Green Power Partnership, a national voluntary program that works with organizations to purchase green power as a way to reduce the environmental impacts associated with electricity use.

“Green power” is defined as electricity that is generated from environmentally preferable resources, such as solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, biomass, and low-impact hydro sources. Such resources generate electricity with zero anthropogenic (caused by humans) carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and have a superior environmental profile to conventional power generation. Green power purchases help support the development of new renewable energy capacity nationwide.

Please visit EPA Green Power Partnership for more information

The Ironman Triathalon – Tempe, Arizona is an Ultra distance triathlon consisting of

• 2.4 mile swim
• 112 mile bike
• 26.2 mile run.