Vehicle advertising graphics have come a long way since the simple car top or magnetic door sign. With choices ranging from advanced materials to a rainbow of colors and sophisticated design elements, auto signage has become one of the most creative tools you can give your clients to help them share their messages and raise awareness for their businesses.
We’ve seen the effectiveness of this advertising strategy in our company vehicle wraps, especially our owner’s truck. Bernard gets stopped every day at gas stations, at traffic lights, and in store parking lots by people who want to know about our wrap business. It is our most profitable marketing effort yet, and we keep it fresh by rewrapping it every two years with the latest design concepts and materials.
The vehicle wrap specialty has changed quite a bit since we added it to our services in 2017. We’ve seen a remarkable evolution in the materials our manufacturers and distributors offer. Wraps are stronger and longer-lasting thanks to eco-friendly vinyl and UV-resistant and weather-resistant materials. They’re more attention-getting with chameleon colors, matte, and textured finishes such as carbon fiber, brushed metal, and leather; and made to dazzle with reflective, glow-in-the-dark, and chrome vinyl.
Some designs are moving toward bolder colors and gradients; at the same time, minimalist designs that roll toward a retro look and feel are making a big comeback. Designers are using layering and overlays with different finishes and materials. A design can be seamlessly integrated with the existing lines and features of the vehicle, creating a marketing masterpiece — almost a work of art.
Another popular trend is adding a QR code to the design, which makes the advertisement more interactive and can yield valuable marketing analytics for companies that employ them.
Even with so many refined new choices, vehicle wraps are still the most cost-effective advertising that businesses can buy — as little as a few dollars a day for a rolling ad that can get tens of thousands of impressions each day.
Vinyl wrapping also protects the vehicle from scratches and harsh weather, helping maintain value.
Boosting sales of vehicle wraps & graphics
This signage category offers many opportunities to attract new customers and keep existing ones returning.
When it’s time to have the vehicle rewrapped — usually in about three years — you can agree to remove the old wrap at no charge. Not only will it encourage the customer to return, but the wrap is easier to remove when the weather damage isn’t too extreme. For customers on tighter budgets, offer partial wrap or decal graphics, which deliver marketing benefits similar to those of a full design.
Enter as many wrap-specific contests as you can. The awards offer priceless marketing value, and your team will find their skills sharpened with exposure to the best in the industry. Just by entering, they’re raising the bar for themselves.
To proactively attract new customers, consider placing your marketing materials or business cards on vehicles you see that have been poorly wrapped or only have decals or door magnets.
Less is always more: Think about the initial message you want to convey and stick to that. Don’t advertise every product or service you offer; say just enough to grab prospective customers’ attention in the 15-20 seconds of visibility when the vehicle is in motion. Give only the most essential information: business name, phone, website, and a quick, catchy tagline. Remember the three C’s: clean, crisp, and (high) contrast.
Keep your team up to date: Technology and trends are constantly changing, so your most knowledgeable team should stay current on the latest installation techniques and designs. Have them take advantage of continuing education from larger manufacturers, distributors, and professional organizations. Having installers obtain as many certifications as possible from industry leaders ensures that they are experts at what they do. This adds to their credibility with customers and presents unique marketing opportunities for attracting new business. As part of this, get your wrap installers certified by major manufacturers like Avery Dennison and 3M, which will then list them on their websites. National brands typically look to those sites for local installers for their fleets and company vehicles.
Stay on top of the market: You’ll get invaluable insight and networking opportunities from trade shows and conferences like GRAPHICS PRO EXPO, WRAPSCON, ISA, SEMA, SARCON, WrapFest, FESPA, etc. Subscribe to leading industry publications and online training companies. We also discuss opportunities weekly with our sales force and quarterly with the whole team. We look at our top markets and the industries trailing to identify where we need to focus our marketing attention and where we do not.
Wrapped in love: Not all vehicle wraps are about advertising.
For one of our most memorable projects, two brothers asked us to help them honor their late father, who was being inducted posthumously into the West Virginia Drag Racers Hall of Fame. His car was originally red but had been painted white over the years so that his sons could race it. We wrapped it in the original red, then added die-cut layered decals to look like the hand-painted badging from the 1960s when their father was racing it. Their mother hadn’t seen the car since then; it was very emotional when it was revealed to her.
It was a story we were proud to take part in and a message we were honored to help share. When you take your vehicle wraps and graphics to the next level, you can be a part of milestone campaigns and meaningful moments for your clients too.
