Advertising on motor vehicles is nothing new. Almost from the time the first Model T rolled off Henry Ford's assembly line, enterprising tradesmen have been putting the names and contact information of their businesses on the sides of their automobiles and trucks. Car wraps and vehicle wraps, however, are relatively recent innovations. Though large format printing using digital inkjet printers has been around for a decade, it's only been in the last years that wrapping vehicles has taken off.

Why Vehicle Wraps Work

According to the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA), car wrap have one of the lowest costs per impression of any form of advertising: $0.77 per CPM. The OAAA also estimates that a single car wrap can generate between 30,000 and 70,000 impressions daily. Vehicle wraps go where your car goes - so if you want your advertising to be seen by a brand new group of prospective customers, just drive it some place you haven't driven it before. The ads can be viewed whether the car is being driven or parked in one place.

Unlike phonebook listings, billboards, and radio and TV ads, manufacturing and applying a wrap is a one-time cost. When the ad has outlived its purpose or you feel it's free for an ad that showcases a new unique sales proposition, just remove the old wrap. The underlying paint and detailing will not be damaged.

Designing And Applying Wraps

Vehicle wraps can be made from many different materials such as acrylic, PVC, foam, polystyrene, and even aluminum and wood. These days, however, the vast majority of car wraps are vinyl decals.

Designing a car wrap is no easy task; the sales proposition must be read in just a few seconds because that's all the time the drivers and passengers of adjacent automobiles have. Only one side of the car can be seen at a time, and the text must be large enough so that the contact information is easily comprehensible.

After the wrap has been designed it is printed in the form of a vinyl decal on an ink jet printer that is specially designed to handle large format jobs. The vinyl decals are then applied to the sides, top and back of the car. The area around the front windshield must be kept clear so that the driver does not become distracted.
The Downside To Car Wraps

Some people think that car wraps contribute to traffic congestion and highway accident statistics. For this reason, New York City enforces a law against mobile advertising on personal vehicles. Advertisers get around this by applying bigger and more elaborate wraps to buses. Norway also prohibits vehicle wraps though for a completely different reason: In the event of an accident, Norwegian authorities believe that drivers and passengers would have a hard time making their escape through the thick vinyl covering windows.