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WORLD CUP 2026 – How It Works

We are so excited to witness Houston “Welcome the World” for the 2026 World Cup. The FIFA World Cup is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world.  It is held every four years. Here’s how the tournament will generally work.

  1. Qualification Rounds : The tournament begins with a series of qualification matches that span several years before the World Cup. Teams from various regions compete in these matches to secure a spot in the finals. The number of teams that qualify varies by region, as determined by FIFA.
  2. Final Tournament : The World Cup itself typically features 32 teams (increasing to 48 teams starting in 2026) competing in a month-long tournament. The teams are divided into groups for the initial stage.
  3. Group Stage : In the group stage, teams are divided into groups of four. Each team plays the others in their group once, and points are awarded for wins and draws (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 for a loss). The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage.
  4. Knockout Stage : This phase consists of single-elimination matches. If a game ends in a draw after 90 minutes, it goes to extra time, and if still tied, a penalty shootout determines the winner. This stage includes the Round of 16, Quarter-finals, Semi-finals, and the Final.
  5. Final Match : The final match takes place at a designated venue, where the two remaining teams compete for the championship title. The winner is crowned the World Cup champion and receives the iconic trophy.
  6. Trophy and Legacy : The winning team not only gets the trophy but also earns the honor of being world champions, along with a place in football history.

The World Cup is celebrated for its global reach.  The 2022 World Cup had 1.5 billion viewers worldwide.

Read more here https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/houston-stadium-host-seven-matches

Top Performing Global Brand of 2024 by YouGov

YouGov has released their list of Best Global Brands of 2024.  See the methodology of the data below.  YouGov is an international online research data and analytics technology group. Their mission is to offer unparalleled insight into what the world thinks.

With operations in the UK, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, India and Asia Pacific, they are one of the world’s largest research networks.

As innovators and pioneers of online market research, , YouGov data is regularly referenced by the global press, and are one of the most quoted market research source in the world.  Learn more at https://today.yougov.com/

TOP GLOBAL BRANDS OF 2024

  1. SAMSUNG
  2. YOUTUBE
  3. WHATS AP
  4. GOOGLE
  5. ADIDAS
  6. NIKE
  7. COLGATE
  8. NETFLIX
  9. TOYOTA
  10. IKEA

TOP USA BRANDS OF 2024

  1. AMAZON
  2. DAWN
  3. BAND-AID
  4. SAMSUNG
  5. DOVE
  6. AMAZON PRIME
  7. ST JUDE’S CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
  8. YOUTUBE
  9. M&M
  10. HOME DEPOT

METHODOLOGY

YouGov’s Best Global Brands 2025 are powered by YouGov BrandIndex. Based on over a million  customer surveys in 28 markets, rankings are based on brands’ Index scores taken from YouGov BrandIndex, between January 1st, 2024, and December 31st, 2024. The Index
score within YouGov BrandIndex is a composite measure that summarizes overall brand health.
The six-component metrics of the Index score are:
• Impression: Do people have a positive or negative impression of the brand?
• Quality: Do people perceive the brand’s products or services as good or poor-quality?
• Value: Does the brand offer good or poor value for money?
• Satisfaction: Are customers satisfied or dissatisfied with their
experience of the brand?
• Reputation: Would people be proud or embarrassed to work for
the brand?
• Recommend: Would people recommend the brand to others, or
tell them to avoid it?
Methodology
To qualify for YouGov’s Best Global Brands, brands must be listed in a minimum of 10 markets out of the 28 markets analyzed in total. The markets are: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, and Vietnam.
Brands that are tracked across multiple sectors are ranked based on their  highest-ranking sector per market. Both parent and child brands, such as Google and YouTube, are included to allow for greater granularity in performance tracking. Brands must have a minimum sample size of 300 to be included. For a brand to qualify as a top 10 brand, it must have scores available
for at least 6 months (183 days).
Market-level deep-dives follow the same methodology but are based solely on respondents’ answers in the indicated market. Top improvers are ranked based on year-on-year improvement to Index score, between January 1st, 2023, and December 31st, 2024. All scores are rounded. For brands with the same change in score, ranking is based on highest 2024 Index score. For a brand to qualify as a most-improved brand, it must have scores available for at least 18 months (548 days).

How U.S. Public Opinion Has Changed in 20 Years of Pew Research Centers Surveys

When The Pew Charitable Trusts established the Pew Research Center in 2004, their methods for surveying the American public were grounded in the traditional approach of contacting individuals on their landline phones and hoping for a response. The Center is celebrating its  20th anniversary this year, the survey techniques have significantly diversified, and now the majority of interviews are conducted online.

Over the past two decades, the Pew Institute reports that public opinion has also transformed in significant ways, reflecting broader changes in the country and the world.  Recently they reported on how Americans’ perspectives and experiences have evolved on a range of topics, including technology and news media platforms.

The Rise of Internet and Mobile Technology

The last 20 years have seen a dramatic surge in technology that allows individuals to engage with the world in unprecedented ways. In 2004, only 63% of U.S. adults were internet users, and 65% owned cellphones (we hadn’t yet begun asking about smartphones). Today, 95% of U.S. adults navigate the internet, and 90% possess a smartphone, according based on their surveys.

Social media began gaining traction in 2004, coinciding with Mark Zuckerberg’s launch of “The Facebook” from his Harvard dorm room. Since then, social media has become widely embraced by Americans and evolved into a significant source of news, even amidst growing concerns regarding misinformation and national security.

Conversely, many traditional news outlets have faced difficulties. In 2004, daily weekday newspaper circulation in the U.S. was approximately 55 million, but by 2022, that number plummeted to just below 21 million. The decline in advertising revenue and workforce reductions have also afflicted newspapers.

In this increasingly fragmented media landscape, trust in news organizations has waned, particularly among Republicans. Nevertheless, a greater number of people still express more confidence in information from news organizations than from social media platforms.

Emerging Technologies

While some technological advancements over the past two decades have gained widespread acceptance, others remain in the realm of speculation. For instance, this year, Elon Musk revealed that his company Neuralink has implanted a computer chip in the brain of a living individual. This chip aims to enable users to operate phones or computers through thought alone—an idea that many Americans find unsettling.

Additional innovations that may have seemed improbable in 2004 include driverless cars, space tourism, AI chatbots like ChatGPT, and gene editing to minimize a child’s risk of serious health conditions. Research indicates that Americans are still becoming acquainted with these emerging technologies and forming opinions about them, suggesting that public attitudes toward these and similar innovations will continue to evolve over the next 20 years.

USPMG DeJoy Stepping Down

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is set to resign from his position leading the U.S. Postal Service, creating a vacancy that the agency’s governing board must fill as it continues to implement contentious and wide-ranging reforms.

DeJoy has informed the USPS board to begin the search for his successor, just a few months after stating he intended to hold onto the role “until somebody hauls me out of here.” Since taking the position in 2020, DeJoy has faced heavy criticism for initiatives that slowed mail delivery, increased prices, and consolidated mail processing, although he has also received some support for presenting a long-term strategy aimed at addressing the agency’s financial woes.

The appointment of postmasters general is not bound by fixed terms and is made by the governing board. Although President Biden faced pressure to dismiss DeJoy, a longtime Republican donor with a background in private sector logistics, only the board or DeJoy himself could initiate his removal.

DeJoy acknowledged that “critical work” remains to fulfill his vision for the agency but felt it was time to initiate the process for finding his replacement. He emphasized the importance of having stable leadership for the multi-year initiatives currently underway.

“The major initiatives we are currently endeavoring are multi-year programs and it is important to have leadership in place whose tenure will span this future period,” DeJoy stated. He noted, “After four and a half years leading one of America’s greatest public institutions through dramatic change during unusual times, it is time for me to start thinking about the next phase of my life, while also ensuring that the Postal Service is fully prepared for the future.”

Under DeJoy’s 10-year Delivering for America plan, the USPS aims to streamline operations and achieve financial stability after years of losses. His approach, which includes increasing prices and reducing costs more aggressively than before, has sparked backlash from a diverse group of lawmakers, agency regulators, the inspector general, and stakeholders in the mailing community.

The current board of governors, responsible for selecting his successor, includes three Republican members, two Democrats, and an independent. President Trump has the ability to nominate three new members to fill vacant seats and a fourth to replace Roman Martinez, who is finishing a holdover year.

An industry executive speculated that DeJoy’s decision to step down could be timed to allow Trump to reshape the board, potentially leading to the appointment of someone aligned with DeJoy’s policies or a significant shift in USPS operations. During his presidency, Trump proposed privatizing the Postal Service and has hinted at considering such measures again.

DeJoy did not meet his goal of returning USPS to profitability in fiscal years 2023 and 2024 and anticipates falling short in fiscal 2025 as well. However, the agency did record a profit in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, which is unusual in the past decade. Despite facing criticism, DeJoy has asserted that his primary mandate is to ensure mail and package delivery six days a week without federal support, contending that his reforms are essential for meeting that goal.

The Postal Regulatory Commission has frequently clashed with DeJoy, recently criticizing his reform strategies as poorly conceived and lacking compelling evidence of success. Large-scale mail users have expressed discontent with the increased costs and diminished service quality. Even members of Congress from DeJoy’s own party have pledged to block his proposed changes.

The most notable components of DeJoy’s plan include consolidating mail processing into 60 mega-centers across the country, centralizing mail sorting away from local post offices, and allowing some mail to be held overnight for next-day collection. Additionally, he is investing $40 billion into the USPS for new facilities, upgrades to long-neglected workspaces, and purchasing a new fleet of vehicles—most of which will be electric.

Amber McReynolds, a Biden appointee who has just been elected as chair of the board, praised DeJoy for his dedicated service and efforts to modernize the Postal Service. She described him as a “fighter” who fostered a “competitive spirit and a culture of achievement” within the agency and pledged to continue working toward a transformed USPS.

DeJoy conveyed pride in his accomplishments and the postal workforce, commending their resilience amid the challenges posed by an outdated legislative and regulatory framework. He expressed that it had been both an honor and a personal milestone of his career to work with the USPS and support its mission of public service.

Marriage Mail vs Individual Mail

The effectiveness of marriage mail (joint mailings where multiple advertisers share the same envelope) compared to individual mailings can vary depending on the specific goals and target audience of a marketing campaign. Here are some factors to consider when evaluating the effectiveness of marriage mail vs. individual mail:

Cost savings: Marriage mail can be cost-effective as multiple advertisers share the cost of production and postage. This can be beneficial for businesses looking to reach a larger audience without breaking the bank.

Reach and impact: Marriage mail may reach a broader audience as it combines the mailing lists of multiple advertisers. However, individual mailings can provide more targeted messaging and personalized content, which may resonate more with recipients.

Response rates: The response rates for marriage mail and individual mailings can vary based on factors such as the quality of the mailing list, the design and content of the mail piece, and the relevance of the offer to the recipient. Testing and tracking results are essential to determine which approach yields better results for a specific campaign.

In conclusion, marriage mail and individual mail can both be effective marketing strategies depending on the campaign objectives, target audience, and budget constraints. It is essential to carefully consider these factors and conduct testing to determine which approach works best for your business.

WHAT IS CX?

CX Marketing is a customer experience (CX) strategy.  It is a company’s plan to ensure that customers have positive interactions with the business at every point of their journey. It’s a holistic approach that involves all departments, not just those that are traditionally considered customer-facing. The goal of a CX strategy is to define the company’s CX goals and create long-term plans to help employees meet or exceed customer expectations.

HOLIDAY MILITARY SHIP DATES

The United States Postal Service (USPS) recommends shipping packages to military addresses by the following dates to arrive by Christmas Day, Monday, December 25, 2024:
Priority Mail Express Military Service: December 15
USPS Ground Advantage: December 16
First-Class Mail: December 16
Priority Mail: December 18

Crafting a Compelling Marketing Message


Crafting a Compelling Marketing Message: 10 Key Elements to Consider

A Headline That Captivates:
Start with a bold, attention-grabbing headline by highlighting three standout features and benefits that set you apart from competitors. Make it clear why choosing your business is the best decision.

Who You Are:
With distractions at every turn, it’s essential to succinctly communicate what you do and why your product or service matters. Ensure potential customers understand why you’re their top choice.

Establishing Trust:
While many claim to be the best, what solidifies your credibility? Consider showcasing your company’s experience—like years in business, success stories, customer satisfaction ratings, and any awards or recognitions you have received.

Your Competitive Edge:
Take time to identify your Unique Selling Proposition (USP). What Distinctive advantages do you offer that competitors don’t? This could be exceptional service, specialized expertise, or unique product features.

Authentic Testimonials:
Avoid over-hyping your company with generic claims. Instead, use genuine testimonials from satisfied customers to build trust and credibility in your offerings.

Bold Promises:
Create interest by making enticing claims about your product or service. For instance, “Your lawn will look brand new after our premium fertilization service!” Such statements can  significantly boost engagement.

Emotional Connection:
Prospects respond emotionally, so consider sharing impactful before-and-after photos or images of delighted customers. Highlight the positive feelings they will experience post-purchase.

Iron-Clad Guarantees:
Avoid empty promises by offering strong guarantees. Whether it’s a money-back satisfaction guarantee or “only pay if you’re thrilled,” these assurances can alleviate buyer hesitations.

Attractive Offers:
Capture immediate attention with high-value incentives that are appealing to potential buyers. Consider promotional strategies such as discounts, free trials, or exclusive gifts to entice new customers.

Create Urgency:
Encourage timely responses by instilling a sense of urgency or fear of missing out. Clearly communicate how long your offer lasts, like “limited time only” or “expires in 30 days,” to prompt customers to act quickly.

The USPS – Looking Ahead to 2025

Anticipated Changes at the United States Postal Service in 2025: What to Expect

As we look ahead to 2025, significant changes are on the horizon for the United States Postal Service (USPS). These anticipated updates are poised to impact both consumers and businesses, especially those in the direct mail industry. Understanding these changes can help you adapt your strategies and stay ahead in an ever-evolving landscape.

Pricing and Services Adjustments
We are excited to announce that the USPS decided not to raise postage rates in January!  However, we do expect postage to go up another 7.5% in July of 2025.

Infrastructure Modernization
One of the most notable initiatives in the USPS’s roadmap is the modernization of its infrastructure. The agency is focusing on upgrading its facilities and sorting equipment to enhance efficiency and speed. This modernization aims to streamline operations, reduce delivery times, and improve overall service quality. For direct mail companies, this means more reliable timelines for sending and receiving materials, ultimately benefiting your campaigns.

Expansion of Delivery Options
In response to the growing demand for flexibility in shipping, USPS is likely to expand its range of delivery options. This could include more localized delivery services and enhanced tracking features aimed at providing customers with real-time updates. As a result, businesses will have better tools to analyze delivery effectiveness and customer preferences, potentially leading to more targeted marketing strategies.

Sustainability Initiatives
Sustainability will continue to be a priority for the USPS. Anticipated changes may involve investments in greener vehicles and methods for waste reduction. Enhanced recycling programs and a commitment to using sustainable materials may also be in the works. Direct mail companies can align their practices with these initiatives to attract eco-conscious consumers and enhance their brand image.

Increased Digital Integration
The USPS is advancing its digital strategy, aiming to integrate more technological solutions within its operations. This includes improved online tracking, automated notifications, and possibly advancements in artificial intelligence to predict delivery times and efficiency. For marketers, leveraging these digital tools can enhance customer communication and increase the effectiveness of direct mail campaigns.

Rural and Urban Delivery Enhancements
To better serve various demographics, USPS plans to refine its delivery services in both urban and rural areas. Expect innovations that cater specifically to challenging delivery locations, such as more frequent service in underserved areas. This is a golden opportunity for direct mail companies to engage with previously unreachable audiences, ensuring that marketing materials reach potential customers who have been overlooked.

We will keep you informed of the ever-changing landscape as it unfolds.