Surprise! SpongeBob Postcards

[UPDATED] A surprise from the U.S. Postal Service and the Nickelodeon children’s television channel, announced on the same day they were first available — and they’re only going available in 25,000 post offices.

They’re not “postal cards,” or postal stationery, as we first thought. They’re available for free.

Here’s the press release:

 [Nickelodeon press release]
Nickelodeon And The United States Postal Service Team Up For “SpongeBob Mailpants” Letter Writing Program

Campaign Encourages Kids to Write and Mail Letters


30 Custom-Wrapped SpongeBob Mailboxes Placed in 13 Cities Nationwide, as Program Rolls Out in 25,000 Post Office Locations

spongebob_card2NEW YORK, Dec. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Today Nickelodeon and the United States Postal Service are launching “SpongeBob MailPants,” an educational letter-writing program that uses SpongeBob SquarePants to show kids the fun of writing, sending and receiving mail this holiday season. Now through Jan. 4, 2014, kids can get special postage-paid, customized SpongeBob postcards at more than 25,000 Post Office locations nationwide to connect with their loved ones using the U.S. Postal Service.

In addition to the postcards, 30 mailboxes are being wrapped in a custom SpongeBob design in cities, including Atlanta, GA; Boston, MA; Charlotte, NC; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Hollywood, FL; Kirkwood, MO; Los Angeles, CA; Miami, FL; New York, NY; Orlando, FL; Philadelphia, PA; and Washington, DC, adding a blast of color and comedy to sidewalks this winter.

spongebob_cardback2“This program is a great way to inspire kids to write and send cards and letters because it’s done with the fun, positivity and humor of the one and only SpongeBob SquarePants,” said Pam Kaufman, Chief Marketing Officer and President of Consumer Products for Nickelodeon. “SpongeBob MailPants is a terrific partnership between Nickelodeon and the Postal Service, and we’re thrilled that kids and families across the country can go to their local Post Office for some SpongeBob-inspired holiday cheer.”

“We’re excited to partner with Nickelodeon. This is a great, fun way to teach kids to write postcards. What better way to encourage kids to experience the excitement of sending personal correspondence than teaming up with SpongeBob, who is adored by children of all ages,” said Nagisa Manabe, Chief Marketing and Sales Officer at the United States Postal Service. “And the timing is perfect. A postcard is a terrific way to send a holiday thank you.”

Kids, parents, and teachers who want to learn more about letter writing and the “SpongeBob MailPants” program can visit www.nick.com/usps to find the following:

  • A step-by-step, interactive video tutorial that guides kids through the process of writing a letter and provides printable practice sheets.
  • Customizable and printable SpongeBob stationery that will be updated with new imagery throughout the program.
  • Writing-themed SpongeBob video clips.

spongebob_mailbox2Since its launch in July 1999, SpongeBob SquarePants has emerged as a pop culture phenomenon.  The series has been the most-watched animated program with kids 2-11 for more than 12 consecutive years, and over the past several years, it has averaged more than 100 million total viewers every quarter across all Nickelodeon networks. As the most widely distributed property in Viacom history, SpongeBob is seen in more than 170 countries and translated into more than 35 languages. The character-driven cartoon chronicles the nautical and sometimes nonsensical adventures of SpongeBob, an incurable optimist and earnest sea sponge, and his undersea friends.

This partnership with the United States Postal Service was created by Nickelodeon’s New Business Development team, which brings family-influenced insights to the marketing community and delivers new, robust partnership solutions to clients.

About USPS
 

The second design

The second design

A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation: 152 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. With more than 31,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, usps.com, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $65 billion and delivers nearly 40 percent of the world’s mail. If it were a private-sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 42nd in the 2012 Fortune 500. The Postal Service has been named the Most Trusted Government Agency for seven years and the fifth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute.

About Nickelodeon
spongebob_2card2Nickelodeon, now in its 34th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in more than 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 18 consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B).

3 thoughts on “Surprise! SpongeBob Postcards

  1. The top picture’s caption: “This is one of the three postage-paid customized SpongeBob postcards created for the “SpongeBob MailPants” letter writing program that will be available through Jan. 4 more than 25,000 post offices.”

    Mailbox picture: “Thirty SpongeBob SquarePants-themed mailboxes will be featured in 13 cities nationwide in honor of the Nickelodeon and U.S. Postal Service “SpongeBob MailPants” letter writing program.”

  2. Here are the locations of the special mailboxes:

    District / Physical Box Location / Type of Location

    Atlanta / 1001 Johnson Ferry Road NE Atlanta, GA 30342 / Children’s Healthcare of Atl.

    Mid- Carolina / 301 N. Tryon St Charlotte, NC 28202 / Discovery Place

    Capital / 1000 Constitution Ave NW, Washington / Natural Museum of History/Smithsonian

    Capital / 2 Massachusetts Ave., N.E. / National Postal Museum

    Phila. Metro / 101 S 22nd Street 19103  ID 1910300319 / Greenfield School

    Phila. Metro / 2100 Arch Street 19103  ID  1910300309 / Franklin Institute

    Chicago / 700  E Grand Chicago IL / Navy Pier – Downtown Chi.

    Chicago / 535 N Michigan Chicago IL / Michigan and Grand – Major Intersection on Magnificent Mile Downtown Chicago

    Gateway / 439 S Kirkwood Rd Kirkwood MO / Magic House – Children’s Museum

    Greater Boston / 25 Dorchester Ave / Harvard Sq

    Greater Boston / 25 Dorchester Ave / Main downtown PO

    New York / 50th Street & 5th Avenue NW/C / Rockerfeller Center

    New York / Times Sq / 43 St. & Broadway NE/C / Times Square

    New York / W 33 St & 7 Ave NW/C / Madison Square Garden

    New York / 48 St & 6 Ave SE/C / Radio City Music Hall

    New York / 34 St & 5 Ave SE/C / Empire State Building

    New York / 42nd Street & Avenue of the Americas NE/C / NY Public Library (Main)

    Los Angeles / 189 The Grove Dr., LA 90036 / Mall

    Los Angeles / 3525 W. Carson St. 90503 / Mall

    Los Angeles / 500 Lakewood Center 90712 / Mall

    Dallas / 500 Elm  Dallas TX 75201 / JFK Museum

    South Florida / 3100 SW 60th Court, Miami FL 33155 / Children’s Hospital

    Dallas / 2401 S Semmons FWY Lewisville TX 75067 / (Vista Ridge Mall)

    Dallas / 2100 Dallas PKWY Plano TX 75093 / Polo Crossing Shopping Center

    Suncoast / 6500 Carrier DR. Orlando, FL 32819 / Strip Mall CPU

    Suncoast / 1000 Universal Studios Plaza Orlando, FL 32819 / Nickelodian Studios

    Suncoast / 14500 Continental Gateway Orlando FL 32821 / Nick Hotel

    South Florida / 1003 N 35th Avenue, Hollywood FL 33021 / DiMaggio Children’s Hospital

    HQ / 475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Wahington DC 20260 / USPS HQ

  3. OK, so here is my story: The local post office got their postcard shipment in yesterday, 12/10/13. I was in the main po on 12/11/13, and not seeing any sign of SBMP (Spongebob Mailpants) post cards, I waited in line and got to the window and asked the clerk. She knew about them, said “We got in a shipment yesterday”. and said “let me go look”. She went to the back, came back with a clear cellophane package with HUGE postcards in it…..looked like about two brown paper banded stacks of cards. She cut it open, asked how many did I want (drool, drool) knowing they were free, and I said, “May of have 10 of each ?” She said sure, and pulled off the blank bands and counted out 10 of each of TWO designs…..the full face of SBMP and the GROUP scene of his friends. I said that “they” said there were THREE designs, she went back and said there were only these two and she had this huge flat mailbox with TWO slots in it for depositing the cards into, and decided that there were only two different designs. Then she said “Let’s see how I scan these”, and I said they were freebies ! She said “Oh”, and sent me on my happy, happy way.

    There was a local news TV crew in the lobby area talking to several USPS officials about another local promotion they were going on 12/11 about the MAIL TO EVERY ADDRESS/direct mail promo and I talked with one man there for awhile, showing off my new treasures…..he knew about them ! I remarked that the window display for Jenny sheets were gone…..and I wondered if they sold all theirs….he said they were still on display in the glass case…..if you haven’t seen that counter cardboard display, it is VERY impressive !

    So my question is: should I MAIL some of these cards to get some USED samples….will they be postmarked ????….and will I be able to score any more in area post offices before they are gone ???

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