In this episode of Screen & Sponsor, Olivia speak's with Sheila Holman, head of marketing at the U.S. Postal Service, and Brendan Gaul, president of Traverse32, about the revival of the classic USPS character Mr. Zip in a new animated children’s series.

Sheila explains why now was the right time to reintroduce Mr. Zip and how USPS is reaching preschool audiences on YouTube through a partnership with Moonbug Entertainment, the studio behind Blippi and Cocomelon. Brendan shares how the project fits into USPS’s broader branded entertainment strategy—including the Dear Santa franchise—and why narrative storytelling can sometimes drive deeper engagement than traditional ads.

We cover:

• How Mr. Zip was reinvented for today’s audiences with new sidekicks B. Franklin and Farley
• Why USPS sees branded entertainment as a complement to traditional advertising
• The role of measurement and KPIs in long-form brand storytelling
• How USPS plans to expand Mr. Zip into books, licensing, and other revenue streams
• Why consistency in children’s programming matters, and what shows like Bluey and Scooby-Doo can teach marketers

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