The UPS Store and UPS have collaborated to honor mothers this year with an interactive UPS truck, showcasing mom-owned businesses across the Austin, TX metropolitan area.
This launch was kicked off by a LED-equipped UPS truck featuring the inspiring stories of four mom-owned small businesses: Cornucopia Popcorn, Good Hippie, Origin Mexico, and Parker and Scott. By highlighting these businesses’ resilience and success, UPS aimed to draw attention to their unique stories. The UPS package car also provided live GPS tracking so people could find their nearest UPS Store location to pack and ship their Mother’s Day gifts from mom-owned businesses.
With one out of three women-owned businesses being run by mothers, this initiative on Mother’s Day aims to celebrate the diverse range of mom-owned small businesses and their entrepreneurial spirit. The ads featuring small businesses did not require them to purchase ad space.
A spokesperson from The UPS Store said the campaign is a follow-up to a previous one launched in 2023 ahead of the holiday season. They unveiled a fully animated 3D billboard, providing a platform for three small business owners to reach millions of customers at one of the world’s most iconic spots. This activation elevated three diverse-owned small businesses through an inventive, multichannel experience for viewers. This display showcased virtual packages from the small businesses floating from the billboard into the UPS package car.
“The UPS Store and UPS are active supporters of small business owners. Both brands are continuously working to empower and celebrate small business owners, including The UPS Store franchise owners – as most of the more than 5,200 The UPS Store locations nationwide are locally owned and operated,” said a UPS Store spokesperson.
Collaborating with mom-owned businesses, which contribute $5.3 billion to Austin’s economy and employ over 43,000 people, UPS is leveraging its car as valuable advertising space. By featuring these businesses on the car and mapping them to the nearest UPS Store locations, UPS is creating a unique opportunity for both brands. As the busy Mother’s Day season approached, this initiative highlights UPS’ support for small businesses and their journey toward success.
In a study, it has been noted that there has been a significant increase in female entrepreneurs post-pandemic, with one in three women-owned small businesses led by mothers. Several factors are contributing to this rise, including the desire for additional income, the pursuit of passions, and the necessity for flexible working hours. Furthermore, recent data from Gusto indicates that nearly half of new business owners in 2021 were women, a significant increase from pre-pandemic levels.
Women are becoming more entrepreneurs, contributing to economic growth, job creation, and innovation. In addition to pursuing their professional aspirations, mothers can also prioritize family life with autonomy and flexibility through entrepreneurship. Supporting mothers’ entrepreneurial endeavors can contribute to social progress and gender equality.
“That is why it is important to empower small business owners by starting a dialogue and encouraging inclusive language around Mother’s Day. Recognizing the significant impact and unique strengths of mothers who are also small business owners is key, as this often goes unrecognized,” said a UPS Store spokesperson.
This story has been updated on May 22 to clarify that it is The UPS Store.
