Challenge / Goal
As Saia LTL Freight approached its 100-year anniversary, they turned to us—DEFINITION 6, their agency of record—with one big question: How should we celebrate a century of service in a way that honors our past and energizes our future?
The ask was clear: Make it big. Make it memorable. And make it mobile.
The goal was to bring the story of Saia to life in a way that could travel across the country, connect with employees, customers, and communities, and reflect the evolution from humble beginnings in Houma, Louisiana—where the original Saia truck transported fruit with its seats removed—to the nationwide logistics leader the company is today.
Solution
We proposed a multi-tier centennial strategy, anchored by a traveling brand experience: the Saia 100-Year Pop-Up Truck. This wasn’t just a branded trailer—it was a mobile museum designed to celebrate Saia’s legacy while educating visitors about the freight industry in a hands-on, immersive way. Housed in two custom 28-foot trailers, the experience included:
- An Interactive Timeline chronicling Saia’s growth over 100 years
- Authentic Artifacts from the company’s earliest days
- Engaging Wall Exhibits that taught people about LTL freight and Saia’s nationwide operations
- A Fully Immersive Truck Driving Simulator in the rear trailer that allowed visitors to experience life behind the wheel of a Saia truck
The Pop-Up Truck hit the road in 2024, traveling to terminals, customer appreciation events, and public community celebrations across the country—bringing people closer to the brand and giving them a reason to celebrate right alongside the Saia team.
As part of the creative team, I played a key role in:
- Defining the scope and overall costs to execute the project
- Brainstorming and developing the exhibit content, from how we told the Saia origin story to what educational experiences we featured on the walls
- Collaborating with our fabrication partner, ManMade in Athens, GA, to bring the vision to life with precision and storytelling impact
- Ensuring that the tone, messaging, and visual execution stayed true to the Saia brand while sparking interest and engagement on the road
The Impact
The Pop-Up Truck Experience became the emotional and cultural centerpiece of Saia’s 100-Year campaign. Employees, customers, and community members across the country got to engage with the brand in a totally new way—experiencing its history not just in words, but in artifacts, timelines, and interactive features.
It sparked pride in tenured employees, educated younger generations, and deepened customer loyalty by turning logistics into a story worth sharing. From Houma to headquarters and every terminal in between, the Pop-Up Truck embodied the Saia legacy: Strong. Trusted. Proven.