Today’s blog post is by Randy Clark the Director of Communications at TKO Graphix, where he blogs for TKO Graphix Brandwire
First off, I’m not talking about Jon Stewart dissin’ your rep, on the Daily Show, or bad rap music. I’m talking about what you should put on your company vehicles: vehicle graphics, wraps or decals. A wrap covers a large area, while a plotter cut decal may be applied to just a panel or a door. It’s important to realize a vehicle graphic isn’t just vehicle identification — it’s advertising, and BAD advertising can hurt your company.
What Makes A Bad Wrap?
Poor Design:
- Busy graphics that hide the message: I recently saw a work truck with a beautiful full-color image; however, I had no idea who the company was — the message was lost.
- Poor layout, contrast, and color: For example, poor contrast can mean using a hue of blue lettering on a vehicle with nearly the same hue of blue.
- Offensive images:This is not a place for innuendo or scantily clad models. You will offend someone.
- Legibility :I’ve seen fonts, which may be pretty, but are difficult to read. – Who is this company and what is their message?
Poor Print Quality
Cheap material: This “savings” can lead to faded, worn-looking graphics in a short time. If it looks bad, isn’t that a reflection on your organization?
Color uniformity: Is the first vehicle graphic the same color as the fourth?
Resolution: The printer resolution should be matched to the application. Viewing distance, vehicle size, and the size of the graphic should be considered — SIZE matters.
Bad Installation :
Non-certified installers. This is important. Check the certification — 3M has an excellent program.
Vehicle not properly prepped:Not only does the vehicle need thoroughly cleaned, but all equipment such as headlights and taillights, mirrors, moldings, etc., should be removed by the installers prior to installation.
Shortcuts :Workarounds like not removing a taillight and trying to wrap around it, not aligning seams, or improper trimming will degrade your company’s image.
What Makes a Good Wrap?
I could go on and on, or I could just tell you, “Don’t do the bad stuff!” If you’re new to wraps and aren’t sure what to ask, read more with The 10 Questions You Need To Ask About Fleet Graphics.
