Connect for a Cause program gets green light for second
year
STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar. 7, 2012--
Through the simple of act of adding a color logo to thousands of
envelopes using a Connect+ printer, a Chicago-based insurance company
will be able to contribute $1,000 to its favorite charity, courtesy of Pitney
Bowes Inc. (NYSE: PBI). Unique Insurance Company was named winner of
Pitney Bowes’s Connect for a Cause contest having printed the
most logos of select national charities on their regular mailings last
year.
Unique Insurance was among more than 300 Connect+ users who participated
in the trial program, printing more than 6,000 non-profit logos on its
envelopes, more than any other participant. The program gives small and
medium-sized businesses a simple way to help charitable causes by
helping to raise awareness and increase funding from the exposure. .
“Connect for a Cause was a very novel idea we first introduced
last summer to our customers,” said Chris Giles, vice president, Mail
Finishing, Pitney Bowes. “We have clearly seen some good success early
on with some of our customers embracing the ability to support a
national charity on their mailings using the Connect+ full color
printing feature to easily print any logo to the outside of an envelope.
We plan to extend this program going forward. For our customer who
generated the most impressions last year, Pitney Bowes is making a
donation in their name to their favorite charity. Everyone benefits.”
“We decided to have our donation go to the Children’s Memorial Hospital
because they are in the midst of moving to a state-of-the-art-facility
in downtown Chicago and they are known for doing great things,” said
Julie Bronski, of Chicago-based Unique Insurance Company. The company
installed the Connect+ printer early last year and was shown the feature
that allows a personalized message to be printed on the envelope which
we found intriguing. “When we heard of the contest, our mailroom staff
saw it as a fun feature to work with, especially because they are very
social responsibility-minded. They were happy to be able to do something
for a good cause,” Bronski said. The company plans to continue using the
feature both to continue to print logos of charitable causes and create
custom messages related to their business.
Last year, National Parks and Recreation, Reading is Fundamental (RIF),
and Toys for Tots were downloaded to the Connect+ database for use.
Giles announced the program will run again in 2012 with additional
national charities being planned to be added to the selection.
“We welcome any registered charity to contact us to be included in the
program,” Giles added. The program enables Pitney Bowes Connect+
customers nationwide to help raise awareness for national charities
through program. The customer delivering the most messages will again
receive $1,000 from Pitney Bowes to donate to the charity of its choice.
The program qualification period will be released later this year.”
Pitney Bowes has more than 10,000 customers who use the Connect+
™ Customer Communications Series that enables mailers to print
high-resolution graphics, QR codes and messages in full color on the
outside of the envelope on demand. Through embedded technology, the
logos and messaging for a national charity are made easily available for
Connect+ customers to print on the outside of envelopes as they print
throughout the month which will provide much needed visibility to the
cause.
About Pitney Bowes:
Delivering more than 90 years of innovation,
Pitney Bowes provides software,
hardware
and services
that integrate physical and digital communications channels. Long known
for making its customers more productive, Pitney Bowes is increasingly
helping other companies grow their business through advanced customer
communications management. Pitney Bowes is a $5.3 billion company and
employs more than 29,000 worldwide. Pitney Bowes: Every connection is a
new opportunity™. www.pb.com/
Source: Pitney Bowes Inc.
Pitney Bowes Inc.
Barbara Hannan
Manager, External
Communications
203-351-7467 office
203-828-7656 mobile
barbara.hannan@pb.com