UPS Unveils New Look
ATLANTA, March 25, 2003 – UPS today unveiled a “new look” that
includes the first redesign in more than 40 years of the company’s famous
“shield” logo.
UPS said the change reflects the significant broadening of capabilities that
has occurred in recent years as the company expanded across the globe and introduced
a portfolio of new supply chain services. The company will continue to use the
color brown for its operations, but the logo change includes elimination of
the package with a string bow atop the shield.
“UPS is a vastly different company today than most people realize,”
said UPS Chairman and CEO Mike Eskew. “Today we are bringing our look
up to speed with our capabilities.”
Based on the scale of the project, changing UPS’s visual identity may
be one of the most significant corporate identity transformations ever.
The UPS brand is one of the most seen and recognized on the globe. During the
course of a year, UPS touches the doorstep of 98 percent of the homes in America
and reaches customers in more than 200 countries. Eighty percent of the world’s
population can be reached by UPS in 48 hours or less.
The logo appears on more than 88,000 vehicles, 257 large jet aircraft, 1,700
facilities around the world, 70,000 drop-off and retail access points, more
than 1 million uniform pieces and more than 3 billion packages annually.
The visual changes will not be restricted to the logo alone. To further communicate
the global reach and expanding capabilities of UPS, the phrase “Synchronizing
the World of Commerce” will become part of the design of the company’s
aircraft and familiar brown package cars. New advertising also will include
the “synchronizing commerce” theme.
And while brown will remain the primary color representing UPS, other new,
complementary colors will become part of the design of aircraft, packages and
other company assets.
According to Eskew, UPS had planned to unveil the new logo today at events
around the world, but significantly scaled back on those plans as a result of
current events in the Middle East.
The most visible change to the UPS logo is the removal of the bow-tied parcel
that appears atop the shield. Ironically, even though the small bow had become
one of the most recognized features of the company’s logo, packages with
string have not been accepted by UPS for several decades because the string
can get caught in high-speed sorting machinery.
The logo now being replaced was designed in 1961 by Paul Rand, a renowned brand
designer who also was responsible for the logos of IBM, ABC, Westinghouse and
Yale University, among others.
“Package delivery is and will remain the foundation of our business at
UPS,” Eskew said. “But as we expand our capabilities and broaden
the solutions we bring to our customers, we felt it was the right time to make
our logo reflect the company’s evolution.”
For decades, UPS has been developing and acquiring new capabilities to broaden
the global package delivery options it provides its customers. Today, the company
offers freight services by any mode of transportation, international trade management,
customs brokerage, consulting and supply chain management, financial services
and e-commerce solutions. Most of these services are offered under the company’s
recently formed Supply Chain Solutions business unit.
In addition, UPS has dramatically expanded its retail presence through the
acquisition of Mail Boxes Etc. Last month, the company announced it would provide
Mail Boxes Etc. franchisees within the United States the opportunity to rebrand
their stores under the name The UPS Store.
“We believe that ‘synchronized commerce’ is the next evolution
of global commerce, where the three flows of trade – goods, information
and funds – are seamlessly connected to benefit businesses worldwide,”
said Eskew. “Our capabilities give UPS a unique opportunity to lead this
evolution, and our strong brand gives us a great foundation on which to move
forward.”
UPS is the world’s largest package delivery company and a global leader
in supply chain services, offering an extensive range of options for synchronizing
the movement of goods, information and funds. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga.,
UPS serves more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. UPS's stock trades
on the New York Stock Exchange (UPS), and the company can be found on the Web
at UPS.com.
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Except for historical information contained herein, the statements made in
this release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section
27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements, including statements regarding
the intent, belief or current expectations of UPS and its management regarding
the company's strategic directions, prospects and future results, involve certain
risks and uncertainties. Certain factors may cause actual results to differ
materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, including
economic and other conditions in the markets in which we operate, governmental
regulations, our competitive environment, strikes, work stoppages and slowdowns,
increases in aviation and motor fuel prices, cyclical and seasonal fluctuations
in our operating results, and other risks discussed in the company's Form 10-K
and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which discussions
are incorporated herein by reference.
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