Celebrating Success with USP College’s Welcome Day Campaign
Formara Print & Marketing is proud to share that we have won Gold in the Mail Performance Award 2025 at the Strategic Mailing Partnership (SMP) Awards. This recognition was awarded for our work on USP College’s Welcome Day campaign, a project designed to engage prospective students and ensure a smooth, inspiring introduction to college life.
What are the SMP Awards?
The Strategic Mailing Partnership Awards celebrate excellence in mail and marketing campaigns across the UK. The awards highlight creativity, measurable performance, and the powerful results that mail continues to deliver for brands and organisations.
This year’s event was organised by Lucy Swanston, Chair of The Strategic Mailing Partnership, with Whistl UK Ltd as the main sponsor. The ceremony brought together leading agencies, brands, and print partners to showcase the best in the industry.
Formara’s Winning Campaign
Our entry focused on USP College’s Welcome Day Campaign, a carefully crafted direct mail project aimed at prospective students and their families.
The campaign’s goals were to:
- Deliver clear, personalised information about Welcome Day logistics.
- Reduce student drop-off rates between application and enrolment.
- Provide an engaging, tangible reminder that stood out against digital noise.
By combining data-driven targeting with sustainable print production, the campaign achieved exceptional engagement levels, helping USP College strengthen student relationships before term began.nships before term began.
Recognition and Achievement
We were delighted to learn that the campaign had been shortlisted for the Mail Performance Award 2025, competing against some of the most innovative players in the sector.
On the awards night, the result was announced: Formara received Gold for Mail Performance.
Representing Formara at the SMP Awards 2025 ceremony were:
- Myself Andy Pond, Managing Director
- Russ Turner, Marketing & PR Executive
- Kevin Utton, Business Development Manager
Our presence reflected the company’s team effort and long-standing commitment to delivering print and mail campaigns that perform.
Why This Matters for Education
For educational institutions like USP College, the campaign highlighted how direct mail can play a strategic role in student engagement. In an era dominated by digital communication, print can cut through the noise and provide reassurance, clarity, and impact.
Our success demonstrates:
- The power of print in educational marketing.
- How personalised communication builds trust with students and parents.
- The importance of combining creativity, sustainability, and measurable performance in outreach campaigns.
A Word from Myself
“Winning Gold for the Mail Performance Award 2025 is a proud moment for our team. The USP College campaign is a fantastic example of how print can deliver real results in education. We’re grateful to the Strategic Mailing Partnership for recognising our work, and to USP College for trusting us with such an important part of their student journey.”
Looking Ahead
This Gold Award underlines Formara’s position as one of the UK’s most reliable and innovative print partners. It also reinforces the value of direct mail as an educational engagement tool, reminding colleges and universities of the tangible difference well-executed campaigns can make.
Read the award winning - USP case study
Key Takeaways for Education Leaders
- Direct mail drives measurable student engagement beyond digital-only campaigns.
- Personalisation builds trust and connection with prospective students and parents.
- Collaboration with expert print partners ensures campaigns deliver both creatively and operationally.
- National recognition proves education-focused campaigns can stand shoulder to shoulder with commercial marketing projects.
