[*Photos of Actual Fleet Wraps Installed]
Did you know a wrapped truck or trailer gets millions of impressions per year? And that's inside your sales territory in many if not most cases. (Discover how many millions alongside other surprising statistics below!)
Every business faces challenges, but smart advertising can quickly minimize many of them. Fleet wraps are one of the most intelligent advertising and brand awareness decisions you have access to. Fleet vehicle graphics plant your brand in front of an endless supply of new customers in your sales territory. Every day.
They turn your commercial vehicles into branded vehicles - advertising machines that sell sell sell - even while sitting in traffic or a parking lot. High-quality, well-designed commercial fleet graphics can give your fleet a uniform image and message. And getting that message out there in front of potential customers will bring more customers to your business.
Let's explore these wraps and how they can bring a massive ROI, in the form of new, cash-heavy customers!
What Are Fleet Wraps & How Do They Benefit Your Business?
Fleet wraps use graphics, text, logos, and colors printed on adhesive vinyl. Your fleet vehicles, whether buses, trucks, cars, or trailers, transform into a mobile advertising team, filling your sales territory with you. Your brand. Your message. The vehicle wrap design can incorporate part of a vehicle or wrap it completely so that no paint shows.
It also helps improve your business's brand awareness, brand uniformity, and much more. Let's take a look at how much more below.
Why Use Fleet Wraps For Your Business
The biggest benefit fleet vehicle graphics offer your business is advertising! Your trucks, box trucks, or vans become mobile media overnight. Your image now reaches more people in more places.
Fleet vehicle graphics and fleet wraps are certainly highly effective, and more effective than billboards (according to some). (Which tend to be more expensive than wraps, by the way.)
According to Plumbing & Mechanical, 96% of RYP & Becker Group respondents said vehicle advertising “is the most impactful form of outdoor advertising.”
And these statistics from multiple studies and sources seem to back that up:
- One truck with fleet vehicle graphics can get over 16 million impressions in a single year. A typical wrap on a trailer gets around 10 million impressions every year. (American Trucking Association)
- The Traffic Audit Bureau (now Geopath) states that a vehicle's ads have monthly impressions ranging between 1 and 4 million on local routes. (Geopath)
- The average work commute in the US (to and from) is approximately 55 minutes. (US Census Bureau)
- 97% of drivers remembered the wrap ads they saw. (Plumbing & Mechanical)
- 97% said vehicle wraps and graphics worked better than billboard ads. (Plumbing & Mechanical)
- 98% thought the ads “created a positive image of the advertiser”. (Plumbing & Mechanical)
Here are some more reasons.
A Uniform Fleet & Message
Successful fleet wraps cover all vehicles in your business with the same messaging. The public doesn't only see the sales rep's car, a service van, or a delivery truck. Now you're sending a consistent brand message, making your brand awareness campaign more aligned and effective.
Show Off Custom Designs
Since installers create wraps and fleet vehicle graphics individually, everything is customizable. You can incorporate your business colors and logo into the design theme. You can represent your logo accurately and position it for ideal viewing. And just like that, your fleet becomes a moving business card and billboard circulating your community daily.
Americans Are Spending Even More Time In Their Cars
An average commute these days has increased to 26 minutes, and it's even worse in larger cities. That's roughly 200 hours per year or 9 days per year. That's a lot of opportunities to show off your business.
While sitting in cars, most Americans spot vehicle graphics and the various forms of mobile or billboard advertising around them. That advertising may as well be your company.
Improve Your Business Image For Less
Commercial fleet wrap graphics are an excellent way to give an aging fleet a facelift. In fact, most service vehicles rack up quite a bit of minor body damage. You can prevent that damage in the first place with good fleet vehicle wraps. And you can make existing damage less noticeable, again, with high-quality custom vehicle wraps.
And if your logo or message needs updating, you can easily change your wrap. Painting your fleet can help improve your business image, but it may cost roughly twice as much. And for less, frankly. Plus, paint jobs need extra care, which further raises the cost over time. Wraps require very little maintenance.
Fleet Vehicle Wraps Are A Good Advertising Investment
A single-wrapped vehicle averages between 30,000 - 70,000 views per day, depending on your area. The American Trucking Association (ATA) says that mobile fleet wraps are a proven and cost-effective way to advertise. They found that 97% of people surveyed viewed ads on fleet cars and trucks.
An OAAA (Outdoor Advertising Association of America) survey found that fleet vehicle wraps have the lowest CPM of any form of advertising. Some businesses report between $0.77-$0.48 CPM!
Unusual surface shapes may provide a challenge for installers. Regardless, an experienced professional can smooth your truck wrap over just about any curve.
Want to transform your fleet? Hire a 3M Certified UASG Installer today.
Types Of Wraps To Install On Your Fleet
Custom fleet wraps are tailor-made for each client. Your fleet project installs will feature whatever you want them to - whether that's your company's logo, colors, or other messaging. They'll blend your vision into a positive, eye-catching fleet wrap for your crew. In fact, some graphic installation services companies even have a designer on site, if you need design services.
Once you choose your style and design scheme, your installers will install your fleet vehicle wrap using one of these four styles:
Spot Graphics
This simple vehicle graphics option may be an ideal ad if you want less coverage. You can put your business information and logo on sales vehicles; cars, trucks, or service vans. It's a great way to test your marketing before committing to a total vehicle wrap. It's also an attractive option if your advertising budget hasn't bloomed yet.
Partial Vehicle Wraps
These are a middle-ground wrap option between spot graphics and a total wrap. Parts of the vehicle are left visible. You may only want to wrap the doors and rear. Or the front and sides. It's your choice!
Total Vehicle Wraps
This wrap is exactly as the name suggests: TOTAL COVERAGE. Most custom fleet graphics with a budget use this option, as it has the most advertising coverage. Every place on your vehicle with paint transforms into your company's messaging. The hood, roof, sides, pillars, tailgates, trunks, and windows become a beautiful mobile billboard.
Window Wraps
These are wraps that cover the windows of a vehicle with a perforated vinyl material. They allow for complete visibility inside the vehicle. Outside, the advertising looks like one seamless canvas covering the window(s). A full vehicle wrap can include this option.
What's The Installation Process Like?
Your fleet vehicle wraps will represent your business to your community. Choosing the correct colors, logos, and design is the first step. Next comes the commercial fleet wrap installation services by experienced professionals. The process:
- Fleet vehicle graphics are large-format printed in panel pieces on specially formatted adhesive vinyl. This takes place after the design approval.
- They treat each panel piece with long-lasting UV lamination. This protects the vinyl from fading as well as debris and dirt. The panel printing and the lamination process can take around 3 or 4 days, or more (depending on the details). It varies with the design, vehicle size, and the number of colors and inks used.
- They prep the vehicle with a thorough cleaning. The surface is washed and treated with a chemical-based rinse. This will dissolve any leftover wax left on the vehicle's surface. This ensures proper bonding with the vinyl.
- The pre-marked and numbered panels are attached to your vehicle like puzzle pieces.
- After a quality inspection, your fleet vehicles hit the road. Now they're advertising your business full-time with your new fleet wraps and graphics!
After prepping the materials and the surface, an installer can potentially wrap your vehicle in a day. If you need an entire fleet covered, that may take the professionals a few business days. If your fleet consists of semi-trucks and trailers, installation time will likely take longer.
Can I Wrap My Fleet Myself?
Wrapping your fleet yourself is kind of like representing yourself in a lawsuit. Or replacing all of the plumbing in your house yourself. If you have the expertise, and your time isn't worth more spent elsewhere, why not? It can work in some cases. But in most cases, it's probably a bad idea.
Here are some problems with a DIY fleet wrap installation:
- Installers have specialty tools for each step of the installation process. They have worked out the kinks and surprises with years of training.
- You need to install the film without bubbles for appearance and high quality (which requires the right tools and expertise)
- One single vehicle can easily take a professional a full day to install. How long would it take someone who has never done one? A lot longer.
- A team of installers usually handles a fleet vehicle wrap, instead of just one person.
Are Commercial Fleet Wraps and Graphics Safe For Vehicle Paint?
As long as no issues are present on your paint job before the wrap, your factory paint should be fine.
But you may have issues if you had airbrushing or paint touch-ups under the wrap installation. This can cause the paint to peel when the wrap is removed in about 3-5 years. This is about the average lifespan of a vehicle wrap. If bodywork issues were not caught during the initial inspection, problems may arise. The wrap may not stick correctly or may peel after the installation.
When installed correctly, a wrap can actually protect your paint surface.
Can I Remove Or Re-Use My Fleet's Wraps or Fleet Vehicle Graphics?
Absolutely! Businesses change out their fleet vehicle wraps for many reasons. Maybe your logo changed or you want to add a brief “summer special” or some other short feature. Options may include swapping out panels or applying a spot graphic over the wrap. And, the customizable features apply to minor fender-benders too!
Removing a wrap is usually covered in the warranty. Most shops recommend a removal or renewal every 3 years. This will prevent damage to the factory paint underneath. Need to wrap a bus? Discover bus wraps here.
Caring For Your Fleet Wrap
Caring for your fleet wrap is like normal exterior car care. Handwashing is recommended to remove road grime and dirt. Powerful washing equipment, cleaning chemicals, or corrosives should be avoided. Never use power washers.
Handwashing Is The Safest Option
Mild soap and water will do the trick. If hand-washing isn't an option, always choose the mildest wash setting. Your manufacturer will provide a list of recommendations for maintenance. Many will also suggest an approved bug and tar remover that's safe for the fleet vehicle graphics.
Clean Quickly After An Accident
Installers agree that gunk and grime need to be removed as soon as possible to prevent issues. The longer debris stays on the graphic, the harder it will be to remove. You don't want to let a tarball or paint spill detract from your advertising. You also don't want to have to pay for a panel replacement before you need to.
And fuel spills while filling up need to be cleaned immediately. This will lead to quick and serious vinyl degrading.
Sidenote: It's recommended to wait 1-2 weeks after your fleet wrap installation before washing.
Fleet Vehicle Wraps Transform Your Fleet Into Mobile Advertising Machines
Changing your commercial vehicles from a one-color paint job to mobile billboards makes sense. (Sidenote - check out color changing wraps here.) The cost proves beneficial, as you'll reach thousands of eyes daily - people you didn't impact before.
Your design and graphics will reflect the tone and messaging of your business brand. This increases brand awareness and recognition with potential customers. Even if a person doesn't call today, chances are your fleet vehicle wraps will leave an impression. When they need your services down the road, you're more likely to get the call!
With proper care, your fleet wrap should last around three to five years. That doesn't prevent you from doing panel changes or using a spot graphic to update your message when you need to.
Your business's fleet needs to benefit your advertising reach. Your commercial vehicle wraps need to be done impactfully and professionally. That's why the UASG has a national network of graphic installation companies to provide vehicle wraps. Our members commit to installing your jobs better, on time, within budget, and as expected.
They've spent a long time meeting the requirements to become a UASG member and to become 3M certified. We're talking years of trustworthy business practices, and many hours of testing and training.
They've been able to hold themselves to the highest standards in the industry. So we're confident they'll treat you well, providing nothing but the highest quality fleet vehicle wraps and overall service.
Click here to find a 3M Certified UASG Installer in your area today!
What is The
United Application
Standards Groups
The UASG is a national network of graphic installation companies. Our members are committed to installing your jobs better, on-time, within budget, as expected, and representing your company professionally.
Our Mission
To establish the standards for the graphics installation trade by cultivating quality, integrity, professionalism, reliability, and comradery among members.
Our Promise
To organize and promote the professionalism of graphics installation companies.
& Certification
Our standards are the highest in the industry. We're the benchmark for graphic installation excellence in fleet wraps, full & partial wraps, interior & exterior environmental graphics (including floor & rough textured walls) and virtually every other branding application.
of Professionals
UASG member companies are industry professionals with ten, twenty, thirty years’ experience that can provide experienced application services for vehicle wraps, window decals, wall graphics, boat wraps and just about anything graphic film will adhere to.
In The Industry
The UASG has personally visited every member's business to view their operations and installation practices as part of the membership process. The UASG members have gone to 3M headquarters in St. Paul, MN and passed both a hands on and written test.
