Since 1953, PSA members have received support and resources that set them up for success, such as access to postal, legislative and shipping market leaders. As e-commerce has boomed, PSA membership has expanded beyond the traditional base of parcel shippers. Among many others, shippers, retailers, vendors, logistics companies and warehouses are all part of today’s shipping ecosystem.
Even as the shipping industry has evolved, PSA’s mission has remained steadfast: to foster competition in the parcel delivery market and generate value for PSA members.
PSA—at the time known as the Parcel Shippers Association—conducted a series of activities (member research, a competitive assessment, brand review and other efforts) that revealed the need to modernize their brand identity and public footprint, in response to a changing shipping industry and growth in membership. Furthermore, PSA leadership expressed a need to both retain existing membership and acquire new members. As a focal point of this effort, PSA sought not only to evolve its offerings and broaden membership, but also to establish a new name and identity to ensure future success.
As Jim Cochrane began his tenure as PSA’s CEO, he prioritized understanding member needs and industry trends, as well as determining where the organization could provide the most value moving forward. Through extensive internal and external market research, the member sentiment was clear—PSA’s focus on USPS in its communications—most notably on its website—was antiquated and needed to become more inclusive of the broader shipping ecosystem. To accomplish this goal, the association needed to improve its value through a new, rebranded website that clearly communicated an evolved brand.
The rebranding objectives focused on a new name, brand identity and messaging, which culminated in a new brand, robust website and revamped newsletter that gives current members the information and access to the association they desperately sought.
In order to better address PSA’s desire for inclusivity, Throughline recognized that the association would need a new name. At the same time, the PSA acronym was well known on Capitol Hill, and this consideration influenced the Parcel Shippers Association becoming the Package Shippers Association—a more comprehensive name that retained the familiar acronym. Alongside the new name, Throughline refreshed the brand’s visual identity, devising a new logo and establishing a color palette, font and slide decks to give the association’s materials a cohesive, recognizable look and feel.
For the redesigned website, Throughline considered how to maximize its value as a resource for PSA members. The team ultimately devised a new information architecture for the site, along with forward-thinking new messaging related to the shipping ecosystem, advocacy, networking and PSA’s reputation as a respected and knowledgeable association. Throughline also developed a new portal system to work with the existing membership portal, as well as training PSA staff to empower them to make future web content updates.
Considering UI/UX needs, Throughline designed the website with attention to ease-of-navigation, compatibility on a variety of devices and Section 508 accessibility compliance.
The PSA rebrand and website redesign enhanced the association’s reputation in the marketplace and industry, ultimately leading to increased member inquiries and 15% growth in new member revenue. PSA leadership attributes this success to the rebrand, as well as the revamped website and messaging. The new website streamlines event registration and membership administrative tasks, while improving user experience through simplified navigation and refreshed messaging.
After Throughline launched the new website in March 2021, PSA’s web presence has more effectively reflected a modernized vision of the brand, as well as the more inclusive nature of PSA’s relationship to the broader shipping ecosystem. In addition, the new website has provided PSA leadership with a key piece of collateral to share with prospective members.
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