Growing Up with Publishers Clearing House!
PCH offers consumers value, variety and convenience! Always has. Always will. And, we’ve been doing that, so far, for 58 years! Wow. Can you believe it? That means entire generations have grown up with Publishers Clearing House – from “boomers” to “millennials.” I don’t think there’s anyone out there who hasn’t heard of PCH in some form or another. Actually if you think about it, there are many of us who have never known a world without Publishers Clearing House in it.
I remember when I was a kid, my sister and I would take the magazine stickers out of the direct mailers our parents received and stick them on the wall – and, yes, we got into really big trouble for that! I also remember seeing the SuperPrize millionaires on television – always imagining what it would be like to win. And, like so many other people over the years, I became a “fan” of Publishers Clearing House – ordering magazines and entering sweepstakes. Okay, I hear you! The answer is NO – you never have to order or buy anything in order to possibly win a PCH sweepstakes, contest or giveaway. Although there are many out there who think that the odds of winning go up with a purchase –they don’t. And, since I always loved magazines, as so many of us do, I always figured it was a great deal to order with PCH anyway because of the low subscription prices and the possibility of becoming a millionaire. Sounded great to me!
As times changed and technology advanced, Publishers Clearing House “grew up,” too. Today, PCH has evolved into a business focused predominantly on merchandise as a response in the mid-1980s to the changes in consumers buying habits. In 1999, the pch.com website was launched, providing online access to Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes entries, additional prize winning opportunities and exciting value deals on merchandise and, yes, magazines! Our family of “play and win” properties, including pchlotto.com, pchgames.com, pchtv.com and pchsearchandwin.com, were developed in 2007/2008. And, of course, we have our Fan page on Facebook. Stop by anytime!
Although I’ll always have a place in my heart for those stickers – and on the wall – ha ha! – I must admit PCH has been a great “friend” to grow up with. Take a look below at the very first direct mail package sent to consumers in January 1959! Do you remember it? Did you receive it? Let us know! And, please tell us of your memories growing up with Publishers Clearing House. Feel free to leave your comments below and maybe we’ll use them in a future PCHblog post.
Until next time…
Leslie Jaye
PCH Creative
