The UPS Store Gets Real With Customers

Two years ago, the UPS Store shifted its brand focus to concentrate on small businesses and since then, has launched the Small Bizz Buzz, an online community of 300 small business owners (SBO) and the Small Business Solutions portal, an online destination connecting small business owners with vetted service providers.

Now the brand is introducing a new, integrated marketing campaign that promotes these services by using those who know them the best: real-life small business customers. The effort launches this month and includes broadcast, print, radio and digital elements. Ogilvy & Mather created the TV spots and UPS' agency of record Doner handled the other work.

"In past campaigns, we created brief YouTube videos and blog posts featuring our real customer stories, but with this Mailbox Confessions campaign, we've expanded that authenticity to the national level," says Michelle Van Slyke, Vice President, Marketing and Small Business Solutions for The UPS Store. 

advertisement

advertisement

This campaign features real franchise owners in every aspect of the campaign through narratives that are true stories. Customers share lighthearted “confessions” about how The UPS Store is their secret tool for small business success.

"These customers rely on The UPS Store to help them run their businesses and we want them to know they are not alone," says Van Slyke. "Through research, we determined small business owners think of The UPS Store as an extension of their own small business. As we’ve listened and learned what our small business owner customers need, we also found their stories were really interesting – interesting enough to bring forward through an authentic advertising campaign."

Still, using actual people could be problematic. "Finding both customers and franchise owners who aren’t camera-shy was a slight challenge, but we insisted to our agency partners we could find real people to maintain the authenticity of the campaign, and we were successful," says Van Slyke. 

Looking forward, the company's products and services will continue to evolve to meet the growing needs of small business owners, such as expanding 3D printing services in its stores nationwide this fall. The company’s marketing campaign in 2014-15 will continue to reflect these new services. "Using actual customers amplifies the strong connections that small business owners often make with their customers, and reinforces The UPS Store’s position as a neighborhood small business resource," says Van Slyke.

Next story loading loading..