You’ve seen a blazing design covering an entire truck that clearly and professionally identifies a brand’s vehicle. But more than brightening up people’s commutes with something eye-catching, vehicle wraps are cost-effective investments to get broader exposure over a long period of time and offer a variety of marketing uses. The U.S. market for automotive wrap films is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 22.2% from 2022 to 2030.

[1] In fact, it has become so prevalent a tactic that the out-of-home advertising industry has introduced naming conventions to standardize this mobile advertising medium. [2]

Purpose and Design

The design of the vehicle wrap is most important, or it will not be remembered favorably. It’s best to find a graphic designer with experience designing vehicles. They’ll know how to keep it simple and impactful. The content and design of the wrap can be adapted for different messaging purposes:

• General branding and identification for a fleet
• Communication of a brand voice or headline
• Advertising a partnership with or sponsorship of another brand
• Eye candy, to increase attention and social sharing.

Memorability

It’s widely known that vehicle wraps function as mobile billboards. According to the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA):

• 80% of consumers can recall details of vehicle wrap after only seeing it one time
• 91% of consumers recall important details when they see the company vehicle wrap a few times a week over the course of commuting. [3]
  

Unlike static forms of advertising such as billboards and print ads, a vehicle’s mobility carries the messages to demographically diverse consumers, from drivers to sidewalk pedestrians.

Mobility

Wraps also contribute to targeted marketing goals. The vehicle can travel to specific locations where a known target audience will be, such as a regional festival or brand activation, and can serve as a brand ambassador.  These events are prime opportunities for exposure on social media, and appealing vehicle wraps make a cost-effective, easy way to capture consumers’ attention. You gain valuable traction from the audiences that share photos or videos to Instagram or Facebook, and your own images and videos of the event on your company’s social accounts.

Cost-Effectiveness

Vehicle wraps generally have a lifespan of 4 to 7 years before the vinyl film begins to show its age. So, take the price of the wrap and divide it by, say, five years—or convert it to a monthly value; now divide it by how many views and impressions you get on the street and at those events and on social media. The average cost per thousand impressions (CPM) for Facebook ads is $7.19, [4] radio ads range normally $12–$16 CPM [5], and TV ads cost $25–$36 CPM [6]. Compare these to vehicle wraps. The OAAA places the average CPM at $0.48–$0.77. To simplify, the cost of wrapped business vehicles is a 32-times-better investment than TV ads [7]

ROI

Both small businesses and national brands benefit greatly from wrapping vehicles. The cost-effective advertising medium reaches target audiences near and—thanks to social media—farther than you’d think. Providing exceptional reach, and large numbers of impressions, the return is well worth the investment.

[1] https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/automotive-wrap-film-market

[2] https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/01/11/2587164/0/en/Mobility-Advertising-Introduces-Vehicle-Wrap-Standardization-to-the-Out-of-Home-Advertising-Industry.html

[3] https://www.sandboxsigns.com/vehicle-wraps-and-graphics/vehicle-wrap-statistics/

[4] https://www.webfx.com/social-media/pricing/how-much-does-facebook-advertising-cost/

[5] https://linchpinseo.com/marketing-resources/

[6] https://www.statista.com/statistics/826012/broadcast-tv-cpm/

[7] https://www.movinads.com/single-post/why-vehicle-wraps-are-the-most-cost-effective-marketing