HERSHEY, PA. — Love and the sweet smell of chocolate filled the air today during an event at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pa. The U.S. Postal Service® dedicated the 2007 With Love and Kisses stamp, which is available nationwide today.

“Americans traditionally send something sweet in their envelopes on Valentine’s Day,” said John E. Potter, postmaster general and chief executive officer, U.S. Postal Service, at the stamp dedication ceremony. “With the With Love and Kisses stamp, they can now put something sweet on their envelope.”

Joining Potter in the dedication was Richard H. Lenny, chairman, president and chief executive officer, The Hershey Company®; Honorable Tim Holden, member of Congress,17th district of Pennsylvania; and David E. Failor, executive director, Stamp Services, U.S. Postal Service.

“The Hershey®'s Kisses® Brand is an enduring symbol of love, affection and sharing, recognized world over for its distinct shape, classic silver foil and unmistakable plume,” said Lenny. “The With Love and Kisses stamp reinforces the passion and emotional connection consumers have with the iconic Hershey's Kisses Brand.”

Evoking images of sweet and ardent affection, the With Love and Kisses stamp features a Hershey’s Kisses Chocolate and a red heart that form mirror images of one another. Written on the heart is “Love,” while “Kisses” appears on the plume that extends from the top of the chocolate treat.

The unmistakable shape of Hershey’s Kisses Chocolates has not changed since The Hershey Company introduced this milk chocolate candy to the nation in 1907. Wrapped by hand until the process was automated in 1921, Hershey’s Kisses Brand Chocolates have been available year-round for 100 years with only one exception. Production ceased from 1942 to 1949, when silver foil was rationed as a result of the war effort. Hershey’s Kisses Brand Chocolates wrapped in red and silver foil were introduced in 1986 in honor of Valentine’s Day.

The Postal Service™ began issuing its popular Love stamps in 1973, and the With Love and Kisses stamp marks the 23rd in the series. Over the years these stamps have been used on wedding correspondence, Valentine’s Day sentiments and Mother’s Day and Father’s Day cards.

Award-winning illustrator José Ortega of New York City and Toronto, who designed the With Love and Kisses stamp, previously designed the Salsa stamp, one of four stamps that appeared as part of the 2005 Let’s Dance: Bailemos! stamp issue.


With Love and Kisses Promotion Fact Sheet

“Guess & Win” Sweepstakes

The United States Postal Service® is celebrating the launch of the With Love and Kisses stamp by offering consumers a chance to win a romantic getaway.

• Beginning January 15 through February 15, 2007, the U.S. Postal Service® is giving consumers a chance to win $10,000 for a romantic getaway of their choice, along with other great prizes, in the exciting “Guess & Win” Sweepstakes.
  
  
• To enter, consumers can guess how many Hershey®’s Kisses® Brand Chocolates will fit inside a U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail® flat-rate box (dimensions: 11 7/8" x 3 3/8" x 13 5/8"). Interested consumers can visit participating Post Office™ locations to receive a “Guess & Win” entry form and personal access code. Entries can then be submitted online at www.guessandwinsweeps.com or by sending a 3 x 5 note card, including name and address, to USPS Guess & Win Sweepstakes, PO Box 861, Bethpage, NY 11714-0861.
  
  
• One lucky winner who correctly guesses the number of Hershey’s Kisses Chocolates that fit inside a U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail flat-rate box will receive $10,000 for a romantic getaway, compliments of the Postal Service™. Additional prizes include 100 “In the Mailbox™ With Love and Kisses” bears.
  
  
• Consumers can also enter this sweet promotion by visiting usps.com and clicking on the “Guess & Win” banner, or by visiting www.guessandwinsweeps.com directly to make their guess.
  
  
• In addition to offering consumers a chance for exciting prizes, www.guessandwinsweeps.com is also helping people to connect with a kiss. To celebrate the personal connections fostered by the U.S. Postal Service and Hershey’s Kisses Brand Chocolates, consumers nationwide can send “Virtual Kiss” e-mails to friends and loved ones from the site.
  
  
• The U.S. Postal Service “Guess & Win” Sweepstakes is open to legal U.S. residents 18 years of age or older. Winners will be announced on or about February 23, 2007, by Strobe Promotions, Inc., an independent judging organization.
  
  
• Entrants can view the official rules at www.guessandwinsweeps.com.
  

With Love and Kisses Philatelic Fact Sheet

Philatelic Products

There are five philatelic products available for this stamp issue.

• Item 676740: Booklet Pane of 20 - $7.80
• Item 676761: First Day Cover - $.0.77
• Item 676765: DCP CNC Cover - $1.50
• Item 676793: First Day Cover Keepsake - $8.57
• Item 676799: Digital Color Postmark Keepsake - $9.30

How to Order First Day Covers

Stamp Fulfillment Services also offers first day covers for new stamp issues and Postal Service stationery items postmarked with the official first day of issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the quarterly USA Philatelic catalog. Customers may request a free catalog by calling 800-STAMP-24 or writing to:

INFORMATION FULFILLMENT
DEPT 6270
US POSTAL SERVICE
PO BOX 219014
KANSAS CITY MO 64121-9014

How to Order First Day of Issue Postmark

Customers have 60 days to obtain the first day of issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, by telephone at 800-STAMP-24 and at The Postal Store® Web site at www.usps.com/shop.

They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others) and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

WITH LOVE AND KISSES STAMP
POSTMASTER
FIRST DAY OF ISSUE CANCELLATION
50 N LINDEN RD
HERSHEY PA 17033-9998

After applying the first day of issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark. All orders must be postmarked by March 13, 2007.


Since 1775, the United States Postal Service and its predecessor, the Post Office Department, have connected friends, families, neighbors and businesses by mail. An independent federal agency that visits more than 146 million homes and businesses every day, the Postal Service is the only service provider delivering to every address in the nation. It receives no taxpayer dollars for routine operations, but derives its operating revenues solely from the sale of postage, products and services. With annual revenues of $72 billion, it is the world's leading provider of mailing and delivery services, offering some of the most affordable postage rates in the world. The U.S. Postal Service delivers more than 46 percent of the world's mail volume—some 213 billion letters, advertisements, periodicals and packages a year—and serves 10 million customers each day at its 37,000 retail locations nationwide.

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