• by Karl Greenberg , November 18, 2008

It's time to start spending money for presents. For those who might need cash to do that, UPS is hiring. Potential workers needn't go online to fill out an application, though. The company is running a national print campaign for driver assistants and shippers that allows prospects to apply via cell phone when they see any print or outdoor ad.

The campaign, via the company's AOR for recruitment marketing--N.Y.-based TMP Worldwide Advertising & Communications, LLC*--runs through the holiday season. The first phase--aimed at hiring drivers--garnered some 8,054 opt-ins, with 96% clicking through the emails that were sent to them after they said they wanted to learn more about the jobs via text.

Michael Vangel, national account director for UPS at TMP, says the initial effort, which started in August, involved ads in a trucking publication called Careers in Gears. "When we first did this, we were very pleased," says Vangel. "In September, we started with newsprint ads as well. We anticipate having 24,000 more people opt in by the end of the campaign. We have had over 12,000 people so far."

He says the cell-phone application pitch allows for better metrics. "What's terrific about working with them is that UPS prides itself on its ability to track packages [and] they love to track media, so this year we wanted to put together a strategy where we could do that," he says. "Heretofore, someone would see an ad--maybe they would remember it, and maybe they would not. It was difficult to track effectiveness. You have to apply to UPS on their career Web site, but people are not online when they see traditional media. The problem was, how do you get them online?"

The print ads tell prospects to text "UPSJobs" to #95495, after which they get an acknowledgement from the company. If they have an Internet phone, they will also get a link to UPS' application site. "They can complete an application right there, via cell phone, or view video or further information," says Vangel, who adds that about 90% of applicants don't have a WAP-enabled phone. They instead receive a text message requesting their email address.

Vangel said the firm is anticipating that 30,000 people will opt in via cell phone after being exposed to UPS ads in traditional print, radio or TV. "Of the 30,000, we anticipate having 10,000 providing email addresses," says Vangel, who added that 96% of people without WAP phones who received an email from UPS clicked through the email to the application site.

* Editor's note: The story was amended post publication.