UPS Brown is More Than a Color

Image source: higgins.house.gov

What makes a package delivery company successful? If you ask UPS, the answer might be custom apparel. A lot can be learned about importance, the use, and staying power of custom apparel from the courier industry. From consistency to company philanthropy custom apparel has made difference. So, here’s a quick look at some of the “Do's" of the UPS company uniform story.  

Choose a Company Color That Speaks Your Company’s Language

Have you ever wondered why United Parcel Service of North America, Inc. has the signature color of brown and not purple? Was the color chosen on a whim? Quite the contrary. It was selected with great care. The company wanted to send a message that the company was reliable and brown was the color that conveyed that message. Though the logo has changed since the first was created in 1919, the company color has not. So, for decades that cross over millenniums the company has stuck with it.  

Have Custom Apparel That Sends a Message that Says “You Can Trust Us”

Whether you have large company or a small one, employee custom shirts and apparel can send a message that says, "Trust us, we are a face that you recognize." Delivery companies like DHL, Fed-Ex, and UPS all have marketing strategies that provide proof that this is true. For over a century the consistent presence of the color brown in their custom shirts and apparel creates a sense of familiarity and that has helped consumers to see UPS as trustworthy when it comes to delivering their packages. The company’s founder, James Casey, understood the importance of image and the role that custom apparel played in solidifying that image so that the business would grow. For UPS the idea of costume company uniforms became mandatory in 1920. Today UPS employs over 400,000 workers worldwide. Though the cultures may be different, UPS has decided to keep the uniforms the same. So whether a delivery is being made in China or Angola the uniform customers see is the same.  

Consider Weather-Related Custom Options

Workers from around view company uniforms differently. Workers in certain markets associate uniforms with prestige. However, American employees like options. Whether it is summer, winter, spring, or the fall season, employees should have company uniform options that can change with the fluctuating weather conditions from region to region or from one season to the next. When UPS workers complained about having to wear long pants during the summer months, the company listened. The option for wearing short pants was instituted. Outer wear baring the company logo can be just as important as inner wear. In climates where temperatures can dip well below the freezing mark, insulated jackets with the company logo keeps employees warm and gives them a sense of choice but the company's image is still visible. Today UPS has a plethora of options when it comes to company apparel including custom embroidered shirts, embroidered jackets, embroidered hats, and brown pants.  

Let Custom Shirts Can Show That Your Company Believes in Serving Humanity

Image source: unitedway.com/

UPS and other delivery companies like it have carried over its company image to volunteerism. The company’s philanthropic foundation and service programs support volunteers and humanitarian efforts in 35 countries located throughout the world. In 2013 UPS delivered over 15,000 pounds of medical supplies to help victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. As employees volunteered in the Philippines, consumers saw a company that not only provides a service, they saw a company that was making a difference in the lives of those who needed help. Over the years more than a million hours of volunteer service have been tallied by employees wearing the company’s brown embroidered button-down shirts and t-shirts.  

We can help you to design custom embroidered shirts that sends the right message for your company. Contact us today.