Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
06:27:30pm
"I had never heard of "promotional" FDCs; this is genius. A way to separate your message from all of the "junk mail". The cover hopefully was set aside, saved and the message was retained."
These were especially popular in the 1960s and 1970s. They are a collecting field with many followers.
Here is a summary according to Grok:
Commercial promotional First Day Covers (FDCs) have been utilized by businesses in the United States as an ingenious marketing strategy, intertwining philately with promotional activities. These FDCs are envelopes or cards bearing new-issue stamps that are postmarked on the first day of issue. Companies would often produce these covers to promote their products, services, or events by mailing them to existing clients and potential customers. One notable example involves the use of FDCs by companies like the Westinghouse Electric Corporation. In 1955, Westinghouse issued a promotional FDC for the launch of the "Atoms for Peace" commemorative stamp, which was designed to underscore their involvement in nuclear technology and peaceful applications of atomic energy (Source: "Linn's Stamp News").
Another instance is from the 1930s when the 1934 National Parks Year stamps were issued. Companies like the Union Pacific Railroad capitalized on the event by creating FDCs that not only celebrated the stamps but also promoted travel to the National Parks accessible by their rail lines. These covers were distributed to travel agents, tourism boards, and individuals on their mailing lists, effectively combining philatelic interest with commercial advertising (Source: "The American Philatelist").
Such promotional FDCs serve multiple purposes: they act as tangible keepsakes that can generate goodwill, offer a unique form of advertisement, and sometimes even become collectible items in their own right, adding a layer of value for recipients who might be stamp collectors. This practice showcases how businesses have historically blended marketing with cultural or national events through the medium of philately.
And here is a small selection from my "sold database":
Roy
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Very nice Roy. Thanks for sharing.
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I believe this cover qualifies as a commercial cover.
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Hi Roy,,
The Union Carbide Corporation in Bound Brook, New Jersey, used U.S. first day covers to send information about their products in the 1960s. The cachets were created by Marq cachets.
Although not first day covers, in 1956 Abbott Laboratories launched the “Round the World” postcard campaign sending postcards advertising the anesthetic Pentothal Sodium from 77 different countries to over 200,000 physicians. I believe the mailings ended in 1968.
I will be glad to send one of the Union Carbide covers to anyone who wants one, free of charge and postpaid. I just need your U.S. mailing address. Not all the examples that I have include a letter.
Below are examples from Union Carbide and a postcard sent by Abbott Laboratories from Monaco .
Fr
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BuckaCover.com - 80,000 covers priced 60c to $1.50 - Easy browsing 500 categories
18 Feb 2025
06:27:30pm
In another thread ernieinjax said:
"I had never heard of "promotional" FDCs; this is genius. A way to separate your message from all of the "junk mail". The cover hopefully was set aside, saved and the message was retained."
These were especially popular in the 1960s and 1970s. They are a collecting field with many followers.
Here is a summary according to Grok:
Commercial promotional First Day Covers (FDCs) have been utilized by businesses in the United States as an ingenious marketing strategy, intertwining philately with promotional activities. These FDCs are envelopes or cards bearing new-issue stamps that are postmarked on the first day of issue. Companies would often produce these covers to promote their products, services, or events by mailing them to existing clients and potential customers. One notable example involves the use of FDCs by companies like the Westinghouse Electric Corporation. In 1955, Westinghouse issued a promotional FDC for the launch of the "Atoms for Peace" commemorative stamp, which was designed to underscore their involvement in nuclear technology and peaceful applications of atomic energy (Source: "Linn's Stamp News").
Another instance is from the 1930s when the 1934 National Parks Year stamps were issued. Companies like the Union Pacific Railroad capitalized on the event by creating FDCs that not only celebrated the stamps but also promoted travel to the National Parks accessible by their rail lines. These covers were distributed to travel agents, tourism boards, and individuals on their mailing lists, effectively combining philatelic interest with commercial advertising (Source: "The American Philatelist").
Such promotional FDCs serve multiple purposes: they act as tangible keepsakes that can generate goodwill, offer a unique form of advertisement, and sometimes even become collectible items in their own right, adding a layer of value for recipients who might be stamp collectors. This practice showcases how businesses have historically blended marketing with cultural or national events through the medium of philately.
And here is a small selection from my "sold database":
Roy
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re: US commercial promotional FDCs
Very nice Roy. Thanks for sharing.
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re: US commercial promotional FDCs
I believe this cover qualifies as a commercial cover.
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re: US commercial promotional FDCs
Hi Roy,,
The Union Carbide Corporation in Bound Brook, New Jersey, used U.S. first day covers to send information about their products in the 1960s. The cachets were created by Marq cachets.
Although not first day covers, in 1956 Abbott Laboratories launched the “Round the World” postcard campaign sending postcards advertising the anesthetic Pentothal Sodium from 77 different countries to over 200,000 physicians. I believe the mailings ended in 1968.
I will be glad to send one of the Union Carbide covers to anyone who wants one, free of charge and postpaid. I just need your U.S. mailing address. Not all the examples that I have include a letter.
Below are examples from Union Carbide and a postcard sent by Abbott Laboratories from Monaco .
Fred
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