CORPORATE IDENTITY | MY NEW CANADA POST ANTI-GRAFFITI MAILBOX

I was pleasantly surprised yesterday when I went to post a letter and saw the new CP mailbox on the corner.

I really like the design. It’s bold, graphic, and uniquely Canadian. It fulfills CP’s mission, “from anywhere to anyone” by graphically displaying all of those postal codes that connect us.

This redesign is part of an anti-grafitti initiative (I didn’t know I lived in a high graffiti neighbourhood!). You’ve probably seen some mailboxes with a maple leaf motif. Seems CP has settled on this design. I think it’s rather appropriate as it has a graffiti look to it. The Ironic Canadian! And compromise: “We’ll join you in defacing our own boxes. But we’ll do it with panache!”

°

°

°

Here are some highlights from a Canada Post PDF explaining the new design:

• There are over 32,000 Street Letter Boxes (SLBs) across the country

• They are Canada Post’s most visible and iconic touch-point

• In 2004, Canada Post piloted an “anti-graffiti” strategy in selected urban areas, including Vancouver, Ottawa and Montréal

• Selected Design: Postal Codes

• Postal codes are unique to Canada

• A red background with postmarks allows for easy brand recognition.

• All new street letter boxes are wrapped in the new decal. Canada Post will also refurbish existing SLBs with the new anti-graffiti wrap

CANADA POST ANTI-GRAFITTI MAILBOX DESIGN PDF

°

°

°

I’ve always liked Canada Post’s corporate identity program. Here’s how Wikipedia describes CP’s symbol:

Canada — a combination of a bird wing and an aircraft wing in a red circle and flanked by the words Canada Post / Postes Canada. Previously the words Canada, Canada Post, or Canada Post Corporation) were used on mail boxes. Very old postal boxes had the words “Royal Mail.”

°

°

°

It’s amazing what Postes Canada used to deliver (click the screenshot below to access a rather bizarre YouTube video from 1973):

Date of Issue: 27 April 1979

°

°

°

Here are two nice renderings of this icon of Canadian style:

Redroom Studios / Sean Robertson

Textual Creations