Wrap advertising

Wrap advertising or a Vehicle Wrap is the term used in the marketing practice of completely or partially covering (wrapping)^[1] a vehicle in an advertisement or livery. The result of this process is essentially a mobile billboard. Wrap advertising can be achieved by painting a vehicle's outer surface, but an increasingly ubiquitous practice in the 21st century involves the use of large vinyl sheets as "decals." The vinyl sheets can be removed with relative ease, drastically reducing the costs associated with changing advertisements. While vehicles with large, flat surfaces (such as buses and light-rail carriages) are often utilised due to ease, cars can also serve as hosts for wrap advertising, despite consisting of more curved surfaces.

Attributes

Recent advancements in vinyl development have led to new types of vinyl, designed specifically for wrap advertising—this includes vinyl that feature bubble-preventing air channels and microscopic glass beads that prevent an adhesive from functioning until the user is prepared (the beads allow the material to be repeatedly lifted and reapplied during the wrapping process, without compromising the longevity of the wrap). The vinyl is heated with a heat gun or torch for the purpose of molding the material around objects.^[2]

Using what is known as a conformable vinyl wrapping material, a high-quality print choice can be molded to almost any and every part of a vehicle, transforming the vehicle into a roaming advertisement for the client's business. Typically, a cast, or conformable material is preferable on contoured surfaces, whilst cheaper, non-conformable material can be used on flat areas to save costs.^[3]

Decals can be made to cover side and rear windows on a vehicle, but for obvious safety reasons, the front windows used by the driver are not covered. The decals on side windows are typically perforated, so that it is still possible for passengers to look outside. Wrapped advertisements must often be divided into a number of smaller pieces to appropriately cover any movable panels on the vehicle, such as the fuel tank cover, trunk (boot) openings, and other doors.

Wrapping is also sometimes used instead of paint as a less-permanent way of applying its operator’s standard livery. This has become particularly common in the United Kingdom where, since the privatisation of British Rail, it has become quite frequent for trains to be transferred from one company to another and thus require many changes of livery. Wrapping can also be used for vehicle customisation, and race cars opt for vehicle wraps as they are lighter than paint.

Effectiveness

Industry analysts, researchers and trade representatives have researched the effectiveness of mobile billboards. Outdoor Advertising Magazine said that outdoor mobile media billboards have a 97% recall rate, and 99% of survey respondents thought mobile advertising is more effective than traditional outdoor advertising.^{[citation needed]} 3M and the American Trucking Associations noted 91% of the target noticed the text and graphics on truck advertising, and the Traffic Audit Bureau noted that on local routes monthly impressions ranged from one to four millions hits.^{[citation needed]} Product Acceptance and Research said 94% of respondents recalled seeing the Mobile Billboard, with 80% recalling the specific advertisement; the billboards resulted in a sales increase of 107%.^{[citation needed]}

Issues

A primary issue associated with wrap advertising is the reduction in the ease of visual interpretation of the advertisement. This particular concern has been addressed by the various perforation sizes used in the manufacture of perforated vinyl film. Smaller perforation sizes increase the visibility of the advertisement, and a 70/30 pattern allows for twenty percent more picture.

Driver visibility is also a concern for vehicle wraps, and vehicle windshields and side windows should never be covered. State and county authorities have devised particular regulations in order to address safety concerns connected to wrap advertising.

The vinyl may wrinkle or separate from the glass on curved windows because the polyester laminates are designed for flat windows.

Washing windows with solvent glass cleaner (e.g. with Windex) prior to application is not recommended. Windex or other similar window cleaning agents contain silicone and leave behind a residue similar to wax, preventing vinyl adhesives from sticking. This is as solvents can negatively affect the adhesive on perforated vinyl film, causing it to not adhere properly to the glass. This can cause distortion in the image. If using window cleaners with silicone, it is highly recommended to use 99 percent isopropyl alcohol to remove these residues.

The efficiency of wrapping smaller, angular cars such as Boxsters has not been proven.

Legality

A number of municipalities have introduced strict laws in order to mandate against mobile advertisements; this has partially been due to the fact that wrap advertisements are purposefully circulated throughout high-density areas. New York City, in the United States (US), is a notable example, where any sort of motorized advertisement is outlawed. Mobile billboards have been identified as a contributing factor in the city's already-problematic traffic congestion issue.^[4] In areas such as New York City, non-motorized, mobile advertisements (e.g. "adbikes") are often employed.

Industry

There are a variety of businesses, large and small, that provide vehicle wraps. Some are specifically vehicle wrap companies while others are more general sign and graphics providers.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wrap advertising.

• Bus advertising
• Driven media

References

Truck Wrap