Bumper sticker
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A bumper sticker is an adhesive label or sticker with a message, intended to be attached to the bumper of an automobile and to be read by the occupants of other vehicles - although they are often stuck onto other objects. Most bumper stickers are about 80 mm by 300 mm (3 in by 12 in) and are often made of PVC.
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[edit] Purpose
Bumper stickers can be commercial, religious, humorous, or in support of a sports team or other organization. They may promote or oppose a particular philosophical or political position. Bumper stickers are a popular way of showing support for a candidate for a government seat and become more common during election years.
One variety of bumpersticker is the country tag. This is typically used for cars crossing international borders, and is overseen by the United Nations as the Distinguishing Signs of Vehicles in International Traffic, being authorized by the UN's Geneva Convention on Road Traffic (1949) and Vienna Convention on Road Traffic (1968). Often the country code is displayed on the license plate itself.
These have (usually in the USA) been spun off into humorous tags which may indicate a city (OBX), political party (GOP), etc.
[edit] Application and removal
Due to the movement of the vehicle and changing weather conditions, it is vital that the sticker adhere well to the bumper surface. However, there are some "easy to remove" bumper stickers and magnetic bumper stickers, occasionally made to be used as pranks by putting them on someone else's vehicle — especially ones that taunt police officers (e.g.: "I dare you pigs to pull me over"). Bumper stickers can be removed with penetrating oil or a heat gun.
[edit] History
Bumper stickers could not predate the introduction of the automobile bumper; the Ford Model T lacked bumpers to which bumper stickers could be conveniently attached, but the Ford Model A, introduced in 1927, had them. One online source[1] credits the current bumper sticker to Forest P. Gill, a silkscreen printer from Kansas City.
The first bumper stickers appeared shortly before World War II; they were flag-like, and attached to the bumper by wires. Gill replaced the wire attachments with pressure sensitive adhesive, and as a result bumper stickers became more widespread and practical.
[edit] Around the world
Considerable variation exists around the world as to the context and purpose of stickers.
On some vehicles, some stickers are like trophy signs of WWII aeroplanes, either of locations visited or actions completed.
They have also been extensively applied to rear windows as well, where legislative measures have not banned such use. For instance in Sweden that is the normal place to put them and the bumper sticker is actually called "bakrutedekal" (rear window decal).
Australian Ute enthusiasts tend to have an obsession with bumper stickers, often covering the entire rear window of the ute with them. The feral with the greatest variety of stickers, biggest bull bar and rollbar and the greatest amount of spotties and addons is often the deciding factor in many Ute muster "Beaut Ute" competitions.
More recently, bumper stickers have become a route for advertising and a few companies offer to match car owners to advertisers willing to pay for the ad.
In Israel, one of the most popular songs of all time is Shirat Hasticker ("The Sticker Song") by Hadag Nachash, a song composed entirely of bumper sticker slogans.
