When the world is coming up with ways to grapple with, process, store and retain the massive volumes of digital data, the USPS presents an innovative solution, get offline!
I don’t often pay much attention to the ads on TV. However this weekend, I happened upon an ad from the US Post Office which left me dumbfounded.
The ad which can be seen here http://uspsvideo.com//video/127/USPS-Hacked-TV-commercial focuses on the issue of online security saying:
“A refrigerator has never been hacked. An online virus has never attacked a corkboard. Give your customers an added feeling of security of printed statement that a receipt provides. With mail.”
The reason for these ads no doubt is the fact that the U.S. Postal Service said it lost $5.1 billion last year as a weak economy and increased Internet use drove down mail volume. Postal officials has been quoted as saying that the financial situation is “dire.” Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe has warned of a postal shutdown next year unless there is congressional action to address the agency’s long-term money problems.
While I completely feel for the postal employees and potential for layoffs in this poor economy, I can’t help wonder who recommended this positioning as a possible way to address their challenges. Quite apart from the fact that the message of “security” is flawed, in that identity theft through stolen mail from unsecured mailboxes is a common occurrence; encouraging people to switch back to hardcopy paper statements goes against all environmental logic.
Obviously this cannot be intended to be a long term fix, but perhaps just a last ditch attempt to spike post office revenues in the months ahead. It is even more of a long shot when you consider that the ad is actually targeted mainly at businesses as it says “It’s good for your business and good for your customers.” Since businesses have long championed the e-statement as a way for them to save money, while projecting an environmentally conscencious image, this message will appeal to no one.
Thoughts that ran through my mind after watching this ad: “swimming against the tide”, “evolve or die”, “Blockbuster vs. Netflix”, “Kodak close to bankrupcy” among others. Perhaps the massive workforce at the Post Office could be redirected towards embracing online activities rather than making oars for a ship that has already sailed. Perhaps a focus on improving online email security by partnering with encryption leader Voltage Security or evolving to a system where paid emails sent via the post office have a guaranteed “certified delivery” that are legally admissible? Surely someone at the post office can embrace the digital age?
Alternatively their current line of positioning might net them some serious VC funding, if they just change their message to be “How to reduce Big Data without the need for Hadoop!”