mailer

A "mailer" is not just the person sending something. It can mean a person, company, or group that sends out a large amount of mail, such as a marketing firm or a political campaign. More often, though, the word refers to the item itself. Those glossy brochures, coupons, or postcards that show up in your mailbox are often called "mailers." The term is also used for shipping packaging, such as a "bubble mailer" or a "poly mailer." So the word can point either to the sender or to the thing being sent or used for shipping.

The word "mailer" stays closely tied to the idea of sending things through the mail, but its use has spread across a few related meanings. In one sense, a mailer is a person, company, or organization that sends out large amounts of mail. A direct-mail business, a charity, or a political campaign may all be called a mailer when the focus is on the act of sending materials to many people. When a pile of catalogs or campaign flyers arrives in homes across a city, that sender may be described this way.

Just as often, especially in everyday American English, "mailer" refers to the piece of mail itself. Political flyers, store promotions, coupons, and other printed ads are often called mailers. Someone might say, "I got three campaign mailers today," meaning three printed pieces delivered by post. In this use, the word usually suggests something made to be sent to many addresses rather than a personal letter.

The word is also common in shipping and packaging. A "bubble mailer," "padded mailer," or "poly mailer" is a protective envelope or pouch used to send goods. In that context, the word refers not to the sender or the advertisement, but to the container itself. Although it can occasionally describe someone who sends a lot of mail, it is most strongly linked with business mail, promotional pieces, and mailing supplies.