America’s mail carrier is far more than her trucks, post offices, and 600,000-strong workforce.
The U.S. Postal Service boasts an instantly recognizable brand protected by a thicket of trademarks, copyrights, and even mail-sorting-related patents. While the agency has had some success turning this intellectual property (IP) into a cash cow, a series of unforced errors have limited the financial gains realized from this potential treasure trove. These IP blunders have cost the Postal Service dearly, adding to the already-colossal losses facing the beleaguered agency. USPS can help avert billions of dollars in added net losses through a carefully calibrated IP strategy that brings in beaucoup bucks for the brand.
For the past few years, USPS clothing collaborations have been all the rage. The branding renaissance started in 2019 when the agency launched a partnership with the clothing company Forever 21. Yellow hoodies emblazoned with the word “Priority” in front and a shipping label in the back were suddenly seen on street corners (and postal policy think tanks) across the country.
