Vehicle Wraps: Where Did They Start And Are They Worth The Investment?

When chemists at the Goodrich Company in 1926 accidentally invented vinyl chloride, they had no idea that their chance discovery would lead to the Vinyl Wrap industry.  . Before this time, early racers would paint numbers on their cars.  In 1900, Milton Hershey was the first to use advertising on automobiles, painting his name on the side of his chocolate delivery trucks.  Many other companies followed his lead and began to do the same.  At the time, paint was the only choice; it took another 50 years for a new innovative product to take over the vehicle advertising world.

Vinyl was initially expensive, due to production costs, so it was not widely used.  Only very large companies and the US Government tended to invest in large vinyl projects.  But by the early 1980’s, new technology and advancements in die-cutting and production made vinyl wraps a much more affordable way of advertising.

By the early 1990’s, vinyl wraps had overtaken paint as the major way advertisers differentiated their vehicles.  As the quality of printing and power of computers grew, the costs associated with printing and production continued to drop.  This caused quality vinyl wraps to be available to even the smallest of businesses.  And today, it is the dominant medium for mobile advertising.  Today’s process has become easily affordable for a high-quality product, with the number of colors and design options growing daily.

There are three main types of vinyl wrap for automotive vehicles:

Cut Graphics - these are individual graphics applied to the vehicle, i.e., logos, services or contact details.

Half Wraps – This can be a design that incorporates a larger graphic that can create more impact for example a large color image. It covers half the vehicle which includes the back doors.

Full Wraps – a full wrap covers the complete vehicle and can be any design.

Vinyl Wraps have become the dominant way of mobile advertising for a number of reasons:

• Durability – Vinyl is extremely hardworking and versatile.  Considering its amazing flexibility, it is strangely also very resistant to ripping, warping, or scratching.  It forms a protective layer to the paint on the body of the vehicle underneath, adding an extra layer of protection against the elements.
• Temporary – Vinyl wraps are not permanent, and can be easily removed.  If you update your company logo, add or close a location, or any other reason that cause things to be changed, your wrap can easily change along with it.  Plus, if you rotate your fleet vehicles out every so often, it is much easier and less expensive to remove a wrap than to repaint when you sell the vehicle. 
• Cost Effective – Vinyl wraps are approximately half the price of a new paint job, and the process only takes a fraction of the time. 
• Design Options – Vinyl wrap designs are only limited by the imagination of the customer.  Any image that can be imagined can be reproduced, printed, and applied to your vehicle, often in eye-catching realism.  This means your branding and message can be delivered daily in stunning quality.
• Visibility – Vehicle wraps are a mobile billboard for your business driving around the areas in which your customers work and play. 
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Here are some vital statistics you need to know when it comes to mobile advertising:

• Mobile advertising is the most effective and efficient form of outdoor advertising, reaching more consumers at a lower Cost Per Thousand Impressions (CPM) than any other form of outdoor advertising.
• 98% of Americans indicated they notice media targeting vehicle drivers and passengers.
• 29% said outdoor advertising caused them to visit a retail store within a week of seeing the ad.
• The average American has traveled 302 miles in the past 7 days.
• 96% of Americans traveled in a vehicle as a driver or passenger in the past week.
• The average vehicle driven 15,000 miles per year will pass in front of 9 million other vehicles.
• 30% of mobile outdoor viewers base their buying decisions on ads they see.
• One vehicle wrap can generate between 30,000 – 80,000 impressions daily.
• Fleet vehicle advertising boosts name recognition 15x greater than other advertising media.
• Mobile advertising reaches consumers not exposed to newspaper, radio, and television.
• Federal Highway Administration study forecasts a sharp increase in the amount of time spent in personal vehicles and the number of trips per household.

Are vinyl wraps the best investment for your business?  It is rare that the answer is no, but contact Hudson Graphics to get more information allow us to help you take advantage of using your vehicles as mobile advertising.  Even though "Bus" is our middle name, we also do graphics for cars, trucks, boats, trailers, and practically any other application you can imagine.  Call us today!