Starting with Service

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But in 1907, he was a young man who borrowed $100 to start the American Messenger Company. The fledgling business operated out of a basement office in Seattle, Washington. And he understood what it took to build a brand.

Early placards for the American Messenger Company were a simple affair: the company’s name, a phone number, and a slogan: “best service, lowest rates”. It may not have been the most scintillating advertising copy, but it got the point across.

But to Jim, there was something that went far beyond advertising in building the brand: the service. In 1945, he said:

“Although the company was born in a basement and reared in an alley, early on we made up our minds that we didn’t want to be identified as an ‘alley company,’ as most other delivery companies had been. We early adopted the policy of spic and span appearance for the few delivery cars we had. We tried to make a good impression on everybody we dealt with.”

Even though UPS did little advertising, Jim Casey was still keenly aware of the effect appearance had on the business. He was aware that quality, and customers’ perceptions of quality, could be the one thing that UPS had to offer that other companies did not.

The statistical information included here was current at the time it was published in 2007. To see more recent statistics, visit our pressroom.

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