AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON SEPTEMBER 3, 1996
                                             REGISTRATION NO. 333-

                 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                         WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                           __________________

                              FORM S-8
                       REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                               UNDER
                      THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                              ADVO, INC.
          (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

DELAWARE                                          06-0885252
(State or other jurisdiction of                   (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                    Identification Number)

                               ONE UNIVAC LANE
                                P.O. BOX 755
                       WINDSOR, CONNECTICUT 06095-0755
            (Address, including zip code, and telephone number,
       including area code, of registrant*s principal executive offices)

                        ADVO, INC. 401(K) SAVINGS PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                                DAVID M. STIGLER
             SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL COUNSEL AND SECRETARY
                                    ADVO, INC.
                                  ONE UNIVAC LANE
                                    P.O. BOX 755
                         WINDSOR, CONNECTICUT 06095-0755
                                  (860) 285-6120
      (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC: From
time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement
when warranted by market conditions and other factors.

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be
offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415
under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box.  [ X ]

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check
the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement
number of the earlier effective registration statement for the
same offering.  [   ]

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule
462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and
list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering. [  ]

If delivery of the Prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule
434, please check the following box.  [   ]

                     CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Title of Securities to be         |Amount to be      |Proposed Maximum Offering   |Proposed Maximum Aggregate       Amount of
Registered(1)                     |Registered(2)     |   Price Per Unit(2)        |    Offering Price(2)        Registration Fee
  <S>                              <C>                <C>                          <C>                           <C>
Common Stock, without par         |200,000 shares    |        $10.00              |       $2,000,000            |    $689.65
|value                            |                  |                            |                             |
</TABLE>

(1)   In addition, pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933,
      this registration statement also covers an indeterminate amount of
      interests to be offered or sold pursuant to the employee benefit plan
      described herein.

(2)   Estimated pursuant to subsections (c) and (h) of Rule 457 under the
      Securities Act of 1933 as the estimated number of shares of Common
      Stock without par value of ADVO, Inc. to be purchased by the ADVO, Inc.
      401(k) Savings Plan (the "Plan") over a five-year period with employee
      and employer contributions, which shares may be acquired by
      participants in the Plan.  For purposes of Rule 457(c), the date
      specified for determining the average of the high and low prices
      reported in the consolidated reporting system is August 26, 1996.

<PAGE>

                                PART II
           INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT


   This Registration Statement relates to participation interests in the
ADVO, Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan (the "Plan") and to shares of common stock, $.01
par value ("Common Stock") of ADVO, Inc. (the "Company") offered pursuant to
the Plan.

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

   The following documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
are incorporated herein by reference:

   (a)  The Company*s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
   September 30, 1995, filed pursuant to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the
   Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act");

   (b)  The Company*s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal
   quarters ended December 30, 1995, March 30, 1996, and June 29, 1996;

   (c)  Current Reports on Form 8-K dated January 26, 1996, March 5, 1996
    and May 2, 1996; and

   (d)  The description of the Company*s Common Stock which is contained in
     its registration statements filed under the 1934 Act, and any amendment or
     report filed under the 1934 Act for the purpose of updating such
     description.

   All documents subsequently filed by the Company and the Plan pursuant to
Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby
have been sold or which deregisters all securities remaining unsold, shall be
deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to be a part hereof
from the date of the filing of such documents.

ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

   This Item is not applicable to the securities to be registered hereby.

ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

   The consolidated financial statements of ADVO, Inc. incorporated by
reference in ADVO, Inc.'s Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended
September 30, 1995, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent
auditors, as set forth in their report thereon incorporated by reference
therein and incorporated herein by reference.  Such consolidated financial
statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report
given upon the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

   The information required by this item is contained in Part II, Item 15 of
the Company*s Statement on Form S-8 (No. 33-19045) and is incorporated herein
by reference and made a part hereof.

ITEM 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

   This Item is not applicable to the securities to be registered hereby.


<PAGE>
ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS

                                                       Incorporation
                                                       by Reference
Exhibit No.  Description                               (see Legend)

4(a)         ADVO, Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan            Filed herewith

4(b)         Restated Certificate of Incorporation     Incorporated by 
             of ADVO                                   reference to Exhibit
                                                       3(a) to the Company's
                                                       Form 10 filed on 
                                                       September 15, 1986
                                                       (No. 1-11720)

4(c)         Restated By-laws of ADVO                  Incorporated by 
                                                       reference to Exhibit
                                                       3(b) to the Company's
                                                       Report on Form 10-K 
                                                       for fiscal year ended
                                                       September 30, 1989
                                                       (No. 1-11720)

4(d)         Stockholder Protection Rights             Incorporated by 
             Agreement, dated as of February 5, 1993,  reference to Exhibit
             between the Company and Mellon            4.1 of the Company*s
             Securities Trust Company, as Rights       Form 8-K dated 
             Agent, including Exhibit A and Exhibit B  February 5, 1993

23           Consent of Independent Auditors           Filed herewith

24           Powers of Attorney (See Signature Page)   Filed herewith
Neither an opinion of counsel concerning compliance with ERISA nor an Internal
Revenue Service ("IRS") determination letter is required because the Company
has submitted the Plan to the IRS in a timely manner and has made all changes
required by the IRS to qualify the Plan.

ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS

A.   Undertaking to Update Annually.

 The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

   (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

        (i)    To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
               the Securities Act of 1933;

        (ii)   To reflect in the Prospectus any facts or events arising
               after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or
               the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which,
               individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental
               change in the information set forth in the Registration
               Statement;

       (iii)   To include any material information with respect to the
               plan of distribution not previously disclosed in
               the Registration Statement or any material change to such
               information in the Registration Statement;

<PAGE>
provided, however, that paragraph (A)(1)(i) and (A)(1)(ii) do not apply if the
Registration Statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the information required
to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained
in periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section
15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement.

    (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to
be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and
the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial
bona fide offering thereof.

    (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination
of the offering.

B.   Undertaking With Respect to Incorporating Subsequent Exchange Act
     Documents By Reference.

     The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
registrant*s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and each filing of the Plan*s annual report
pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

C.   Undertaking With Respect to Indemnification of Directors, Officers or
     Controlling Persons.

     Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act
of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and
is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by
such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities
being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the
matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is
against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.

<PAGE>
                                  SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it
meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the Town of Windsor, State of Connecticut, on
September 3,1996.

                                ADVO, INC.

                                By: /s/ Robert Kamerschen
                                   Name: Robert Kamerschen
                                   Title:  Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration
Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and
on the dates indicated.  Each person whose signature appears below hereby
constitutes David M. Stigler and William E. Crowley, and each of them singly,
such person's true and lawful attorneys, with full power to them and each of
them, to sign for such person and in such persons' name and capacity as
indicated below, any and all amendments to this Registration Statement, hereby
ratifying and confirming such person's signature as it may be signed by said
attorneys to any and all amendments.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
|Name                                  |Title                                       |Date                              |
 <S>                                    <C>                                          <C>
|/s/ Robert Kamerschen                 |Chairman, Chief Executive                   |September 3, 1996                 |
|Robert Kamerschen                     |Officer And Director                        |                                  |
|                                      |(Principal Executive Officer)               |                                  |
|/s/ Lowell W. Robinson                |Executive Vice President and Chief          |September 3, 1996                 |
|Lowell W. Robinson                    |Financial Officer                           |                                  |
|                                      |(Principal Financial Officer)               |                                  |
|/s/ Robert S. Hirst                   |Vice President and Controller               |September 3, 1996                 |
|Robert S. Hirst                       |(Principal Accounting Officer)              |                                  |
|/s/ Jack W. Fritz                     |Director                                    |September 3, 1996                 |
|Jack W. Fritz                         |                                            |                                  |
|/s/ Lawrence Lachman                  |Director                                    |September 3, 1996                 |
|Lawrence Lachman                      |                                            |                                  |
|/s/ Howard H. Newman                  |Director                                    |September 3, 1996                 |
|Howard H. Newman                      |                                            |                                  |
|/s/ John R. Rockwell                  |Director                                    |September 3, 1996                 |
|John R. Rockwell                      |                                            |                                  |
|/s/ John L. Vogelstein                |Director                                    |September 3, 1996                 |
|John L. Vogelstein                    |                                            |                                  |
|__________________________            |Director                                    |                                  |
|James A. Eskridge                     |                                            |                                  |
</TABLE>
(A majority of the Board of Directors)
<PAGE>


     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the trustees
have duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the Town of Windsor, State of
Connecticut on September 3, 1996.


                                  ADVO, INC. 401(K) SAVINGS PLAN


                                  By: /s/ William E. Crowley

                                      Name: William E. Crowley
                                      Title:   Vice President - Human Resources


<PAGE>
                              EXHIBIT INDEX


                                                       Incorporation
                                                       by Reference
Exhibit No.  Description                               (see Legend)

4(a)         ADVO, Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan            Filed herewith

4(b)         Restated Certificate of Incorporation     Incorporated by 
             of ADVO                                   reference to Exhibit
                                                       3(a) to the Company's
                                                       Form 10 filed on 
                                                       September 15, 1986
                                                       (No. 1-11720)

4(c)         Restated By-laws of ADVO                  Incorporated by 
                                                       reference to Exhibit
                                                       3(b) to the Company's
                                                       Report on Form 10-K 
                                                       for fiscal year ended
                                                       September 30, 1989
                                                       (No. 1-11720)

4(d)         Stockholder Protection Rights             Incorporated by 
             Agreement, dated as of February 5, 1993,  reference to Exhibit
             between the Company and Mellon            4.1 of the Company*s
             Securities Trust Company, as Rights       Form 8-K dated 
             Agent, including Exhibit A and Exhibit B  February 5, 1993

23           Consent of Independent Auditors           Filed herewith

24           Powers of Attorney (See Signature Page)   Filed herewith
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "secsgml_size_bytes": 19224}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "ADVO INC", "cik": "0000801622", "assigned-sic": "7331", "irs-number": "060885252", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "0930"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-11323", "film-number": "96625290"}, "business-address": {"street1": "ONE UNIVAC LN", "street2": "P O BOX 755", "city": "WINDSOR", "state": "CT", "zip": "06095", "phone": "2032856100"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "ONE UNIVAC LANE", "street2": "P O BOX 755", "city": "WINDSOR", "state": "CT", "zip": "06095-2668"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "ADVO SYSTEM INC", "date-changed": "19920128"}}
AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON SEPTEMBER 3, 1996
                                             REGISTRATION NO. 333-

                 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                         WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                           __________________

                              FORM S-8
                       REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                               UNDER
                      THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                              ADVO, INC.
          (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

DELAWARE                                          06-0885252
(State or other jurisdiction of                   (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                    Identification Number)

                               ONE UNIVAC LANE
                                P.O. BOX 755
                       WINDSOR, CONNECTICUT 06095-0755
            (Address, including zip code, and telephone number,
       including area code, of registrant*s principal executive offices)

                        ADVO, INC. 401(K) SAVINGS PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                                DAVID M. STIGLER
             SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL COUNSEL AND SECRETARY
                                    ADVO, INC.
                                  ONE UNIVAC LANE
                                    P.O. BOX 755
                         WINDSOR, CONNECTICUT 06095-0755
                                  (860) 285-6120
      (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC: From
time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement
when warranted by market conditions and other factors.

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be
offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415
under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box.  [ X ]

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check
the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement
number of the earlier effective registration statement for the
same offering.  [   ]

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule
462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and
list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering. [  ]

If delivery of the Prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule
434, please check the following box.  [   ]

                     CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Title of Securities to be         |Amount to be      |Proposed Maximum Offering   |Proposed Maximum Aggregate       Amount of
Registered(1)                     |Registered(2)     |   Price Per Unit(2)        |    Offering Price(2)        Registration Fee
Common Stock, without par         |200,000 shares    |        $10.00              |       $2,000,000            |    $689.65
|value                            |                  |                            |                             |
(1)   In addition, pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933,
      this registration statement also covers an indeterminate amount of
      interests to be offered or sold pursuant to the employee benefit plan
      described herein.

(2)   Estimated pursuant to subsections (c) and (h) of Rule 457 under the
      Securities Act of 1933 as the estimated number of shares of Common
      Stock without par value of ADVO, Inc. to be purchased by the ADVO, Inc.
      401(k) Savings Plan (the "Plan") over a five-year period with employee
      and employer contributions, which shares may be acquired by
      participants in the Plan.  For purposes of Rule 457(c), the date
      specified for determining the average of the high and low prices
      reported in the consolidated reporting system is August 26, 1996.
PART II
           INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

   This Registration Statement relates to participation interests in the
ADVO, Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan (the "Plan") and to shares of common stock, $.01
par value ("Common Stock") of ADVO, Inc. (the "Company") offered pursuant to
the Plan.

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

   The following documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
are incorporated herein by reference:

   (a)  The Company*s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
   September 30, 1995, filed pursuant to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the
   Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act");

   (b)  The Company*s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal
   quarters ended December 30, 1995, March 30, 1996, and June 29, 1996;

   (c)  Current Reports on Form 8-K dated January 26, 1996, March 5, 1996
    and May 2, 1996; and

   (d)  The description of the Company*s Common Stock which is contained in
     its registration statements filed under the 1934 Act, and any amendment or
     report filed under the 1934 Act for the purpose of updating such
     description.

   All documents subsequently filed by the Company and the Plan pursuant to
Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby
have been sold or which deregisters all securities remaining unsold, shall be
deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to be a part hereof
from the date of the filing of such documents.

ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

   This Item is not applicable to the securities to be registered hereby.

ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

   The consolidated financial statements of ADVO, Inc. incorporated by
reference in ADVO, Inc.'s Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended
September 30, 1995, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent
auditors, as set forth in their report thereon incorporated by reference
therein and incorporated herein by reference.  Such consolidated financial
statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report
given upon the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

   The information required by this item is contained in Part II, Item 15 of
the Company*s Statement on Form S-8 (No. 33-19045) and is incorporated herein
by reference and made a part hereof.

ITEM 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

   This Item is not applicable to the securities to be registered hereby.
ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS

                                                       Incorporation
                                                       by Reference
Exhibit No.  Description                               (see Legend)

4(a)         ADVO, Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan            Filed herewith

4(b)         Restated Certificate of Incorporation     Incorporated by 
             of ADVO                                   reference to Exhibit
                                                       3(a) to the Company's
                                                       Form 10 filed on 
                                                       September 15, 1986
                                                       (No. 1-11720)

4(c)         Restated By-laws of ADVO                  Incorporated by 
                                                       reference to Exhibit
                                                       3(b) to the Company's
                                                       Report on Form 10-K 
                                                       for fiscal year ended
                                                       September 30, 1989
                                                       (No. 1-11720)

4(d)         Stockholder Protection Rights             Incorporated by 
             Agreement, dated as of February 5, 1993,  reference to Exhibit
             between the Company and Mellon            4.1 of the Company*s
             Securities Trust Company, as Rights       Form 8-K dated 
             Agent, including Exhibit A and Exhibit B  February 5, 1993

23           Consent of Independent Auditors           Filed herewith

24           Powers of Attorney (See Signature Page)   Filed herewith
Neither an opinion of counsel concerning compliance with ERISA nor an Internal
Revenue Service ("IRS") determination letter is required because the Company
has submitted the Plan to the IRS in a timely manner and has made all changes
required by the IRS to qualify the Plan.

ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS

A.   Undertaking to Update Annually.

 The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

   (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

        (i)    To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
               the Securities Act of 1933;

        (ii)   To reflect in the Prospectus any facts or events arising
               after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or
               the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which,
               individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental
               change in the information set forth in the Registration
               Statement;

       (iii)   To include any material information with respect to the
               plan of distribution not previously disclosed in
               the Registration Statement or any material change to such
               information in the Registration Statement;
provided, however, that paragraph (A)(1)(i) and (A)(1)(ii) do not apply if the
Registration Statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the information required
to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained
in periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section
15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement.

    (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to
be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and
the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial
bona fide offering thereof.

    (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination
of the offering.

B.   Undertaking With Respect to Incorporating Subsequent Exchange Act
     Documents By Reference.

     The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
registrant*s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and each filing of the Plan*s annual report
pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

C.   Undertaking With Respect to Indemnification of Directors, Officers or
     Controlling Persons.

     Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act
of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and
is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by
such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities
being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the
matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is
against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.
SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it
meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the Town of Windsor, State of Connecticut, on
September 3,1996.

                                ADVO, INC.

                                By: /s/ Robert Kamerschen
                                   Name: Robert Kamerschen
                                   Title:  Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration
Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and
on the dates indicated.  Each person whose signature appears below hereby
constitutes David M. Stigler and William E. Crowley, and each of them singly,
such person's true and lawful attorneys, with full power to them and each of
them, to sign for such person and in such persons' name and capacity as
indicated below, any and all amendments to this Registration Statement, hereby
ratifying and confirming such person's signature as it may be signed by said
attorneys to any and all amendments.
|Name                                  |Title                                       |Date                              |
|/s/ Robert Kamerschen                 |Chairman, Chief Executive                   |September 3, 1996                 |
|Robert Kamerschen                     |Officer And Director                        |                                  |
|                                      |(Principal Executive Officer)               |                                  |
|/s/ Lowell W. Robinson                |Executive Vice President and Chief          |September 3, 1996                 |
|Lowell W. Robinson                    |Financial Officer                           |                                  |
|                                      |(Principal Financial Officer)               |                                  |
|/s/ Robert S. Hirst                   |Vice President and Controller               |September 3, 1996                 |
|Robert S. Hirst                       |(Principal Accounting Officer)              |                                  |
|/s/ Jack W. Fritz                     |Director                                    |September 3, 1996                 |
|Jack W. Fritz                         |                                            |                                  |
|/s/ Lawrence Lachman                  |Director                                    |September 3, 1996                 |
|Lawrence Lachman                      |                                            |                                  |
|/s/ Howard H. Newman                  |Director                                    |September 3, 1996                 |
|Howard H. Newman                      |                                            |                                  |
|/s/ John R. Rockwell                  |Director                                    |September 3, 1996                 |
|John R. Rockwell                      |                                            |                                  |
|/s/ John L. Vogelstein                |Director                                    |September 3, 1996                 |
|John L. Vogelstein                    |                                            |                                  |
|__________________________            |Director                                    |                                  |
|James A. Eskridge                     |                                            |                                  |
(A majority of the Board of Directors)
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the trustees
have duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the Town of Windsor, State of
Connecticut on September 3, 1996.

                                  ADVO, INC. 401(K) SAVINGS PLAN

                                  By: /s/ William E. Crowley

                                      Name: William E. Crowley
                                      Title:   Vice President - Human Resources
EXHIBIT INDEX

                                                       Incorporation
                                                       by Reference
Exhibit No.  Description                               (see Legend)

4(a)         ADVO, Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan            Filed herewith

4(b)         Restated Certificate of Incorporation     Incorporated by 
             of ADVO                                   reference to Exhibit
                                                       3(a) to the Company's
                                                       Form 10 filed on 
                                                       September 15, 1986
                                                       (No. 1-11720)

4(c)         Restated By-laws of ADVO                  Incorporated by 
                                                       reference to Exhibit
                                                       3(b) to the Company's
                                                       Report on Form 10-K 
                                                       for fiscal year ended
                                                       September 30, 1989
                                                       (No. 1-11720)

4(d)         Stockholder Protection Rights             Incorporated by 
             Agreement, dated as of February 5, 1993,  reference to Exhibit
             between the Company and Mellon            4.1 of the Company*s
             Securities Trust Company, as Rights       Form 8-K dated 
             Agent, including Exhibit A and Exhibit B  February 5, 1993

23           Consent of Independent Auditors           Filed herewith

24           Powers of Attorney (See Signature Page)   Filed herewith