Valpak.com Celebrates the 125th Birthday of the Beloved Coupon

From Humble Handwritten Beginnings to More than $3 Billion in Annual Savings Each Year, the Coupon Proves Its Worth; Receives Long Overdue Party

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Valpak

Mar 08, 2012, 08:00 ET

LARGO, Fla., March 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Today more than ever before, consumers love savings, and businesses are using deals and discounts to drive their bottom line. The coupon turns 125 years old this year, and to commemorate the birthday, Valpak®, the 44-year-old savings and direct marketing leader, is throwing a "virtual party" celebrating their love of all things thrifty with a $5,000 Facebook sweepstakes, and expert advice to help consumers save money in today's digital age, including recommendations from writer, blogger and personal finance expert, Leah Ingram.

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HUMBLE BEGINNINGS FOR THE COUPON
More than a century ago in 1887, an Atlanta businessman created the first coupon to offer free samples of his new cola, now one of the most popular soft drinks in the world. Since then, the coupon has helped launch and sustain countless other brands, products and services, helped families put meals on the table through the Great Depression, and followed the consumer online through the '90s and 2000's. Today, savings are available in print and on-the-go in consumers' hands anywhere@anytime with mobile apps and websites like Valpak.com that have more than 40,000 offers online for both local merchants and national brands.

COUPON USAGE UNCOVERED
"Today, couponing and saving money is a badge of pride shoppers wear and a driving force of the economy," says Leah Ingram, personal finance expert and author of Suddenly Frugal. "Valpak recipients have loyally used coupons for decades, and, according to the 125th Birthday of the Coupon poll sponsored by Valpak.com, 58 percent of consumers have increased their couponing habits over the past few years on everything from errands like oil changes, to electronics, to pet care, and even country club weddings."

"The coupon's big birthday is worthy of a celebration from coast to coast because saving money is certainly one thing we can all agree on, and has never been easier with today's smartphone apps, coupons and deals," Ingram continues. "You don't have to dumpster dive or spend hours a day cutting coupons to live a frugal life. Today's savvy consumer is proud to stretch a dollar and has whisked off the notion that couponing is anything but a smart trend that neighbors, mothers and friends are all following as well."

Everyone's doing it. The savings celebration is a bipartisan affair, crossing party lines during the 2012 election year – 70 percent of American women use coupons, and more than half of all female Republicans (57.4 percent) and Democrats (63 percent) use coupons more than they did several years ago. Everyone can, and agree that they want and need to save money.

SAVINGS WITH TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY
Today's busy consumer uses the handy Blue Envelope to tote print offers, but is also catching on to new technologies, including the latest money-saving Valpak app for iPhone™, iPad™ and Android™ devices. The free app puts savings at users' fingertips, offering local coupons and deals, sorted by ZIP code, on everything from pizza, to dry cleaners, to groceries. According to the poll results, more than half of respondents have used online deals, email coupons and coupon websites to save money. Specifically more than 65 percent are using coupon sites like Valpak.com, while mobile SMS and social networking sites are catching on with mainstream coupon users as well. Additionally, downloads of Valpak's mobile app, which were recently upgraded with more personalized features, have tripled, and online coupon usage via all Valpak digital channels is up more than 400 percent.

JOIN THE SAVINGS CELEBRATION ON FACEBOOK
"Valpak has 44 years of experience helping businesses connect with consumers by offering new ways to save money on both the things they want and need," said Deanna Willsey, director of corporate communications for Valpak. "The coupon empowers both consumers and businesses to reach their financial goals, and it's clear that more people than ever are utilizing this great tool. That's worthy of a celebration."

Valpak, known for its hyper-local offers with 170 franchisees in local markets across North America, is throwing a party on Facebook. The "Valpak $5,000 Ultimate Birthday" gives Valpak fans a chance to enter to win a $5,000 grand prize cash party favor. The contest runs through April 27. Consumers may also join in the savings celebration by downloading the new Valpak App, available for free in both the Android Marketplace and iTunes library, and learn new ways to save with tips from personal finance expert Leah Ingram.

About the 125th Birthday of the Coupon poll
The 125th Birthday of the Coupon poll sponsored by Valpak.com was conducted online via social networks from Jan. 23 - 27, 2012 and garnered responses from more than 500 women to provide a representative sampling of female consumers in the United States. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. Complete survey methodology available by request by emailing media contacts.

About Valpak®
Valpak, one of the leading direct marketing companies in North America, is owned and operated by Cox Target Media, Inc., a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Cox Media Group, Inc. With almost 170 franchises throughout the United States and Canada, The Blue Envelope® delivers savings and value to nearly 40 million households each month. Annually, Valpak will distribute some 20 billion offers inserted in more than 500 million envelopes. Valpak also offers digital solutions with www.Valpak.com®, an online site for local savings, which has nearly 70 million offer views each month, as well as mobile phones, including apps for most smartphones. For more information, please contact 1-800-676-6878.

About Cox Media Group

Cox Media Group is an integrated broadcasting, publishing, direct marketing and digital media company that includes the national advertising rep firms of Cox Reps. Additionally, CMG owns and operates Valpak, one of North America's leading direct marketing companies. With $1. 7 billion in revenue, the company operations include 15 broadcast television stations and one local cable channel, 86 radio stations, eight daily newspapers and more than a dozen non-daily publications, and more than 100 digital services. CMG operates in more than 30 media markets and reaches approximately 52 million Americans week ly , including 30 million TV viewers, more than 4 million print and online newspaper readers, and 18 million radio list e ners. For more information about Cox Media Group, please check us out online at www.coxmediagroup.com .

SOURCE Valpak