NewsRoom

Best of The Best

Rapp Collins and UNICEF Big Winners

All Star Team

2008 All Star Team

Dave Taylor Award

Siobhain O'Reilly Earns Dave Taylor Award

Environmental Awards

coming soon!

MONDAY   SEPTEMBER 29, 2008

RECORD NUMBER OF AGENCIES ENTER 2008 NAMMU’s

A record number of agencies entered this year’s NAMMU Awards, according to reports compiled by Wood & Associates Direct Marketing Services Limited, the official receiver for NAMMU Award entries.

The “It’s NAMMU Season” creative and campaign theme executed by Andy Sookrah and the Engine Room creative team is credited with this win by NAMMU president, Kathleen Rowe.

“The Engine Room creative is a beautifully simple concept, definitively moving the NAMMU’s to centre stage for any agency marketing through the mail. This is a great result as we see an even greater diversification of clients and categories.” noted Rowe.

Judging for the 2008 NAMMU’s begins September 30^th for most categories. The Dave Taylor Award is judged independently by a panel of copywriting experts. The 2008 Environmental Awards will be judged in October. According to Rowe, entries for these two categories – the newest NAMMU Awards – exceeded last year’s entries.

“Regardless of the category, the NAMMU judges will have an especially difficult time this year.

We look forward to seeing the campaign winners on November 4^th at the Design Exchange.

Agencies are in agreement: If you market through the mail, this is the Award to win!” said the NAMMU president.

When: Thursday, July 24
Where: Intercontinental Toronto Centre, 225 Front Street West
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 2:30p.m. (light working lunch will be served)

Session I 10:00a.m. – 12:00 noon Canada Post Strategic Vision: Paper + Electronic
The recent Epost radio ads and other publicity have prompted significant discussion about the objectives and direction the industry’s major distribution supplier is embracing. This information session is intended to provide insight to this strategic vision, as well as the interim steps being taken or planned to achieve this vision. NAMMU presents this important opportunity for impact assessment and dialogue intended for your organization’s decision makers. The presentation and discussion will feature Peter Melanson, Senior Vice-President, Enterprise Sales (recently SVP Transaction Mail) and

Session II 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. 2009 Rate Package Workshop: Transaction Mail
The first of NAMMU’s 2009 Rate Package Workshops, this Transaction Mail discussion will address strategic and operational concerns arising from the recently gazetted and previewed rates and mailing conditions for Incentive Lettermail, and other Lettermail products. Issues tabled to date include: local entry potential; impact of machineability drive (software adjustments); lead time; hybrid product offering potential, etc. Shirley Neil (Manitoba Hydro) and Chair, Transaction Mail Council will host this workshop.

Advance registration is mandatory and required by July 21. Click here for registration form

Note: Scheduling difficulties due to summer vacations are presenting a challenge for the Admail and Publications Mail/Catalogue Council 2009 Rate Package Workshops. These workshops will be announced as soon as timing can be finalized.

SPECIAL NOTICE

Canada Post today announced a proposal to amend the Letter Mail Regulations to establish the rates of postage for domestic Letter Mail for the next three years. The domestic Letter Mail rate would increase from 52 cents to 54 cents in January 2009. The rate would rise by two cents per year in the following two years.

Canada Post has also proposed to revise the specifications for oversize Letter Mail, and to create new specifications and pricing for irregular oversize items. Oversize Letter Mail will be split into two categories, based on the item’s thickness, flexibility and shape.

To access and review the Canada Gazette for these proposals as well as other rate adjustments for international regulated products: canadagazette.gc.ca Click here to review the Canada Post news release:

Non-Regulated Products: Highlights
(Click here for more detail)

Based on the acceptance of the gazetted proposals, the business rates for Letter Mail
effective January 2009 would be:

Addressed Admail
This product will incorporate catalogue mail in 2009. The Machineable Rate now based on items up to 50g, will be split into two weight bands: up to 30g; 30g-50g. Overall weighted average price increase for 2009 is 4.0 per cent.

Unaddressed Admail
A two-tiered basic and premium offering will be introduced in 2009. The premium offering will include Oversize Unaddressed Admail, introduced in January 2008, and will include samples, mail targeted to businesses, and date specified mailings. Overall weighted average price increase for 2009 is 6.4 per cent.

Publications Mail
Canada Post will introduce three price categories to its distance based structure for letter carrier pre-sorted mail : no increase for local, one cent for regional, and 3 cents for national. The National Distribution Guide presort service: no increase on local, one cent on regional, and 2 cents on national. Overall weighted average price increase for 2009 is 3.1 per cent.

Business Reply Mail
Overall average increase is 2.4 per cent for 2009.

Parcel Fuel Surcharge
To reflect recent new highs in gas prices and better reflect market changes, The fuel surcharge trigger points and the associated rates have been adjusted effective July 7, 2008. This fuel surcharge is adjusted monthly to manage volatility in fuel prices.

The attachments reflect the pricing rationale and more detail by product. NAMMU members are asked to review these pricing proposals and respond with their comments by July 8th: executive@nammu.org Rate package discussions will be held at both the Chapter and national levels and will be announced shortly.

Canada Post will provide detailed packages to contract holders on July 14.

Kathleen Rowe
President

TUESDAY JUNE 17, 2008

NAMMU Leads Consumer Awareness Program on ECO-Friendly Initiatives

Toronto, June 16, 2008….Following the recent Board of Directors’ meeting, NAMMU president, Kathleen Rowe, today reiterated the strong commitment the Association has to the promotion and consumer awareness of environmentally friendly mail. Pro consumer choice, the Board of Directors realized some time ago that myths can circulate and be simply accepted by consumers as credible, if the real facts are not realistically and consistently presented.

“Our first step in addressing consumer awareness was the launch of the NAMMU Environmental Awards” said Kathleen Rowe. “This one act focused the mailing industry’s attention on the necessity of publicizing and educating their customers about the environmentally friendly choices available for their mailings, as well as explaining the processes, practices and innovations that keep NAMMU supplier-based businesses in the forefront of eco-friendly developments” noted Rowe. The launch of the NAMMU Environmental Awards was keyed to a series of member-focused presentations and updates at the Chapter level, on “closing the loop” initiatives with consumers about recycling, as well as corporate best practices in promoting and purchasing environmentally-friendly products.

According to Rowe, the next step is the logical progression to proactive consumer awareness. “We have the products, we have the know-how, it is time to raise the positive profile of these initiatives in a meaningful way to the general public. Along with the publicity surrounding the 2008 Environmental Awards, the Association will continue to feature this year member-focused education on corporate best practices and options, and introduce the NAMMU logo to consumers as the symbol of environmentally friendly behavior and choices in mail campaigns.” The Association is committed to ensuring the consumer has the right information to make an informed choice.

2007 NAMMU Environmental Award Winners (click here)

Media Contact: Tel 416-977-3703  media@nammu.org