Branding Lessons: UPS Brand and Usability

I always wondered why UPS makes me choose from a drop down what country I’m from the very first time I visit their website. I’ve never used proxies, so it baffled me why in 2010 they still haven’t implemented the simplest reverse IP lookup technology.

Before I was able to click the drop down. UPS started to translate their greeting into international languages.

Could UPS be implementing a deft tactic in branding?

By doing a simple drop down, such as choosing my location, I am actively engaging with their brand, and selecting my location from their plethora of global options. This reinforces UPS’ brand message “UPS is Global”.

While I was mildly annoyed, in hindsight I think this is genius- they only make you choose your location once, and the payoff is you encounter and engage with their business (to see how it works try visiting UPS.com in the ‘private browsing mode’ of your browser).

I’m impressed by the way they communicate their brand positioning through multiple touch points.

Lessons for small businesses: Defining your brand characteristics, and brand positioning is vital to articulating a clear brand message.

Question: Beyond your logo, and color scheme, what are the vital ingredients of your businesses brand? How do you communicate them in innovative ways to your clients or customers?