2025 Promotional Programs from the USPS

Because the USPS’s 2025 promotions are structured to encourage mailers to experiment with creative and interactive designs, direct mail can become a stronger component of omni-channel marketing strategies.
The USPS’s 2025 promotions introduce an expanded list of eligible technologies, including virtual reality and mixed reality, while enabling mailers to choose their participation period.
While larger organizations with dedicated resources can fully capitalize on advanced technologies like AR, NFC, and AI-generated content, small and medium-sized businesses may need a more selective approach.

By Anne Valaitis

Introduction

With postage rates on the rise, the United States Postal Service (USPS) is offering mailers a chance to reduce costs while enhancing the effectiveness of their direct mail campaigns with its 2025 promotional programs. One of the key opportunities is the Integrated Technologies Promotion, which encourages mailers to integrate advanced technologies like augmented reality (AR), near-field communication (NFC), video-in-print (ViP), and artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content into their mail pieces.

2025 Promotions

Because the USPS’s 2025 promotions are structured to encourage mailers to experiment with creative and interactive designs, direct mail can become a stronger component of omni-channel marketing strategies. Here’s a brief overview of the key promotions:

Tactile, Sensory, and Interactive Promotion (February 1-July 31, 2025): Offers a 5% discount on mail pieces that include sensory or interactive features like textured paper, specialty inks, pop-ups, and zipper strips.
Integrated Technologies Promotion (Choose any six-month period in 2025): Offers a 3% discount on mail pieces using digital triggers such as QR codes, NFC, augmented reality, or voice assistant integration.
Continuous Contact Promotion (April 1-December 31, 2025): Provides a 3% discount on follow-up mailings that complement an initial campaign to the same address.
Reply Mail IMbA Promotion (July 1-December 31, 2025): Offers up to a 6% discount for serialized barcodes on reply mail, improving tracking and processing.
First-Class Mail Advertising Promotion (September 1-December 31, 2025): Provides a 3% discount for first-class mail pieces that include marketing messages alongside transactional content.

Mailers can further increase their savings by combining the base promotions with 1% add-on discounts for:

Informed Delivery: Allows consumers to preview their mail digitally before it arrives.
Sustainability: Requires mailers to use certified, environmentally responsible paper or recycled stock.

For example, a mailer participating in the Tactile, Sensory, and Interactive promotion can combine the 5% base discount with the 1% Informed Delivery and 1% Sustainability add-ons for a greater discount. This stacking option enables mailers to optimize cost savings and engagement.

More About the Integrated Technologies Promotion

The USPS has been offering similar technology-based promotions on an annual basis, evolving them to meet changing industry demands. The 2025 promotions introduce an expanded list of eligible technologies, including virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR), while providing flexibility for mailers to choose their participation period.

This strategy aligns with Keypoint Intelligence’s research, which shows that an impressive 83% of businesses plan to increase their direct marketing budgets over the next two years. At the same time, however, these growing budgets come with higher expectations for measurable outcomes. This makes it essential for mailers to strategically integrate technologies that drive results.

Figure 1: Change in Direct Marketing Communication Budget

N = 140 Business Respondents

Source: North American Direct Marketing Business Survey; Keypoint Intelligence 2024

By incorporating these innovations, direct mail becomes more than just a physical medium—it can connect seamlessly with digital channels to drive greater engagement and trackable results. The USPS’s promotions provide the perfect opportunity for mailers to meet these rising demands for effectiveness and return on investment (ROI).

Balancing Innovation and Practicality

The path to success isn’t the same for all mailers. While larger organizations with dedicated resources can fully capitalize on advanced technologies like AR, NFC, and AI-generated content, small and medium-sized businesses may need a more selective approach. Technologies like QR codes, AI-powered personalization, and digital previews (through Informed Delivery) offer low-risk, scalable entry points with measurable outcomes.

For mailers of all sizes, strategic experimentation is key. Consider these perspectives:

Large organizations:With larger budgets and expertise, these businesses can afford to experiment with complex technologies such as augmented reality and mixed reality. Their focus should be on optimizing ROI through precise targeting and multi-channel integration.
Small and medium-sized businesses:These firms can still benefit by prioritizing cost-effective technologies, such as QR codes and AI-generated content, that integrate seamlessly into current workflows. For them, gradual experimentation (i.e., starting with smaller campaigns) can help minimize risks while maximizing learning.

Here are some actionable tips for mailers and service providers:

Customize for your audience.Focus on targeting and personalization to ensure that the use of interactive technologies aligns with the audience’s preferences and behaviors.
Test before scaling.Leverage the flexibility of USPS’s stackable discounts to run A/B tests comparing traditional mail with technology-enhanced formats.
Stay realistic about ROI.Not every emerging technology will yield immediate results. Mailers should be prepared for an iterative approach where initial setbacks can lead to long-term gains.

Recent primary research from Keypoint Intelligence highlights the evolving expectations for direct marketing and transactional communications from business and consumer perspectives. As engagement and personalization trends continue to shape the market, leveraging these insights can help mailers create campaigns that resonate and drive results.

The Bottom Line

The USPS’s 2025 promotions represent a strategic opportunity for service providers to counter rising postage costs while offering additional value to their clients. By combining creative design, technology integration, and sustainability, mailers can create campaigns that truly stand out and generate a higher ROI.

As businesses expand their direct marketing budgets, expectations for personalization, engagement, and measurable outcomes will also grow. For those willing to balance practicality with innovation, these 2025 promotions provide a valuable springboard to future-proof campaigns while maintaining competitiveness in an ever evolving marketing landscape.

As Principal Analyst for Keypoint Intelligence’s AI Service, Anne Valaitis draws on her document management and artificial intelligence expertise to help clients identify opportunities where AI can streamline operations, reduce costs, and shape new offerings that drive market demand and generate revenue. She has led numerous research projects that have influenced the document solutions landscape.