While so-called “small format” printing has been on the decline for at least the past decade, large format printing such as wrapping vehicles has seen a meteoric rise in popularity and overall utilization. This is largely due to the fact that consumers are increasing distracted by a number of other things, most prominently the ever-popular smartphone, and they’re far more likely to see a bold and unconventional large-style printing job than one which appears as just a postcard or a flyer.
The key to modern marketing is to give consumers a reason to look up from their high-tech devices and surprise them with a bright, bold, and effective company message. Vehicle wrapping offers just such an opportunity, and it comes with a number of benefits that can really make a difference in terms of a business’ overall reach and revenues.
1. Allow a Fleet of Vehicles to Pay for Themselves
When companies learn that they could spread their message using vehicle wrapping, many of their marketing executives begin working out the details in terms of who the company can partner with to display its vehicle wrap material. There’s the option of city transit buses, cabs, and even individual users who would take a small cut from the company in order to promote their message throughout and urban or suburban environment. In doing this, many companies are missing the point: An existing fleet of corporate vehicles can instantly become a roving billboard for the company’s marketing campaigns and messages.
It’s no secret that these corporate fleets of vehicles are a major expense for many businesses, with high liability insurance coverage levels and the collective cost of maintaining every vehicle in a given fleet. These cars and trucks can have major budgetary implications–unless, of course, a business can subsidize the ownership of these vehicles by turning them into promotional materials. Wrapping vehicles as part of a corporate fleet turns a typical business trip into promotional time, with no added cost after the wrap has been placed on the vehicle. After all, the expenses of owning these vehicles are already part of the budget. After the initial cost of wrapping each fleet vehicle, it’s likely that the increased visibility and revenue gained from vehicle wrapping will serve to reduce the cost of ownership and company drive time, rather than increase it.
2. A Staggering Number of Impressions Can Be Gained from Each Wrap
Most businesses have looked into more traditional forms of marketing and promotion, only to find that a large sum of money will net them perhaps 200,000 to 400,000 unique impressions in their target audience of new customers. That’s fine, of course, but companies can do much, much better, especially with vehicle wrapping. Turning a fleet vehicle or another automobile in a roving billboard can net the average business customer 8.4 million annual impressions per vehicle which is wrapped in an attractive coating of marketing and advertising copy. That blows the postal service out of the water both in terms of actual reach and in terms of the price paid to reach such a staggering number of individuals in the target area.
On top of this, vehicle wrapping is widely considered to be a “forward-thinking” form of advertising by most consumers, and they’ll appreciate that a business is tuned into unconventional ways of getting their message across. There’s something that is, more than anything, quite trendy about engaging in vehicle wrapping, and consumers love to be part of a trend. They’ll talk up the billboard to friends, they’ll converse about this unique car they saw on the highway during their commute, and those 8.4 million initial impressions per year will turn into their own viral marketing campaign which can boost a business’ bottom line quite significantly.
3. Vehicle Wrapping is Ultimately Affordable
A typical vehicle wrap can last months on end, and even up to a year, meaning it requires just a one-time investment for a year of endless promotion. A traditional billboard, conversely, requires contracts and monthly dollar commitments which are far more expensive for the average business and therefore unfeasible when such an innovative alternative is waiting in the wings for those companies with fleet vehicles or advertising partnerships that can give access to “wrappable” cars and trucks.
One thing that businesses universally enjoy is a static, one-time, known expense that lends itself toward higher revenues in the long run. That is exactly what vehicle wrapping offers, which makes it a wellspring of that valued commodity: peace of mind.
It’s Time to Think Outside the (Billboard) Box
The current decade is one of high technology and unconventional advertising which is far different from anything which has come before it. Success in this decade will come to those who leave behind the conventions of the past and embrace new forms of media and marketing. Vehicle wrapping isn’t the only answer to this problem, but it’s certainly a solid start for the forward-minded business that wants to take a chance and reach a large number of people in a new and exciting way.