Why do uhauls have animals on them

Overview

U-Haul International, founded in 1945 by Leonard Shoen, is an American moving equipment and storage rental company headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. The company's distinctive animal graphics program, officially called 'SuperGraphics,' was launched in 1998 as a strategic marketing initiative. This program represents one of the longest-running and most recognizable vehicle advertising campaigns in American business history. Unlike traditional corporate logos, U-Haul's animal graphics feature vibrant, full-truck designs depicting various wildlife species from across North America. The program was conceived during a period when U-Haul faced increasing competition from other rental companies and sought ways to differentiate its fleet while creating positive brand associations. Each animal selection undergoes careful consideration by U-Haul's marketing team, with designs that typically cover the entire side of rental trucks and trailers, making them highly visible on highways across the United States and Canada.

How It Works

The animal graphics program operates through a systematic design and implementation process managed by U-Haul's marketing department. First, animals are selected based on criteria including regional relevance, conservation significance, and visual appeal. The company maintains a rotating inventory of approximately 30 different animal designs that are applied to trucks using durable vinyl wraps designed to withstand years of road use. These graphics are applied at U-Haul's maintenance centers across North America, with new trucks receiving wraps during their initial preparation for rental service. The process involves high-resolution digital printing on specialized vehicle wrap material that adheres to truck surfaces without damaging the paint. Each design includes not just the animal image but also educational text about the species' habitat, behavior, and conservation status. U-Haul coordinates this program with its truck replacement cycle, ensuring that approximately 20% of the fleet receives updated graphics annually to maintain visual freshness while keeping popular designs in circulation.

Why It Matters

U-Haul's animal graphics program has significant marketing and educational impact. From a business perspective, the distinctive designs transform ordinary rental trucks into mobile billboards that generate an estimated 10 million daily brand impressions across North America. This visibility contributes directly to brand recognition and recall, with market research indicating that U-Haul's animal graphics make their trucks 70% more memorable than plain rental vehicles. Educationally, the program has provided information about wildlife conservation to millions of people since 1998, with each graphic serving as a miniature educational display about North American ecosystems. The company has partnered with conservation organizations and uses the graphics to promote environmental awareness. Additionally, the program creates positive emotional associations with the U-Haul brand, as customers often develop favorites among the animal designs and share photos of spotted trucks on social media, generating organic marketing value estimated at several million dollars annually in equivalent advertising exposure.