When car wraps first hit the streets several years ago, they were greeted with healthy skepticism among some business owners. After all, what kind of bottom-line impact and ROI could moving, mobile billboards really have?
Well, fast forward a few years, and car wraps have firmly established themselves as legitimate and profitable advertising options. In fact, car wraps can reach more customers at a lower Cost Per Thousand Impressions (CPM) than virtually any other kind of outdoor or broadcast advertising.
However, merely slapping a decal or logo on a car and driving around isn’t going to boost a brand. On the contrary, it’s more likely to bruise it. As such, if you’re considering car wraps, here’s a list of do’s and don’ts to make sure that you help — rather than harm — your business.
Car Wraps: What to Do
- Ensure that the image you choose is large enough so that it can be seen at a distance, and easily grasped within a second or two.
- It’s fine (and probably necessary) to include some text, but if so ensure that you keep it minimal. Typically, all you want to convey is your business’s name, phone number, and perhaps a website address or email.
- Consider adding a QR code to your design; especially if you plan on parking your wrapped car(s) in an area where your target audiences is located.
- Ensure that your carp wrap will look great (and make sense!) even if the doors and windows are open. You don’t want to end up emblazoned across social media for all of the wrong reasons.
Car Wraps: What Not to Do
- Don’t skimp on quality, or else your shiny and beautiful car wrap will soon become your faded and peeled car wrap — and you’ll be paying more to have it removed or replaced. Some of the top brands that offer the best car wrap vinyl include 3M, Avery, Oracal and Arlon.
- Have your car wrap professionally designed, so that you can explore all possible options, colors, shapes, sizes, and so on. And if you don’t yet have a brilliant logo — or if you’ve fallen out of love with your current logo — this is the perfect time to have a new one developed.
- Don’t try installing car wraps yourself. This can’t be stressed enough. The installation process must be handled professionally. Furthermore, once installed car wraps have to be precisely trimmed and tucked. Otherwise, the excess material will look terrible.
The Bottom Line
Is a car wrap right for your business? That’s hard to say — it depends on many factors, including who you’re trying to reach and what your competitors are doing. However, if you do ultimately decide that it’s a good advertising option, then keeping the above tips in mind will ensure that your investment and results are rewarding vs. regrettable.