Effectiveness of Wraps
Are car wraps a good investment for your small business?
By Suzanne Kearns
June 7, 2019
Have you ever seen a car, truck, or van in your area wrapped in an advertisement? If so, you may have wondered whether these advertisements — known as vehicle wraps — are a worthwhile investment to get your small business off the ground or propel it forward.
Below, you’ll find a complete breakdown of what vehicle wraps are and whether you should consider investing in them.
What is a car wrap?
A vehicle wrap is a digitally printed mobile billboard. Professionals will work with you to craft your advertisement and then print it on vinyl. Professionals print vinyl wraps in full color with eye-catching graphics. After using graphic design software to design your wrap, the individual will then apply the vinyl film to your car.
You can select either a full wrap, which covers the entire vehicle including the windows, or a partial wrap. Even if the wraps cover windows, you won’t have a problem looking through them. A high-quality vinyl wrap typically lasts three to five years.
Are vehicle wraps effective?
When you think of marketing techniques, the use of vehicle graphics may not be the first thing that comes to mind. However, you may want to give car wrapping more consideration based on the following statistics:
In the US today, “individual vehicle advertising generates between 30,000-70,000 daily vehicular impressions,” according to ARD Ventures.
“Mobile advertising generates 2.5 times more attention than a static billboard,” says Perception Research.
“Messages on outdoor mobile billboards have a 97% recall rate,” RYP & Becker Group
Based on these metrics, it’s easy to see why small business owners would want to consider choosing vehicle wraps over more traditional forms of advertising.
Aren’t wraps meant for large companies with vehicle fleets?
There is a common misconception that vinyl car wraps are only for companies with large vehicle fleets. However, this is not the case. Even if you don’t own company vehicles, you can still rent a truck or van to advertise your company’s information.
There are now companies that take advantage of the gig economy to provide wrap advertising services. For instance, sites such as Wrapify allow drivers to earn money by wrapping their cars on behalf of third-party companies, like yours.
Taking advantage of these mobile advertisements could legitimize your small business and introduce your brand and logo to customers in your area. When small business owners use vehicle wraps, it puts them on the same playing field as companies large enough to maintain vehicle fleets.
How much do car wraps cost?
The cost of vinyl wraps depends on the size of the vehicle you wish to cover. You can wrap cars of any size. The average cost typically ranges from $1,500 to $5,000, which includes:
Graphic design
Printing services
Professional installation
Another thing to consider is the cost you’ll save on not having to repaint the vehicles in your fleet. Vinyl wraps are a cost-effective solution compared to the price of a new paint job. Vehicle wraps also provide paint protection for your car, truck, or van. The wraps give the vehicle a new look, while preserving the original paint job.
If you were to paint ads on your vehicle, you would be stuck with the same advertisement until you decided to repaint the car. However, with custom vehicle wraps, you can change ads as you wish. If you don’t want to have an advertisement on your car any longer, you can have a professional remove the wrap without causing any damage to the original paint.
How do vehicle wraps compare to other forms of advertising?
The Outdoor Advertising Association of America classifies wrap advertising as a form of “out of home” advertising. The agency says that vehicle advertising can be the most effective and efficient form of out of home advertising, reaching more consumers at a lower cost per thousand impressions than any other form of advertising.
On average, wrap advertising costs as little as $.48 cents per thousand impressions. This is significantly lower than other forms of advertising. For instance, it’s estimated that outdoor signs cost $3.56 and newspaper ads cost $19.70 per thousand impressions. Wrap advertising isn’t quite as cost-efficient as online advertising, but it’s certainly more effective than some other forms of marketing.
Vinyl wraps tend to increase the outreach of a marketing campaign. When conducting traditional marketing campaigns, small business owners often limit themselves to a small demographic. For instance, if you advertise in the Wall Street Journal, you’re limiting yourself to those who are, on average, 30-49 years old. However, if you engage in a mobile billboard advertising campaign, you’ll reach everyone from children to seniors.
What is the average return on investment for vehicle wraps?
There is no average return on investment (ROI) for vehicle wraps because it will depend on the type of company you have, where and when the vehicle is driven, and the effectiveness of the wrap design. But there are ways you can measure your return.
First, you can provide a separate phone number, such as an 800 number, which is only advertised on the wraps. Then keep track of the calls that come in through it.
Next, advertise a special discount or deal only on the wrapped vehicle and keep track of those calls.
Finally, you can create a landing page for your website and put that URL on the wrap. (Be sure to keep it simple so potential customers can remember it.)
Todd Stuart, President of SignZoo.com, told us, “We hear stories from customers on a daily basis about how their business increased after wrapping their vehicles. Some tell us that they gained new customers before they even got home with their newly wrapped car, while others literally took an order as soon as they left our offices. One of our customers tracks his job leads and says his sales shot up from $42,000 to $219,000 in 10 months due to his wrapped trucks.”
So, although there is no across-the-board ROI figure for wraps, there are ways for you to measure the effectiveness of your ad campaign.
Do you need to have advertisements on car wraps?
In addition to custom vehicle wraps that advertise your business, some other types of vinyl could be useful for small business owners. These wraps don’t necessarily need to have any advertisements on them. Instead, they could protect your company cars, especially if you expect to put a lot of wear-and-tear on them.
For instance, some people use vinyl wraps as a paint protection film so that the original paint on the car doesn’t chip or peel. Paint protection vinyl is clear, providing your vehicle with a secondary layer to help keep your paint safe.
You could also choose to utilize color change wraps. These are a cost-effective solution that allows you to change the color of your car without having to invest in a new paint job. There are numerous colors and finishes available, including high gloss or matte finishes. Studies have shown that using color psychology could give your company a competitive advantage.
A word of caution
Because printing technology is better than ever, wrap installations are more accessible than ever. However, there has also been a rise in inexperienced people setting up fleet wrap shops. It’s a good idea to check a wrap provider’s credentials and reviews before engaging in business.
Wraps shouldn’t damage a vehicle’s paint job.
You’ll be better off investing in the services of a professional who you can trust. Make sure that you choose a company that is highly rated and has years of experience. Additionally, you should always ask for a warranty in writing. If you’re working with high-end wrap designers, they should be more than willing to offer one.
3M Study on the Effectiveness of Vehicle Wraps
3M measured the advertising effectiveness of fleet graphics for Cadbury-Schweppes Company using GPS units to track 10 Snapple® trucks through two major metropolitan areas.
The three-month study correlated truck routes against zip codes and demographic data to deliver the most accurate measurements of message effectiveness to date.
The results show an average cost of $.48 per ONE THOUSAND impressions for Fleet Graphics.
3M Study Key Findings:
Fleet graphics generate a large number of impressions--in this study, an average of 6 million per truck, annualized.
Mobile media advertising offers the lowest cost-per-impression of any major advertising medium.
Routes and messages can be optimized to target specific demographic groups.
Graphics add a valuable dimension to the advertising marketing mix.
How Car Wrap Advertising is effective.
April 16, 2019
When it comes to mobile outdoor advertising, car wraps are highly prized and often used. Advertisers see value in and are able to create connections with consumers by wrapping cars in a company’s messaging. As they drive by us on a semi-daily basis, cars covered in advertisements deliver more than just a short impression. Car wraps are basically large stickers, vinyl graphics, that are cut to fit the original shape of the vehicle. They come in a variety of textures, from carbon fiber to matte, satin or glass, and more. The texture of a car wrap is specifically selected based on the type of advertisement displayed.
For example, a dessert catering company may choose to have a more shinier, satin texture to their car wrap because of the sweet nature of their business. In contrast, a mechanics company may favor a carbon fiber wrap that compliments their high strength and sleek performance. Whatever the style may be, there’s always a car wrap in store for a business in demand of one. This post will look at the ways in which car wraps can generate positive results for companies as well as outline how vehicle advertising is an effective ROI medium.
A Successful Return on Investment (ROI)
Compared to traditional advertising outlets such as TV, radio, and print, car wraps on moving vehicles deliver the low cost of about $.35 per thousand impressions. According to Cox Communications, 47% of 18–34-year-olds surveyed in a car wrap study reported that they found car wraps to be especially memorable. One car wrapped vehicle has the ability to reach 30,000-80,000 mobile impressions per day, which is a fairly large amount for such a small ad tool. As the expression goes, there are plenty of fish in the sea. A vehicle using a car wrap are just one among many in the sea of other cars, however they meet a lot of people’s eyes along their route.
The Results of Fleet Graphics
On top of their impressive ROI abilities, car wraps are effective in other departments. Fleet graphics allow for wide coverage of geographic locations and are responsible for spreading advertising messages in out-of-home places. According to a study by 3M, which measured the effectiveness of fleet graphics using GPS units to track ten cars through two major areas, an average cost of $.48 per 1 thousand impressions was generated. Again, the ROI is extremely cost effective.
In the same study, 3M found that an average of 6 million impressions were noted, per vehicle, on an annual scale. Also, wrapped vehicles can reside on targeted routes and messages can be adjusted in order to reach particular demographics of people. Lastly, the use of graphics and eye-catching designs make up a valuable component of an advertising marketing mix. With these 3M survey results in mind, it’s important to accept the benefits car wraps have on advertisers and their dollars.
Other Reasons for Effectiveness
Although we’ve already seen the potential for a positive ROI, high impression count, and a few other above satisfactory reasons why car wraps make a mean advertising deliverable, there are other reasons for its effectiveness. For example, car wraps cannot be ignored, blocked, skipped, or tossed away. The majority of the 5000 ads we see every day get overlooked, whether it’s due to online software hiding them for us or our ability to turn a magazine page, but car wraps are obviously in our direct or peripheral line of vision when we’re exposed to one.
89% of ads go unnoticed
7% are disliked by people, and only 3% are genuinely liked when they’re noticed. These findings are a hard blow to advertisers trying desperately to communicate effective messages thru other advertising mediums.
However, some of this can be avoided when car wraps are the medium of choice. Car wrap advertising is designed to create long exposure brand awareness, 24/7 marketing, unobtrusive messaging, and locally crafted promotions that fulfill the requirements of an effective advertisement in an out-of-home setting.
After checking out what ROI can be calculated from car wraps, their impression counts daily and annually, and a few other effective ways in which they meet advertising standards, it’s certain that this ROI advertising channel is going to continue to keep consumers wrapped up in its appeal.
Efficacy of Vehicle Wraps
by Carwraps Team | Jul 24, 2015
Given the stiff competition, companies are constantly searching for innovative ways to sell their businesses. Most of them utilize online platforms to promote services and products, but as the advertising landscape continues to expand, new marketing technologies are being introduced.
Vehicle wrapping, a relatively new innovation in the outdoor advertising industry, is one of the most effective and powerful marketing platforms today. Vehicle wraps are sheets of adhesive vinyl applied on the surface of trucks, vans, buses, cars, and other vehicles with the purpose of changing their appearance. The wraps come in several colors, textures, and finishes, and can also be printed with designs including graphics, photos, logos, and other branding elements.
Several years ago, billboards were originally the standard outdoor advertising platform. These large, flat panels were strategically situated in heavy-traffic areas for maximum visibility, resulting in increased brand awareness. Unfortunately, today, people have gotten so accustomed to seeing billboards daily that they hardly ever take a second glance.
In the beginning of the 1990s, vehicle wraps suddenly went viral, and began to revolutionize the outdoor advertising industry, increasing the popularity of fleet graphics design and mobile advertising. A full-size bus was wrapped with advanced vinyl adhesive product to promote the “Crystal Pepsi” brand. Many people were amazed as they had never seen a large vehicle branded in such a creative way. A rapid increase in the demand for vehicle wrapping soon followed as people, who were so used to seeing plain billboards, noticed the vibrant new addition to the highways. From 1993 to 2003 alone, the size of the industry nearly doubled – from $1.2 billion to $2.1 billion. Today, vehicle wraps are considered to be among the most successful and cost-effective forms of outdoor media.
This powerful new marketing tool has started being adopted by several companies, as more and more people have seen its efficacy in creating good impressions. According to the studies conducted by market researchers and industry analysts, people are more attracted with mobile media such as fleet graphics and vehicle wraps, than with traditional outdoor advertising, such as posters and billboards. Brands that appear on vehicle wraps are said to be 15 times more likely to be remembered compared to their forms of outdoor advertising. Moreover, 92 percent of the study’s respondents claim to actually read the copy on fleet graphics, while 30 percent make buying decisions based on mobile advertisements on vehicles. This implies that vehicle wraps are highly effective in catching people’s attention, thus increasing brand awareness, and boosting the number of sales leads.
In addition to those previously mentioned, here are other advantages of using vehicle wraps:
Creative
Vehicle wraps allow you to customize your cars for an entirely new look that will make them stand out among other commercial vehicles on the street. What’s great about this is that whether you choose to go for a full wrap or a partial wrap, you will always have control over the outcome of your vehicle wrap experts are also there to provide assistance in generating creative and strategic designs that will effectively highlight your brand. The more people you impress, the more benefit for your business.
Several researches have already proven how significantly better vehicle wraps are compared with other outdoor media forms in creating positive impressions. In a study conducted by The American Trucking Association:
98% of respondents thought the fleet wraps created a positive brand image of the advertiser
96% noticed ads on vehicles
97% recalled what the ad on the vehicle was about
96% said that truck wraps were more effective than billboards
Local targeting
Vehicles can be equipped with Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) tracking systems, which provide detailed tracking information and, sometimes, audited reports that can be used for tracking the effectiveness of your mobile advertising campaigns. This allows you to strategically plan your next marketing strategy. You can ask yourself: Which areas are we not reaching, and how will we penetrate that market?
Driving and parking a wrapped vehicle around a busy urban setting can immensely increase brand recognition among residents. By simply doing this, you can already catch the attention of people, and increase your sales in a short period of time.
Brand awareness
It is important for every business to make concentrated efforts to present their products and services in the best possible light. Recent studies show that 96 percent of Americans travel for over 300 miles weekly, either as a driver, passenger, or commuter, so by nature, they are considered to be a good target market. With vehicle wraps, you are given the advantage of exposing your business to the hundreds and thousands of people on the road every day. Not only do you increase your business’s popularity, but you also reach a bigger market and generate new sales leads. According to the Outdoor Advertising Association (OSAAA), vehicle wraps can produce as much as 30,000 to 70,000 impressions a day, hence making it an effective branding and marketing tool.
Cost-effective
With the low cost-per-thousand-impressions and high return on investment, vehicle wraps are considered to be the most cost-effective and influential advertising tool available to businesses. A three-month study conducted by 3M in San Francisco shows that fleet graphics only
has a $0.48 cost per thousand impressions, while other forms of outdoor advertising cost $3.56 per thousand impressions.
For example, an advertisement in the yellow pages costs up to $15,000 a year for a display ad. Aside from the relatively expensive cost, the yellow pages only reach a limited market since lesser and lesser people read it nowadays. There is also the fact that your competitors might also be there in the pages. With vehicle wraps, there are no continuous or additional costs aside from regular maintenance, which is still so much cheaper.
Another example is a billboard. Although it costs about the same as a car wrap, your billboard will only last for a month, while your car wraps can last for up to six years. With the one-time expense of a vehicle wrap, your business can have a “movable billboard” creating endless number of impressions per advertising dollar.
Ultimately, vehicle wraps are powerful, dynamic, cost-effective assets to a business’s marketing plans. They are so effective because, unlike with other outdoor advertisements such as billboards, tarpaulins, posters, and the like, they are not unconsciously ignored. People already know where billboards are situated, while on the other hand, vehicle advertising can just unexpectedly appear anywhere. This spontaneity catches people by surprise and demands more of their attention. Vehicle wraps continue to grow in popularity as more and more businesses realize their potential to reach, impress, and target customers. Surely, it won’t be long until the vehicle advertising industry booms in the market.