Vehicle graphics are a way to advertise a business or create an identity for fleet vehicles.

Why use vehicle graphics? They serve as a moving billboard and can be seen by thousands of potential customers on a daily basis. With the right design and implementation, vehicle graphics can generate high levels of brand recognition and increase sales for a company.

Fleet trucks and vans wrapped or branded with graphics can also extend the lifecycle of the vehicle's paint, making them a worthwhile investment for a business. Additionally, they can be customized to fit any type of vehicle, from trailers to vans to semi-trucks.

To explore the "do’s and don’ts" of vehicle graphics, and gather advice for fleets, Work Truck spoke with Scott Morrison, director of operations/logistics of SkinzWraps, Inc.; Steve Whitaker, vice president of sales of Signature Graphics, Inc.; and Trace George, president/CEO of VSP Marketing Graphics Group. 

Work Truck and Van Graphic Do's

What steps should be taken to determine graphics on fleet vehicles and which vendors to select? Here are some helpful ideas.

• Use an experienced vehicle graphics designer to create the original version of the image and text and have an experienced vehicle graphic professional measure the vehicle.

• Consider and communicate durability requirements.

• Review the graphics provider’s financial strength and developmental support tools.

• Request references and/or the design company’s portfolio. Because a local sign company can make signs doesn’t necessarily mean it can produce vehicle wraps, lettering, etc., for fleets.

• Understand the value-added resources available from a supplier.

• Use a certified graphic company to design and install fleet graphics.

• Prepare an image that works appropriately with the vehicle.

According to George of VSP, many companies invest in products and services for their fleet display needs and often find they are left "holding the bag" when a problem exists.

Certified material companies follow industry standards. Every certified company must follow strict guidelines in material usage and proper installation methods and are tested with stringent techniques.

"When a fleet desires graphic marketing, etc., it is a good idea to shop for certified graphic companies, as they have strong backing from each product manufacturer. When a non-certified graphic company is used, it is likely a warranty issue would not be honored by the manufacturer, based on that company not using proper standard installation methods," said George.

Work Truck and Van Graphic Don'ts

Mistakes involving vehicle graphics can be costly. From the time and money it takes to fix a mistake to how a company is viewed, avoiding costly vehicle graphic mistakes should be a priority.

Mistakes that can and should be avoided include:

Improper Vendor Selection

• Do not base a decision exclusively on price. Numerous variables influence durability and may or may not influence the ultimate price.

• Do not work with a company that doesn’t understand your fleet specifications. "It’s critical that your supplier understands your actual vehicles and how the design executes on your fleet," said Whitaker of Signature Graphics.

• Don’t choose a company that doesn’t understand your business requirements or doesn’t invest the time and energy to know exactly what is expected from your brand campaign over the life of the program.

Poor Graphic Selection

• Never price-out fleet graphics without adequate research and preparation.

• Specify the time the graphic is expected to last.  Most fleet graphics are specified for one, three, five, or seven years. Many applications for fleet design are usually for the length of the lease, loan, etc., before the unit exhausts its term of use.

• Do not have different designs on a variety of body styles.

• Never put too much info or clutter within the graphic marketing display.  "Many companies think if they include everything they do, produce, etc., they are educating potential customers. The opposite happens when companies place too much info on their fleet vehicles. If people have too much to look at, they scan onto the next display or whatever catches their eye," said George.

• Avoid complicated designs that can present difficulties in installation and matching reprints when the vehicles are damaged due to an accident, etc.

• Don’t allow anything produced without first previewing full-size art or a proof.  "There are many ways to produce graphics. The quality of the production equipment and original art determines the quality and vibrancy of the final image. Requiring a proof demonstrates what the final product, full size, will ultimately look like," said Whitaker.

• Never use dark image colors on dark vehicle colors. Most marketing design needs vibrant colors with vivid contrasts.

Improper Graphic Installation

• Never power-wash the vehicle (especially with hot water).

• Remove emblems on vehicles to prolong the life of graphics.

• Don’t underestimate the difficulty of the installation.

• Never take the display text to the outside boundaries of the fleet unit’s working area. The text should always be contained within a 15-percent margin from the sides of the working area, such as the cube box, truck doors, etc.  "Most people try to cram as much verbiage into a working area to the outmost areas, and the effect is very poor. Less is more, and in this case, less space used is more effective on the reader," said George.

Advice to Fleets for Graphics Use 

Morrison suggests fleets purchase the same vehicle type and keep branding simple.

"You have many vehicles ‘duplicating’ the visual representation of your company. Sometimes less is more. Remember, these vehicles will need to be graphically maintained through the years. Your marketing department needs to be aware of the future cost to replace a complex design."

Mistakes Whitaker has seen include using a film material not intended for fleet applications; using a technology that provides excessive liability risk; and buying a cheap graphic, then spending an inordinate amount of time coordinating distribution, installation, and maintenance. Quality graphics are only as good as the quality of the installation.

"Understand your requirements and expectations and hold your provider to the standards you expect, instead of settling for what they want to provide," said Whitaker. "Utilize your provider’s resources for design, engineering, manufacture, distribution, and maintenance. Otherwise, you’ll spend an inordinate amount of time managing your program and spending excessive amount of time, energy, and money to get what you want."

He suggests considering the entire lifecycle costs of developing and managing a program. "Use a company that understands your branding objectives and can develop a program to meet or exceed those objectives," advised Whitaker.

Research is key, according to George. "If your company is testing the waters for fleet graphics, you should do some hard-core homework on economics, fleet requirements, DOT restrictions, and marketing comparisons versus other marketing avenues."

George continued, "Most companies enter fleet graphics, advertising and/or marketing without searching for a proper company to assist them with those needs. Look for a company aware of fleet marketing methods."

Many states restrict fleet markings, and companies should review DOT requirements before proceeding onto fleet branding graphics. 

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