Sign Education – Vehicle graphics: full wrap, partial wrap, car magnets?

In a recent blog http://cityscoop.us/eldoradohillsca-signage/2011/07/  I discussed the cost-effectiveness of turning your vehicle into a rolling billboard. Honestly, other than a referral, there is no other advertising that works as hard for you as vehicle graphics or vehicle lettering – and it works 24/7!  

So you’re convinced: advertising on your vehicle WILL bring you more business. Now it’s time to decide if you want the full-on vehicle wrap, a partial wrap, some window dressing, or the flexibility of a car magnet. All of these options can be done in full-color graphics with text.  

Before you go too far in imagining some wild and splashy design, take a step back to focus on what your message is and what information you want your potential customers to come away with. Remember, they will be reading your vehicle sign from a distance and, often, while you or they are moving.  

Let’s start with a full-wrap and why it’s a good idea. First, it makes a BIG statement! Done right, it makes it difficult for people to ignore. Because your logo and message can be seen from farther away, you reach more readers. Second, it protects your vehicle’s exterior. A full vehicle wrap fully covers the paint so it won’t fade over the life of the wrap.  Windows may or may not be part of a full vehicle wrap. You should be aware that the vinyl for window graphics (called window-perf) has a 2 year life-span whereas the vinyl used for vehicle graphics lasts 3-5 years.   

A partial vehicle wrap can be a very effective marketing tool. Obviously, it will cost less than a full wrap which is its #1 advantage. They can be a little tougher to design however. You don’t have the space to make the same BIG statement as a full-wrap so your design and message must be succinct. You also have to take into consideration the color of the paint on the vehicle and how it plays with your wrap design / logo colors. The other possible downfall is when the vinyl is removed the area underneath will not have faded like the rest of the paint job. You could end up with a “ghost” of your former sign once it’s removed.  

Variations on a partial vehicle wrap are window lettering and window graphics. Since you’re only covering the glass on your vehicle, you avoid the paint-fade issue. The cost may or may not be less than the partial wraps discussed above. Window lettering is typically straight-forward information: company name and contact information. Window graphics can be full-color with your logo and text.

Car magnets are the workhorses of vehicle signs! Their big advantage is their flexibility – you can take them off / on at will. Vehicle magnets cost considerably less too but … you get what you pay for! While it’s now possible to do full-color graphics on a magnet, you have an even smaller canvas to work with. Nonetheless, your company information and logo are visible to thousands more potential clients than any other advertising you can do.