If Only Harriet Tubman Had A U-Haul
Great moments in misguided marketing campaigns -- U-Haul hitching its wagon to the Underground Railroad:
If Only Harriet Tubman Had A U-Haul
Great moments in misguided marketing campaigns -- U-Haul hitching its wagon to the Underground Railroad:
You could have a whole theme here. The Trail of Tears, the Battan Death March, The Expulsion of the Acadians . . .
Steve Daniels at October 12, 2010 11:18 PM
Except the Underground Railroad is seen as a positive thing... brave heros leading the way to freedom, whereas the others... not as much!
NicoleK at October 12, 2010 11:40 PM
I'm not sure I get the issue. U-Haul is just looking to promote their business via (tenuous) connection between moving and historical figures. I saw a Sacagawea one recently, too. So a business wants to make money by evoking historical figures that people generally produce positive responses in others? Eh, fine.
Christopher at October 13, 2010 12:08 AM
Well, if this was a Canadian idea (and by the looks of it, it might be) I apologize on behalf of sensitive Canadians everywhere who wouldn't dream of using this woman's journey as a marketing strategy.
Harriet Tubman's journey into Canada ended at my hometown in Ontario. She spent most of that journey travelling at night, through waterways like swamps, rivers and creeks, so the dogs chasing her wouldn't be able to keep her scent. Hardly a pleasure trip. What were these people thinking?
ie at October 13, 2010 3:08 AM
Ugh. Tacky, tacky, tacky...
Harriet Tubman was about equality, human dignity and personal freedom, not about relocating to another venue due to a job transfer.
Patrick at October 13, 2010 3:10 AM
I think that you all are missing the point of the campaign. They started this when I worked there 20 years ago. They decorating the sides of their trucks and trailers with the name of a state/province and an image of something relating to that location (two that I remember from my time of working there are a San Diego Zoo image for California and the Wright brothers flight for NC). So that is what is going on here. They aren't trying to say that Harriet Tubman is related to moving, but that she is related to Ontario.
Brn at October 13, 2010 4:58 AM
She spent most of that journey travelling at night, through waterways like swamps
- - - - - - - - - -
... just think how much easier it'd have been if she'd had a u-haul!
Perfectly acceptable for ad-land.
And it looks like they're tying it to history-education stuff on their website. All of it probably the result of market research that indicates a family-friendly/patriotic angle hits their demographic.
So?
I think it's odd to reflexively strike the pose of PC umbrage for something like this... on a supposedly libertarian blog...
So what portrayals of black people ARE acceptable?
Whatever "enlightened" standard you answer with just creates another marginalizing stereotype - instead of the real equality in which black figures are subject to tacky ad treatments just like any others.
Ben David at October 13, 2010 5:06 AM
Intentions mean little in marketing. This looks like they're trying to say those underground railroaders shoulda used U-Haul. Bad. Do they decorate one from Mississippi with images from the KKK or pictures of dead civil rights workers? ("U-Haul: Mississippi Burning!") Maybe in Europe, if they are in Europe, they can put up pictures of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising ("When you're trying to get out of town, try U-Haul").
Amy Alkon at October 13, 2010 5:08 AM
I think it's odd to reflexively strike the pose of PC umbrage for something like this... on a supposedly libertarian blog...
It isn't "PC-umbrage" -- it's bad advertising.
And this isn't a "supposedly libertarian blog." It's not classified in any way. But, stay classy with those attempts to win arguments, Ben-David.
Amy Alkon at October 13, 2010 5:14 AM
Well, it says right under the picture: Did you know... and then a little blurb about abolishing slavery and Canada's role in that, and invites you to "learn more about paths to liberty" ("paths" being the tie-in, one would imagine) at Uhaul.com, so maybe they've got some history lessons posted at the website or something. Give the kids something to do during the move, looking it up on their laptops? Why is everything so suspect these days? There are some condos that were built in my town, right on the shoreline, across the street from the yacht club, on the site of an old house that was a stop on the Underground railroad. (I knew the kids that used to live there. We used to get stoned and play hide-n-seek in the tunnels where they hid the slaves. Eerie.) But they didn't advertise the condos as being built on a "path to freedom" or anything.
Flynne at October 13, 2010 5:57 AM
I work for U-Haul. What we are trying to do with the SuperGraphics (the pictures on the side of the trucks)is to highlight little known facts about the different communities we serve.
With the Ontario SuperGraphic we are honoring those who risked their own lives and liberty to help thousands to escape enslavement in the Underground Railroad. There is educational material and research that is done for every SuperGraphic and you can learn more about the abolition of slavery and the Underground Railroad at http://www.uhaul.com/SuperGraphics/175/1/Enhanced/Venture-Across-America-and-Canada-Modern/Ontario/An-Underground-Introduction
You can find all of our different SuperGraphics at http://www.uhaul.com/SuperGraphics
David at October 13, 2010 7:42 AM
I don't think they are really ads, more like factoids. There is one for hawaii with spiders and one for tennessee with a panda. Those don't mean they support killing animals or anything do they?
Tim at October 13, 2010 8:37 AM
Where do I find the Bible of "that which cannot be exploited?"
We used to go out of our way to avoid giving offense. It was a quaint custom we called "good manners." The end of dueling and the exponential increase in lawyers appear to have ended that.
Get used to it. You will see worse.
MarkD at October 13, 2010 9:03 AM
>>I work for U-Haul. What we are trying to do with the SuperGraphics (the pictures on the side of the trucks)is to highlight little known facts about the different communities we serve.
Of course you are!
(Nicely emollient reply all the same, David.
I think it's a tacky - but effective -gimmick.)
Jody Tresidder at October 13, 2010 9:09 AM
What Amy said.
Feebie at October 13, 2010 9:16 AM
Jody, I can't really control what people think is tacky or offensive, but I can explain what the intention was. The SuperGraphics are meant to educate and get people thinking. I hope that some of the people who are offended will at least go to the site I linked to and maybe learn a little bit more about the emancipation process.
David at October 13, 2010 9:21 AM
Amy, Since you asked, the Mississippi SuperGraphic features the Mississippi Sandhill Crane, one of the oldest living bird species on earth.
Amy (EDITED: Actually from David/U-Haul) at October 13, 2010 9:30 AM
>>...The SuperGraphics are meant to educate and get people thinking. I hope that some of the people who are offended will at least go to the site I linked to and maybe learn a little bit more about the emancipation process.
David,
That's partly why I lean towards effective (as well as my own reaction to one the Amy featured here - that it's a bit tacky!)
Not only are people talking about the campaign - thoughtfully - and by extension, U-haul - but the campaign comes with a proactive back-up strategy in the shape of a plausible, meant-to-educate website!
Don Draper himself might approve.
Jody Tresidder at October 13, 2010 9:43 AM
David, the underground railroad and the "emancipation process" have nothing to do with each other. Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation during the Civil War as a political maneuver to keep France from joining the war on the side of the south, not to free slaves for their own sakes. As Lincoln said before issuing it:
"My paramount objective in this struggle is to save the Union, and it is not either to save or destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slaves, I would do it, if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it."
As for U-haul, I don't see this as a marketing campaign. In an age when most companies are derided if they don't participate in some sort of philanthropy, printing under ground railroad educational materials on their own trailers could be seen in a positive light. That the "passengers" on the underground railroad were moving, and U-haul is a moving company is merely a coincidence as U-haul prints many other types of local historical information on their trailers as well.
AllenS at October 13, 2010 10:10 AM
AllenS Lincoln's actions may have been political, but the Emancipation Proclamation is only one part of the story of ending slavery in North America. Canada had ended slavery a long time before the US, and many northern states had passed laws as well.
Otherwise, thanks for the well thought out comment. It is nice to actually have a discussion on the Internet.
David at October 13, 2010 10:30 AM
> You could have a whole theme here. The Trail
> of Tears, the Battan Death March, The
> Expulsion of the Acadians . . .
Dude, I like the way you think, and I can get behind it in a big, big way.
For the new Garanimals, I was thinking of the Stolen Generation.
Yes? No? Do you need to see some art before you decide? We can DO this!
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at October 13, 2010 10:39 AM
>>>Amy, Since you asked, the Mississippi SuperGraphic features the Mississippi Sandhill Crane, one of the oldest living bird species on earth.
How old? Your answer would suggest how long a bird specie can last before... evolving into something else.
DaveG at October 13, 2010 10:44 AM
> printing under ground railroad educational
> materials on their own trailers could be
> seen in a positive light.
I kinda agree with that. On the one hand, it couldn't be more tasteless or exploitative of the pain of others.
On the other hand, that pain is so profound, and scars our country so deeply, that having it depicted with some commercial imagery is probably not that big a deal. It's not a family secret, like Aunt Jenny's drinking or Cousin Ned's obsession with the ponies.
There are probably a few little kids, black and white, who are going to be riding with their parents when one of these trucks drives by. And they'll ask "What's that about?", and the parents will tell them.
Furthermore, it makes the point –somewhat explicitly– that moving in America to pursue your interests doesn't mean what it used to mean. There are people who need to hear that.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at October 13, 2010 10:57 AM
DaveG, There are fossils as old as 10 million years that may be of the Sandhill Crane as we know it. The oldest fossil that is probably the Sandhill Crane is 2.5 million years old. There is debate about this stuff, but even the "newer" fossils predate most current birds. You can learn more about them at http://www.uhaul.com/SuperGraphics/59/Venture-Across-America-and-Canada-Modern/Mississippi
David at October 13, 2010 11:04 AM
I am on the SuperGraphic team at U-Haul and I am encouraged by the number of comments to Amy's post by people who understand our educational program or have taken the time to visit our site featuring Ontario and its role in the underground railroad.
It is a misconception that U-Haul is depicting an "advertisement" or is marketing a household move with our selection of SuperGraphic topics. The rear doors of our trucks are reserved for our advertising messages (promoting Moving Help, supplies, storage, etc.) But U-Haul dedicates the sides of the trucks to the educational SuperGraphic program and absorbs all costs to offer the educational web presentations free of charge to anyone with access to the internet.
Those familiar with U-Haul trucks have seen them decorated for more than 20 years with images saluting scientific and historical topics ranging from the world's highest tides, ancient fossils, the Lewis & Clark explorations, the world's first submarine, giant squids, the happy face spider, the Inuits - to name just a few of the topics our program has featured. When our team decides on a topic there is no discussion about how the topics could possibly relate to or tie in to promoting the rental of a U-Haul truck for a household move.
I encourage readers to visit our site and read more about Josiah Henson - an enslaved man who escaped slavery via the underground railroad and established a settlement for escaped slaves in Dresden Ontario. Josiah Henson was the real-life person who inspired the novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin" which is considered to be the catalyst of the anti-slavery movement - and the network of thousands of people who acted as "conductors" on the underground railroad. While Harriet Tubman is a well-known conductor,the illustration is actually featuring one of the many anonymous heroes who made the underground railroad one of the world's largest and earliest organized human rights efforts.
To create a graphic, research, write and post about a topic, we work closely with experts to ensure accuracy. During the course of creating the Ontario SuperGraphic we worked closely with historians specializing in the underground railroad and Josiah Henson. After reading Henson's autobiography, I was personally thrilled at the opportunity to share his amazing story with many people who may not have ever heard of him had they not learned about him on the side of a U-Haul truck! We very much do not intend to be "tacky" or offensive in our educational program by offering info online about a chapter in Canadian and U.S. history. When we unveiled the SuperGraphic in Aug. 2009, we were pleased that many of Josiah Henson's descendants were in attendance.
In featuring the mysteries and little-known facts about a variety of topics such as ghost orchids, singing sands,ancient pandas,meteor craters,migrating sandpipers, ships made of ice, and yes, the underground railroad, we have placed on the web scientific and historical info for all to enjoy and learn more about. Check out our site - you will probably find a topic that catches your attention.
Now back to work for me - today I am researching the mysterious Runestone of Alexandria, Minnesota. Look for the new Minnesota SuperGraphic hitting the roads soon!
Shannon Myers at October 13, 2010 11:52 AM
> It is a misconception that U-Haul is depicting
> an "advertisement" or is marketing
Ms. Myers, with all due respect, NO.
This is not a misconception. Any pattern beyond a flat shade of gray is marketing. There may be no shame in what you're doing, but you put those graphics on the sides of your trucks rather than the sides of your office trash cans for a reason.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at October 13, 2010 12:06 PM
Actually, in the abstract, Harriet Tubman was all about helping people relocate to a new venue for a new job.
Conan the Grammarian at October 13, 2010 12:18 PM
Jody - loved your tongue-in-cheek comment about Don Draper! U-Haul could chose to sell the "advertising space" on the sides of our trucks for millions of dollars. (Think about the corporations that would like to buy space on the "moving billboards" that crisscross the roadways of North America and are parked in neighborhoods all over the U.S. and Canada.) Instead, U-Haul is committed to the educational program and not using the sides of the trucks for ad revenue.
Ad Man Don Draper might actually champion the sale of the sides of U-Haul trucks for marketing messages ("How about a refreshing Coca-Cola with your move?")
Allen S. - you hit the nail on the head. I think it is pretty clear to anyone that has viewed the U-Haul SuperGraphic site that there is no marketing strategy to promote a household move by way of a depiction of rhinos, aliens, Sacajawea, inuksuit and phantom ships. (If we could successfully pull off a marketing strategy this way, Don Draper might be impressed!)
Shannon Myers at October 13, 2010 12:27 PM
>>I am on the SuperGraphic team at U-Haul and I am encouraged by the number of comments to Amy's post by people who understand our education...Look for the new Minnesota SuperGraphic hitting the roads soon!
No offense, Shannon Myers.
But at 535 words, that was way, way too long.
See the comment by U-haul's David at 9.21 AM. He sold me in 61 words!
[On preview...Shannon, enough already!]
Jody Tresidder at October 13, 2010 12:35 PM
First of all, if you asked Don Draper about this, he'd say "Don't bother me now... I'm being blown by my secretary." Because Don Draper doesn't exist.
Secondly, the proof is in the pudding: If this marketing maneuver truly assists Americans in making sense of what is their heritage (for better and for FAR worse), you'll collect all the kudos you've earned in prompt and righteous fashion.
Meanwhile you'll be disappointed in trying to collect those props beforehand. If McDonald's did a series of graphic displays about the underground railroad, no one could complain. But of course questions will be asked about your taste –and interest– in presenting this material.
And the woman's dress is so elegant as to have been the DREAM garment of a runaway slave.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at October 13, 2010 12:46 PM
I think this is a great example of self-correction on the Internet. Those of you still miffed about educational material being placed on the side of a moving billboard will not think so.
For those of you interested in Web analytics and social networking as business profiling, this is a perfect example, so much so that I've saved it all to use as an example in my book.
Don't get me wrong here. I approve of a company watching out for their profile. I did find the tag-team approach unnecessary. Once we saw that David, appropriately representing himself as a U-Haul employee, could provide the counter point, I believe he could have stuck around and answered or elaborated on the responses/disagreements.
I do agree with another observation about your post Shannon. Your post was, while in earnest, over the top in length. The SuperGraphics Web response team may want to consider this engagement as the beginning of a great discussion point.
But, what do I know? Remember you get what you just paid for.
Dan Derrick at October 13, 2010 2:59 PM
Dan, I am still here to answer anyone's questions if they have one.
Shannon's comment may have been long, but it is because she is passionate about what she does.
If U-Haul ends up in your book let us know, and good luck with that.
David at October 13, 2010 3:11 PM
Nihil obstat... But let's not pretend that a comment on a blog is like an armchair interview on Mid-day Dayton just after the weather segment, OK? It's not a place where anyone accepts anything at face value, EVEN IF YOU SIGN YOUR COMMENTS ANONYMOUSLY. Amy uses this site for her own flatly commercial purposes, and everyone's OK with that. Had her comment on the U-Haul marketing venture been positive rather than handsomely back-handed, some of us would have asked what was up.
Well, one quibble: The materials on the side of the van are NOT merely "educational", and no one should be allowed to pretend they are. Does anyone remember the despicable Channel One?
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at October 13, 2010 3:50 PM
I saw this movie while working for a famous television distributor. (I won't say which one. You're welcome.)
It was OK, not great... But I think Cole is a brilliant movie star, both for moderate satire and slapstick.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at October 13, 2010 3:56 PM
(PS— "Supergraphics!")
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at October 13, 2010 4:05 PM
Crid, I think you may be a bit more cynical than I am, but all of your points are well made, and I can't really argue with your perceptions.
The SuperGraphics are not direct sales or advertising, but are a part of the overall brand image. Of course companies want everything that goes out to reflect positively on them.
I also remember Channel One, and had it in my school. It had straight up 30 second spot commercials for products.
David at October 13, 2010 4:11 PM
Only the wildly earnest fail to see what a misfire this is. My boyfriend and I were walking down the street in New York, saw this ad, and both independently burst out laughing.
Crid's right on about the fashion, too. This is slavewear by way of Bergdorf Goodman.
Pssst: Hire a college student with a sense of irony, and run your campaigns past her.
Amy Alkon at October 13, 2010 4:37 PM
Whereas these new blessings ("SuperGraphics!") are emblazoned directly on the company product, beside a 40-year-old, internationally recognized color-&-font scheme, and anchored with the text "Uhaul.com".
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at October 13, 2010 4:38 PM
To Amy and Crid, Point taken.
David at October 13, 2010 4:45 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2010/10/13/if_only_harriet.html#comment-1766180">comment from Crid [CridComment at gmail]Exactly Crid. Call it branding or whatever. The discussion here is the one a bunch of somebodies should've had there before killing the Underground Railroad version of this.
Hmm...will there be an illegal alien SuperGraphic!? Maybe showing them crawling under the fence in Arizona? Message: "Moving is so, so much pinche better in a U-Haul!"
(Re: "pinche" - Gustavo Arellano taught me that word -- means "fucking")
Amy Alkon at October 13, 2010 4:49 PM
Not as educational, but here is your illegal alien
David at October 13, 2010 4:55 PM
The underground railroad and the emancipation process are related in that they both freed slaves.
Considering how many bad things people say about the public education in the USA, I've generally thought the bits of info that U-Haul trucks show is pretty cool.
Still seems odd that history classes tend to take out all of the interesting bits.
KrisL at October 13, 2010 6:36 PM
Edu-marketing. Gah!
ie at October 13, 2010 7:10 PM
When I think of paths to libery, uhaul.com comes to mind!
Sio at October 13, 2010 11:34 PM
"The underground railroad and the emancipation process are related in that they both freed slaves."
The underground railroad did not free slaves. They were still slaves, just more difficult to recapture ... in the same sense that cold-war defectors were still Soviet citizens. But my real point is that one did not lead to the other as implied by the U-haul representatives.
AllenS at October 14, 2010 7:38 AM
>>Not as educational, but here is your illegal alien
Nicely played, U-Haul-David!
Jody Tresidder at October 14, 2010 7:39 AM
Jody thanks, we have fun stuff too.
David at October 14, 2010 9:32 AM
Wasn't the Dred Scott case about a slave who was taken to a free state (Oregon?) and should have therefore been freed because slavery wasn't legal there? If so, then the underground railroad did free slaves if it helped them get somewhere that they couldn't be slaves again.
Also, Dred Scott died before the case was finished.
KrisL at October 15, 2010 6:40 PM
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