What do dinosaurs and U-Haul have in common?
Sure, both were around a long time ago. U-Haul has been serving the do-it-yourself mover since 1945. Dinosaurs roamed the earth … well, just a few years before then.
They enjoy another shared trait: both are profiled in the colorful pages of the latest Prehistoric Times® magazine, whose 118th edition was recently released.
Robert Telleria, a writer for the dino-friendly publication, contacted U-Haul to learn about the history of our popular SuperGraphics™ and the unmistakable creatures on the sides of our orange-clad trucks, ranging from prehistoric and even mythical monsters to unique animals with bizarre tales linking them to a specific state.
The Prehistoric Times piece entitled “The Paleoart of U-Haul” and the stories behind our SuperGraphics – many of them anchored in fossil discoveries – are showcased in the summer 2016 edition, along with features on killer pigs, dinosaur mummies, and how to speak dinosaur (as well as other adventuresome topics).
The majority of U-Haul detail was provided by marketing account executive and SuperGraphics project coordinator Shannon Myers. “We found that the most successful graphics have heads or faces popping out of the graphic – you can recognize them from a great distance down the road,” stated Myers, who originally worked with senior illustrator Steve King on many of the SuperGraphics to ensure accuracy.
A dinosaur first appeared on a U-Haul truck in a 1980s Classic SuperGraphic during the America’s Moving Adventure™ campaign, with Utah’s Tyrannosaurus graphic referencing Dinosaur National Monument.
Today, Connecticut’s Eubrontes graphic alluding to the dinosaur tracks of Rocky Hill is one of U-Haul Company’s most popular. Additional Modern SuperGraphics shown in the article include Vermont’s mythical aquatic creature “Champ”; Illinois’ ancient “Tully Monster”; South Dakota’s prehistoric seaway turtle; Nebraska’s prehistoric rhino; New York’s Mastodon; Maine’s Ice Age marine life; Idaho’s zebra-like Hagerman Horse; Tennessee’s Red Panda; and the Yukon’s “Whitehorse” camel.
“U-Haul didn’t specifically set out to single out states with dinosaurs,” Myers told Telleria. “The focus was broadened to other unexplored concepts. We try to have a range that appeals to different age groups and interests. We cover a lot of science in our designs but occasionally mysterious places such as Area 51 for Nevada, or little-known historical facts like the Underground Railroad that led to Ontario.”
Move over, New York Times. It’s the Prehistoric Times with the scoop on our paleo-past.
To learn more about the decorated 71-year history of U-Haul, please visit the History & Culture section of myuhaulstory.com.
