The United States Postal Service created DEAR SANTA, a documentary which sold to IFC Films, was distributed on VOD platforms and premiered at Heartland International Film Festival in an effort to boost public perception and top of mind recall of USPS in a crowded competitive space where audiences were unresponsive to traditional advertising methods. The feature-length documentary film from an award-winning director spotlights the brand’s 108-year-old Operation Santa program which pairs “Dear Santa” letters with gift-giving volunteers to make the holiday wishes come true and ultimately showcases the dedication of USPS employees and the brand’s logistical innovation.

The United States Postal Service has been delivering mail and shipping packages since 1792. However, the proliferation of private-label shipping, the rise of online mega-merchants, and the entrance of big box stores into the home delivery space put the squeeze on USPS during the profitable holiday season.

While surveys showed Americans have strong affinity for USPS and genuinely want the organization to succeed, numerous media tracking studies revealed that traditional campaigns were impenetrable in moving the brand above 3rd place among shippers as consumers turned to higher-priced competitors with outsized budgets. Furthermore, USPS became a political hot button issue; its very integrity and existence in the crosshairs.

To capture the public’s hearts, minds, and business, we sought a radical approach that focused on what makes USPS a venerated institution - its people, its logistical innovation, its commitment to public service, and its priority holiday shipping offerings.

If price points and service promises couldn’t get consumers attention, then a tug at their heartstrings might push USPS to the top of people’s holiday shipping list. However, considering existing marketing challenges and consumer avoidance of traditional advertising, we needed captivating content to improve USPS sentiment, favorability, and top-of-mind recall.

Operation Santa, USPS’s 108-year-old program to ensure those in need at the holidays don’t go without, presented an opportunity for a story of joy and generosity that highlights the best of USPS. A story this big, however, demanded to be told in long form. Furthermore, despite the program’s age, it remained a relative unknown. A feel-good holiday movie would increase the potential for widespread exposure and cut through holiday clutter to deliver big results in earned PR despite the lack of a dedicated marketing budget for the film.

The concept of DEAR SANTA, a branded documentary, was born.

As the public’s first major exposure to USPS’s Operation Santa program, it was imperative that DEAR SANTA be authentic; as such, we tapped award-winning director Dana Nachman (Batkid Begins, Pick of the Litter) who, like a Christmas miracle, shot the film over 28 days in December 2019. Four film crews were activated on Christmas Eve alone to capture every moment of holiday magic from all angles.

To ensure that DEAR SANTA would be seen and embraced by the widest possible audience, the project was shopped to distributors, with distribution rights ultimately selling to IFC Films. This approach allowed DEAR SANTA to receive both theatrical and Paid-VOD distribution during the 2020 holiday season – a time when streaming use amongst COVID-homebound audiences increased 92%. Our PR strategy created interview and feature opportunities that targeted top entertainment publications and TV news programs to create the breakout opportunity we so desired.

In anticipation of the movie’s December 4, 2020 release, DEAR SANTA was highlighted in USPS's annual Holiday Mailer, which reaches over 100MM US households – a $20MM value and the first film to be promoted by mail to every American home. In-store signage appeared in all 33,000 US Post Offices and the film’s trailer ran on 4,000+ USPS digital information screens.

The film premiered at the Heartland International Film Festival where it was awarded Best Documentary Premiere and was an official selection of DOC NYC. DEAR SANTA remained a critical success with mass appeal, reaching an earned media audience of 4.3B+ with an impressive 92% certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Furthermore, the USPS was able to “deliver” a heartwarming holiday story that highlighted its incredible logistic capabilities, innovative practices, and dedicated and compassionate workforce, while shining a light on the good works and shared values USPS hold most dear.

DEAR SANTA drove positive sentiment and favorability in a challenging environment with USPS unexpectedly embroiled in U.S. election-related controversy.

The film and surrounding campaign universally boosted USPS brand perceptions, as USPS ranked #1 for shipping among consumers who encountered DEAR SANTA, +7pts versus non-exposed. Favorability increased +8pts among exposed consumers, who also identified USPS as their preferred holiday shipper by +5pts.

With zero additional media spend, DEAR SANTA reached an earned media audience of 4.3B, garnering 4.7B impressions and 783 press hits for an ad equivalency of $8,100,000+. Valuation from support through USPS owned media was $7,379,500.

DEAR SANTA so resonated with audiences that the number of gifts delivered spiked 63%, eclipsing 2019’s total in the first week of release. The film remains available for purchase on all major streaming platforms and currently lives on Hulu with plans for the film to become a perennial holiday viewing experience.