It caught my interest: the edge of blue triangles made it stand out from other mail. The codes: "GB/601/5905"; "WP100/1-2011" and the bar code suggested a stringent control process. The "GB" prefix (a letter from Britain, perhaps?). The words raised my curiosity. "Full instructions provided" (for what purpose?); "deadline date disclosed" (what deadline, disclosed to whom, for what purpose?). "Date strictly enforced?" (why?). "Shipment authorised" (a strict control process). "Do not impede delivery" (it must be important). On the back, more of the same. A signature and stamp, no less:
In the heavy rain that day, the envelope had become wet. An important document had been damaged...well I had better open it.
But hang on...an important delivery - so why had it been left in the letterbox? Come to think of it, it wasn't addressed to anyone in particular. On closer examination, the stamp was printed, not stamped difficult to see on a wet envelope - delivery in the rain was a masterstroke!
I have kept the envelope to illustrate how design can be used to convey a message without informing. In doing so, I have impeded its delivery, ignored the deadline, gone off schedule, disregarded the instructions. A task for another rainy day, perhaps.
