Fleet managers, write this down: A single commercial van with an effective exterior “wrap” operating within a major city can generate up to 16 million visual impressions per year, according to an oft-cited study from the American Trucking Association. Needless to say, taking advantage of that exposure — and converting some of those eyeballs into business — is key. A typical vehicle wrap can cost between $2,500 and $3,000 — but consider the payoffs, also cited in the study:
- 96 percent say fleet graphics have more impact than billboards or other outdoor media.
- 91 percent notice the words and images displayed on vehicle graphics.
- 75 percent develop an impression about a company and its products based upon vehicle graphics.
We talked to some industry pros about how fleet managers can get the most for their money:
Smart Design
A service van is often the first direct exposure a company has to its customers and prospects. How can you ensure than your graphics grab their attention? It’s important to work with designers who understand your brand’s messaging and color scheme, says Peter Salaverry, CEO of SkinzWraps, a national full-service vehicle-wrap company headquartered in Dallas. “Pre-made templates and artwork are amateurish at best, and give off the wrong impression,” Salaverry says. “It’s the task of the artist to take your components and present an image that’s unique, consistent and builds off your brand.”
- Get Your Messaging Down: Salaverry says it’s essential to understand the strategic implications of your wrap design. Where does the viewer’s eye go first? (Answer: It should be the company name.) Where should the phone number and website address go? Where should you put your logo? 3M has a “visual attention service” (VAS) tool on its website that can scan an image of your graphic and show where a viewer’s eye is likely to gravitate.
- Use the Space: There’s lot of space on a van — so use it. Wording on the hood can be laid out in reverse text so it can be read from a driver’s rear-view mirror. And remember the rear doors. Drivers often have a few seconds to kill, so why not give them something useful to read?
- But Don’t Clutter: While it’s important to maximize space, a common mistake companies make is to try to say too much on the wrap, which clutters the appearance and diminishes its sales impact. “You want [graphics] as simple and crisp as possible, because the reader doesn’t have much time,” says Tim Boxeth, a business manager with 3M Commercial Graphics. Boxeth calls that the “five second rule.” Keep the content of the graphics focused on one or two key messages at most.
The Right Materials
Designing “eye-popping” graphics is only half the equation: The right wrap material, or film, is also important to the overall effectiveness of your graphics. After spending all that time and money on the design, you don’t want it to fad or fall off after a few weeks.
- Use High-End Materials: Low-quality film may shrink prematurely — sometimes within a year — diminishing the look and impact of your vehicle branding. “As the [film] shrinks, there’s a little residue that’s left behind, which collects dirt that creates a ring around your graphics,” Boxeth says. “If you’re going to spend the money on vehicle graphics, don’t skimp on the materials to save a nickel — it will cost you more in the long run.”
- Weigh Gloss vs. Luster Laminates: Glossy laminate gives a factory-quality wet-paint look, enhancing colors. But in places where there’s a lot of sun, the luster laminate may be a better fit because it minimizes glare, improving readability.
- Consider Your Climate: “In some parts of the country, with intense sun, or as is often the case in Los Angeles, acid dew, it can cause staining or brown-spotting in your standard materials,” Boxeth warns. “In those cases, you want materials with extra protection for those elements.”
- Find the Right Fit for Your Vehicle Make and Model: Some vehicles present challenges with corrugated and riveted surfaces, which if not covered properly can lead to air bubbles and moisture that cause premature wrap failure. Boxeth says it’s important to make sure the film you choose is a good fit for your particular vehicle model and can stretch appropriately.
More: How to Pimp Your Van (and Other Fleet Vehicle Considerations).
Click here to download a free whitepaper, “Five Steps to Make Field Service Profitable.”
Great work! I love the design of your vans. And having those information your blog is wonderful
Wow, really amazing work! I like what you did on the first van. I’d like to do it also in my delivery van. I want to people think that I custom-cut my van 🙂 By the way, how much do you think it would cost me? It’s a Nissan van.
Indeed a very nice post. I am also associated with imaginationworksla, vehicle wraps los angeles, car wraps los angeles, Banner stands los angeles. Thanks for writing such good posts and as I have subscribed to your blog, I do expect that you will be posting nice posts like this on a regular basis.
Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally, it seems as
though you relied on the video to make your point.
You definitely know what youre talking about, why waste your intelligence on just
posting videos to your site when you could be giving us something informative to read?
What video, Jeremy?
I was very pleased to find this site.I wanted to thank you for this great read I definitely enjoying every little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post.
http://bongdamoi.vn
We tell our clients (and potential clients) all the time that a wrap will more than pay for itself in the first year. Great article. Vinyl Bros
Using the right amount of space is very critical. Otherwise it may become too much expressive.