New USPS Mailing Rate Changes for 2018
Postal rate increases can have a big impact on your direct marketing budget. Keeping up with the latest information can save you from confusion and frustration down the line. In this post, we will review the latest U.S. Postal Service Mailing and Shipping rate changes—going into effect on January 21, 2018.
Overall, the new mailing rates represent an average price increase of 1.9 percent for all Market Dominant Mail products, including First-Class Mail®, Marketing Mail (previously Standard Mail), Bound Printed Matter, Media Mail® and Library Mail.
The 1-cent increase for single-piece stamped and metered letters maintains the current 3-cent discount for metered mail versus stamped mail.
The Flare Newsletter - January 2018
The latest edition of SunDance's Newsletter, The Flare is now available online. In this edition, we focus on branding with How Print Can Build a Sense of Community Around Your Brand, direct mail how-to's with Use a Content Checklist for Powerful Direct Mail and we answer the question Self-Mailer or Envelope? Which Is the Best Way to Send Direct Mail. Plus more on Mobile Video, The Feel of Paper and Letters vs. Self-Mailers.
The Rebranding Process
After a number of years in business, a company may realize their previous branding is not serving them well and no longer aligns with their current objectives. Rebranding can pose a number of challenges, but it also offers a unique opportunity to re-evaluate, refresh and innovate.
As our company and vision evolved, SunDance needed to update our branding to reflect our new outlook. We wanted our new look to reflect our progress, optimism and forward motion while paying tribute to our history
When we approached our rebranding, we needed to be clear and concise about our abilities and values. We updated our previous ‘sun’ logo to something more iconic and simple, but with the backbone of our history reflected. We used a bright and playful palette of colors that lend themselves to a number of dynamic branding opportunities. The fonts we chose are fresh, contemporary and unbiased—reflecting our experience and clear vision for the future.
White Paper-Foil Use on Packaging
New White Paper Examines Benefits of Foil Use on Packaging
Have your been considering using foil on your next project? Looking for a way for your packaging to stand out from the rest? Our latest in-depth white paper highlights the benefits of utilizing foil techniques in product packaging and the specifics of how foil embellishments can increase recognition, sales, retention and market share. Find out how companies like Colgate®, Zantac®, Gilette® and more incorporated foil techniques into their package design to boost ROI and position their products at the top of the pack.
Security Printing Advances
Ensuring the legitimacy of documents has always meant staying one step ahead of the technology available to forgers. Due to a rise in inexpensive printers and instructions available online, let alone the professional criminal element, forgery is an ever-evolving threat. At SunDance, we believe that it is vital to remain a leader in new security features to meet the needs of our clients.
New Binding Cheat Sheet Now Available!
There are a lot of factors to take into consideration when designing a job with binding. SunDance has designed a simple two-page Binding Cheat Sheet that you can use as a guide for your next project. With pictures and specs of a variety of common binding choices along with some helpful tips, it is a great reference tool to keep on hand.
Case Study-In-Room Collateral
Hard Rock International tasked SunDance with creating and engineering a multi-tier brand package including over 20 individual items for their Annual Conference. Featuring luxury papers and specialty finishing techniques, this project highlighted the best of Hard Rock’s distinctive branding. See how the package came together and propelled the SunDance and Hard Rock partnership.
3D Printing Saves the day!
3D printing has created a revolution among professional designers in speeding up the development process of prototypes, all the way down the tinkerer's at home creating impossible structures in plastic resins.
Sundance jumped into 3D printing early on purchasing one of the original Makerbots to experiment with. We came up a little odds and ends but unfortunately most of it was ultimately useless.
However that fury of creativity led us down a path towards several incredibly innovative ways we could utilize that technology.
Case Study-SunDance University
SunDance embarked on re-branding through new collateral and educational events for partners and clients. The campaign covered multiple mediums and became the springboard for future successful branding avenues. See how we achieved over a 10% response rate and 53% conversion rate!
