One of the most important components in advertising, is capturing your audience’s attention. Vehicle wraps are a great choice for brands that want to bring awareness of their business to a community. Depending on how far you travel and how many vehicles you own, your logo, or advertising has the potential to draw awareness from tens of thousands of people each month. In terms of design – the right images, words, and overall aesthetic can go a long way in making your brand a memorable one. Your vehicle is the perfect canvas to let others know what you have to offer, as it has (depending on the size) around 20-30 square feet of free, blank advertising space.
Designing an Appealing Vehicle Wrap
Having a mind for business, you know that each person that sees your logo or ad is a potential customer, but you know that your services are not necessarily suited for everyone. That’s why it’s important to have a wrap that targets a specific audience, in order to increase the likelihood of someone who actually needs your service, to give you a call.
Imagine this: You’ve been doing your own plumbing for years, but each time it’s a quick fix. You decide it’s time to get to the root of the problem. While out running errands you see a white van that says, ‘Bob’s Plumbing’ on the side. While this is straightforward, and certainly what you’re looking for, you begin to question, well, what experience does Bob have? His van comes off as extremely basic, so are his services basic as well? Does he have the expertise to tackle a range of plumbing issues? Will he overcharge? While Bob may indeed have the expertise, and is a fair guy, customers discern a lot about a business from its logo, and many make their choice whether to buy or not, simply from the way that it looks.
Cue: ‘Frank’s Plumbing & Electrical: Honest. Professional. Affordable. Doing it right so you don’t have to do it over.’ His van is wrapped in cool grey and white colours, with blue accents. It looks professional, put together, and his slogan provokes a smile. This is just a simple example of how vehicle wraps can work in your favour when designed in an appealing way.
Vehicle Wrap Examples
Benefits of Wrapping Your Vehicle
Aside from attracting a large number of potential customers, and targeting the right customer when using a clever and attractive wrap, vehicle wraps are also a form of non-intrusive advertising. Whereas TV commercials come off as annoying, and are an unwelcome disturbance to our favorite programs, vehicle wraps move around silently, catching attention without being in a potential customer’s face.
Another benefit is that vehicle wraps are cost effective – one wrap can last you years and you don’t need to keep paying for advertising space, like billboards or radio ads. Vehicle wraps also save you money in other unexpected ways, providing added protection to your vehicle, keeping it free from light dents and scratches, so that you keep your vehicle looking more professional for longer.
Best Material for Vehicle Wraps
The most popular material for vehicle wrap is vinyl. However, vinyl comes in a number of finishes, and choosing the right finish for your wrap can be a tough decision. There are so many choices, but you want to make sure the wrap you choose works to have the effect best suited for your brand. Below are some of the most popular finishes of vinyl wrap.
- Gloss Vinyl: These wraps are similar to car paint, and look as if your vehicle has just been freshly sprayed, brand logo and all.
- Matte Vinyl: Matte provides a finish without the shine, and is an attractive, modern choice that make the features of your vehicle pop.
- Satin Vinyl: A mix of matte and gloss, satin wraps provide a hint of shine for an aesthetically pleasing, subtle look.
- Gloss Metallic Vinyl: This material contains metallic flakes, and resembles the sparkly finish that certain cars have. Varying with colour, some wraps appear more sparkly than others.
- Carbon Fibre Vinyl: This wrap imitates the textured, fibrous look of woven carbon fibre.
- Brushed Vinyl: Designed to mimic the look of steel, brushed vinyl is a great choice for accents, providing a shiny and metallic finish.
- Pearl Vinyl: Much like a ‘candy paint job’, pearl vinyl is lustrous and attractive, providing a smooth and eye-catching look.
Vehicle Wraps Installation & Care
Proper installation of your vehicle wrap is the key to a professional appearance. As with anything, there is a right way to install your vehicle wrap that will provide a seamless and smooth finish. Ensuring your wrap is installed in the proper temperature and environmental conditions allows for an easier application, a lower risk for tears, and less dust to accumulate on the surface of your vehicle. Applying your wrap in an indoor environment at around 22 degrees Celsius will help you to attain a smooth, and stress-free installation. Ahead, you’ll find step-by-step guidelines for the perfect pre-wrap prep & installation.
Pre-wrap Prep:
- Clean your vehicle’s surface with a wax-free solvent-based cleaner.
- Dry the surface with a clean, lint-free towel. Make sure you get into the ridges and seams.
- Apply the wrap as soon as you are sure your vehicle is dry to minimize the amount of dust that may make its way onto the surface
Dry Installation:
- Enlist the help of a friend, and come up with a plan. Applying the wrap to flat areas of your vehicle first is the most popular method.
- Ensure there is nothing that will get in your way like hood ornaments, or raised objects that will not be wrapped. If there is, you’ll need to remove these before you begin.
- Use a tape measure to get a rough estimate of the surface area you will be covering. Unroll your wrap and measure, making sure to include a few inches (4-6) of extra material on both ends. Cut with a utility knife. Be sure not to unroll your wrap on the floor, as it can collect dust and dirt, which can cause scratches on your vehicle during application.
- With the help of your friend, remove the backing paper of the wrap, while applying tension to it. This helps to reduce creases. Position the wrap where you want it, and drape it over the panel. When applying to curved surfaces, make sure you create tension over the entire surface when installing.
- Using moderate pressure with your squeegee, apply the wrap in a way that you push out trapped air underneath, starting in the middle and working outwards. Every swipe should overlap the last one.
- Using the right amount of pressure is important. To check if you have applied the right amount, use a heat gun over the wrap’s surface. If bubbles appear, go back and use more pressure.
- Cut. You’ll need a sharp blade to do this to ensure straight edges.
- Use a heat gun on the highest setting over the surface of your vehicle in any places that may have been stretched during application. Press these areas in with a gloved hand. If any bubbles appear, pop them with a pin or sharp point and remove the air with your fingers.
To ensure your wrap stays looking good for the longest time possible, wash it regularly as you would your vehicle, with wrap-safe soap to keep it free from pollutants. Dry with a microfibre towel. When done correctly, vehicle wraps can help your business make the right impression on potential customers, leading them to giving your business a try. The rest is up to you to make them customers for life.
How We Can Help With Your Vehicle Wraps
Vehicle Wraps can be a very powerful marketing tool. Choosing the right message and design plays an important role in letting customers know your business values. If you’d like to find out more about how vehicle wraps can positively affect your business, or for more information on what services we offer, contact us!
