The Postal Service has a lot of information to share with customers during the holidays — and one group of employees strives to ensure every message is received loud and clear.
The USPS holiday committee, made up of about 40 representatives from virtually every department in the organization, is focused this year on spreading the word about recommended shipping and mailing deadlines, new products such as USPS Ground Advantage and USPS Connect, and how the Delivering for America plan is helping the organization improve holiday deliveries.
The committee is also trying to educate the public on postal restrictions on shipping mercury and other hazardous materials and the Project Safe Delivery anti-crime initiative.
“Collaboration fuels innovation,” said Jonathan Castillo, a senior public relations representative who is leading the committee this year. “We have a shared vision and an unwavering commitment to excellence. The team’s tireless effort and dedication has helped craft a robust communications strategy that embodies the spirit of holiday magic and postal ingenuity.”
The committee helps shape the Postal Service’s holiday-oriented news releases, advice articles and social media content, as well as special features like a USPS Holiday Newsroom counter that will show the number of cards, letters and packages accepted by USPS until Dec. 25.
Additionally, the group oversees Hollygrams, which employees can use to send messages of encouragement to each other, as well as seasonal screen savers that run on postal computers.
The committee has met each year since 2000, when a few public relations employees began working with postal leaders on holiday season messaging.
By 2018, the committee had added representatives from more departments, including employees who work in marketing, operations and government relations.
“The group had fun and got a lot accomplished, and word of mouth made it easy to recruit new members,” said Sue Brennan, a senior public relations representative who led the committee until this year.
“It was the only team I was on where people around the organization asked to participate.”
