Nearly three years after my writing was last inspired by brand messaging seen on the side of a commercial truck, here we go again. And this time my muse is U-Haul.
U-Haul? Yes, U-Haul.
On its home turf of the United States and Canada, U-Haul is a powerful brand. For those of you living in this part of the world, I’m willing to bet that you are familiar with U-Haul, that you know what primary services U-Haul provides, and that you can even close your eyes and picture a classic white-and-orange U-Haul truck.
A U-Haul truck in Raleigh, North Carolina
For those unaware, U-Haul is the long-time market leader in do-it-yourself moving truck and trailer rental, and it is also a major operator of self-storage facilities. When you need to haul your stuff from one place to another, U-Haul wants to help.
What’s interesting to me is the approach that U-Haul takes to decorating its moving trucks. Rather than presenting a clean, simple design, U-Haul vehicles are adorned with a smorgasbord of messages and imagery that can vary from truck to truck. I mean, yes, there’s a foundational base of white-and-orange coloring and the distinctive U-Haul logo, but beyond that, there’s a lot to take in. For example:
- Some messages describe how U-Haul trucks are easy to load, such as this back panel display: “Our Low Decks Make Your Move EASIER!” with a blue arrow pointing to the height of U-Haul’s “Lowest Decks” and their “E-Z Load Ramp” requiring “1/3 Less Work,” as compared to a red arrow pointing out the higher location of a competitor’s deck height
- Look elsewhere and you may learn about the comfort of the drive: “Gentle-Ride Van,” “Gentle-Ride Suspension,” “Drives Like A Van, Hauls Like A Truck”
- Other messages relate to U-Haul’s efforts to help its customers save gas money: “Trimline Fuel $aver – Saves You Money,” “Fuel $aver Chassis Skirts – Optimize Your Fuel Economy,” “Enhanced Aerodynamics”
- You may also come across other low-cost messages: “Now Only $19.95,” “Right Equipment, Lowest Cost”
- And then there’s my personal favorite: “Mom’s Attic,” a relatively small, italicized phrase pointing out additional storage space that extends above the cab of trucks (per the website, “another U-Haul exclusive!”)
- Beyond such product-benefit messages, more memorable to some of you may be the “Venture Across America & Canada” series that features eye-catching images and interesting factoids from the many states and territories served by U-Haul. The company calls these SuperGraphics®, and as a proud North Carolinian, I am particularly fond of the one featuring the Venus Fly Trap. While U-Haul may of course be altruistically motivated to educate citizens, SuperGraphics also have the benefit of drawing the attention of drivers and passersby who may then take in the truck’s other messages about U-Haul’s services.
So what marketing lessons can we take away from U-Haul? I’ll give you three:
First, think of any consumer-facing situation as an opportunity to market your brand. Don’t have a fleet of trucks like U-Haul’s that can be used as mobile billboards? I get it. But consider if there are other potentially under-utilized assets—such as product packaging, a storefront, or a media appearance—that could be better optimized to help you develop and mold perceptions of your brand.
Second, promote your brand’s benefits; don’t assume that people will figure it out on their own. U-Haul recognizes that positive points of differentiation are only helpful if they are noticed. By using on-truck messaging to highlight benefits related to ease of use, comfort, and fuel economy, U-Haul educates consumers about benefits that are not otherwise apparent.
Third, consider the “1+1+1=3/4” test when developing and prioritizing marketing messaging. The idea here is that if you try to communicate too much at once, the conflicting messages and lack of focus will result in no single message strongly cutting through. Now, if you’re reading this and thinking, “Hey, wait a minute, might U-Haul actually be guilty of violating this rule?”, hats off to your astute observation! I mention “1+1+1=3/4” here because this U-Haul approach challenges us to consider if it is a rare exception to the rule. Yes, U-Haul trucks contain many different messages. But in this case, I’d argue that the strategy works if the marketing goal is to use the barrage of mini messages to further the overarching perception that U-Haul “Makes Moving Easier” (yes, another phrase on their trucks). In other words, the goal may not be to deeply imprint all the details, but rather for the ensemble of details to draw your attention and then communicate a larger story about an already well-established brand. Is “Mom’s Attic” such a critical selling point that it should be the singular message on all U-Haul trucks? Of course not. But as one of many details being absorbed by passing observers, “Mom’s Attic” may help establish the broader idea that U-Haul’s really got the do-it-yourself moving process all figured out for you.
So there you go – a few marketing lessons from the side of a U-Haul truck. Keep your eyes and ears open, and you might be surprised by what brings inspiration.
