How UPS Store's New Brand Character Lifts Franchisee Sales
The shipping chain debuts Blu, its first mascot character, across TV, digital, and social to help franchise owners stand out in a crowded local market.
The 5-second version
- UPS Store created Blu, a branded character in a blue polo, to give franchisees a unified identity across all marketing channels.
- The multiyear campaign spans TV, digital, social, and print to make local locations more recognizable and memorable to customers.
- A consistent mascot helps franchise networks compete by giving small owners a professional, ready-made marketing asset they can use locally.
UPS Store just launched Blu, its first brand character, across a multiyear campaign designed to give franchisees a unified marketing asset. Blu is a friendly woman wearing the chain's signature blue polo, and she appears on TV, digital, social media, and print.
Why Franchises Need a Face
Franchisees operate in local markets where they compete with independent shipping shops, mailbox rental centers, and big-box retailers. A consistent brand character solves a real problem: it gives every location a professional, recognizable identity that customers remember. Without one, each franchisee either builds their own marketing from scratch, expensive and time-consuming, or defaults to generic corporate copy.
Blu changes that math. She works across every channel, so a franchisee can use her in a Facebook ad, an email to regulars, a local TV spot, or a printed flyer without redesigning her for each one. That consistency builds brand recall faster than scattered, one-off creative.
The Channel Strategy
UPS Store is spreading Blu across four channels: TV reaches older, local audiences; digital and social hit web and mobile; print holds the mailbox and front window. This isn't random. Each channel reinforces the others. A customer who sees Blu on Instagram is more likely to recognize her on a printed mailer in their home mailbox, and both make the TV spot feel familiar.
What This Means for Your Business
A mascot or brand character is not a gimmick, it's a business tool that improves how customers recognize and remember you. UPS Store's Blu is designed to run for years, meaning the chain is betting that long-term consistency pays off in foot traffic and loyalty. For a small business owner, the same principle applies. A character or consistent face in your marketing compounds over months and years.
- Launch your character on one channel first (social media is cheapest and fastest).
- Use the same image, name, and tone of voice across all your marketing so customers recognize them instantly.
- Measure recall and foot traffic after 90 days to confirm whether the character is working.
- Expand to other channels (email, print, ads) once you see traction on the first one.
Source: Marketing Dive, Sept. 1, 2026.
Questions owners ask
Why would a franchise create a mascot character instead of just running local ads?
A consistent character gives every franchisee a professional, recognizable identity across all their marketing, social media, print, TV, digital, so customers remember the brand. According to Marketing Dive, UPS Store built Blu as a multiyear asset to help franchisees stand out in their local markets.
Can small business owners use a brand character if they're not part of a franchise?
Yes, any business can create or commission a mascot character to use across its own social, email, ads, and website. A consistent character helps customers recognize you and makes your marketing more memorable than text-only content.
What channels work best for a brand character?
UPS Store's Blu appears across digital, TV, social, and print. For most small owners, social media and email are the fastest and cheapest channels to roll out a character, though TV and print add credibility if budget allows.
How long does it take to see results from a brand character campaign?
UPS Store framed Blu as a multiyear campaign, meaning brand character work requires patience. Expect to measure lift in recognition and foot traffic over months, not weeks, but consistency across channels speeds results.
