A 1963 U.S. Post Office sign with Mr. Zip encouraging the use of ZIP codes
The United States Post Office Department implemented postal zones for large cities
in 1943. By the early 1960s a more general system was needed, and on July 1, 1963,
non -mandatory ZIP codes were announced for the whole country.Simultaneously with
the introduction of the ZIP code (Zone Improvement Plan). Also introduced was the
two-letter state abbreviations.
"Use Zip code" labels were also used to promote the use of a ZIP code.
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Mr. ZIP was based on an original design by Howard Wilcox, son of a letter carrier and a member of the Cunningham and Walsh advertising agency, for use by a New York bank in a bank-by-mail campaign. Wilcox’s design was a child-like sketch of a postman delivering a letter. The figure was used only a few times, then filed away. Later, AT&T acquired the design and made it available to the Post Office Department at no cost. … Post Office Department artists retained the face but sharpened the limbs and torso and added a mail bag. The new figure, dubbed Mr. ZIP, was unveiled at a convention of postmasters in October 1962.
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