Ogilvy Updates USPS's Famous 'Neither Snow nor Rain' Creed for the Trump Era

Snow, rain, heat and gloom of night are the least of the U.S. Postal Service’s worries these days.

The institution has become the focus of a partisan debate over whether this year’s mail-in election ballots—of which there will be more than usual, due to the pandemic—will be delivered swiftly and securely. But that’s just the latest blow in a troubling trajectory for the USPS, which is generally in need of an overhaul.

To bring attention to the USPS’s plight, Ogilvy has created a well-crafted, sobering 60-second spot for Stand By Your Mail, a grassroots initiative to help save the USPS. The spot is based around a reimagining of the iconic unofficial Post Office creed, which normally reads, “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”

The new version adds some further impediments to the courier’s path, which will be familiar to those who’ve watched the Trump administration’s maneuverings lately.

The voices of different Americans provide the voiceover, designed to illustrate that the problems affect all—not just one political party. 

“We wanted to encourage Americans to support the USPS and the men and women who work tirelessly to deliver our mail, no matter the conditions. Its future truly depends on us,” says Samantha Gorelik, creative director at Ogilvy Chicago.

“Support of the Post Office should not be a partisan issue,” adds associate creative director Estee Mathes. “We are determined to remind Americans that the Post Office is such a vital organization and so important to our democracy, so we created this film to reinforce how much we depend on them.” 

Those interested in learning more about Stand by Your Mail or supporting the campaign can visit StandByYourMail.org. 

“The Stand By Your Mail campaign is not just about saving the Post Office, but revitalizing It,” says Peter Bull, one of the campaign’s founders. “We imagine a future where the USPS can do so much more than deliver the mail, providing opportunities like postal banking and broadband services.” 

CREDITS

Agency: Ogilvy 
Deputy Worldwide Chief Creative Officer: Joe Sciarrotta 
Creatives: Samantha Gorelik and Estee Mathes 
Executive Producer: Gayle McCormick 
Production: Eyepatch 
Director: Mike Diedrich 

Schilling Films 
Director of Photography: Brian Schilling 

Post-Production: Optimus 
Editor: Randy Palmer 
Assistant Editor: Ariana DeSimone 
Colorist: Kalvin Johnson 
Supervising Colorist: Paul Galati 
Sr. Audio Engineer: Marina Killion 
Sr. Audio Assistant: Zach Scheitlin 
Director of Finish: Glen Noren 
Sr. Finish Assistant: Connor Luczak 
EP: Tracy Spera 
Assoc. Producer: Alex Campbell