Are your fleet graphics getting seen at 65 MPH is a valid question because we see this fleet graphic design mistake more often than we should. Fleet graphics are rolling billboards, with emphasis on the, “rolling.” Your message is moving fast so you also need to capture attention fast. A design that might look good on a billboard or stationary signage often won’t work for fleet graphics. So, are your fleet graphics getting seen?
Are Your Fleet Graphics Getting Seen at 65 MPH?
Do you know that most organizations’ fleet graphics are moving 40-50% of the time, if not more. Fleet graphic design that doesn’t consider this doesn’t always get the job done. Copy, images, contact information, or a logo that’s too small to read at 65 MPH doesn’t work. If that’s the case the answer to “Are your fleet graphics getting seen at 65 MPH?”, is probably not.
For example, ADA Guidelines state “that 3-inch letters may be seen up to 25 feet away and 6-inch letters 35 feet or more.” But what happens if the “sign” moves at 65 MPH on the side of a fleet vehicle? The USSC (United States Sign Council) uses a formula to determine the optimum signage square footage required for a sign to be seen by moving cars. “VRT (viewer reaction time) + MPH/800 = recommended square footage for a stationary sign. This will vary by road complexity.” But what if the buying public and the sign are both moving?
How to Get Your Fleet Graphics Seen at 65 MPH
Is getting your fleet graphics seen at 65 MPH really a problem? Recently on a road trip with my wife, I was surprised by how many tractor-trailers, box trucks, and work vans failed this test. Fonts were too small, many were out of the line of sight, and more were missing altogether.
- Keep your font simple, with no fancy italics or script fonts. If your company brand uses a difficult-to-read font, you should consider replacing it on your fleet graphics with a font that is more legible. A font that you can read on a business card might not be decipherable on the side of a moving truck.
- Speaking of fonts, don’t forget about the thickness of the character relative to their height. Fonts are available in multiple weights, from ultra-light to extra-bold. Don’t use fonts that are ultra thin.
- Color contrast is critical. For example, gray lettering on a white truck will disappear at 65 MPH. Check out these 100 color combinations and how to apply them to your designs.
- Consider using window film to increase the design area for work trucks and vans. 10 Examples of How to Use Window Graphics to Make Your Vehicle Wrap More Effective
- Tell your story on every side of your truck or company car, and don’t forget the back, especially on trucks. This is prime advertising real estate on your fleet. There are people driving on the roads behind your trucks so let them know who you are and what you do.
- Last but not least, don’t leave your fleet vehicles blank! Don’t waste your space and this valuable opportunity to use the advertising space you already own to promote your company and message. Our tagline says it all…Drive Your Brand. Fleet graphics are proven to be the most cost-effective advertising per impression. Why wouldn’t you drive your fleet vehicles around with your company branding and your marketing message?
Don’t Be a Blur on the Road
Your fleet vehicles are seen by thousands of people every day, and many of those people are potential customers, but are your fleet graphics getting seen? Let’s talk about Golden Carbon Malted for example. They offer a very specific product with a limited target audience. They make a waffle mixture for hotels, restaurants, and schools. Golden Malted is headquartered in South Bend, IN. That’s 150 miles from our shop in Plainfield.
Golden Malted’s supply chain manager, Bob Berardinelli, shared that even as limited as their target audience is, the fleet graphics worked. While driving a newly wrapped vehicle back to South Bend, the company received three calls from prospects who had seen the van. All three purchased products from Golden Malted, and the last time I spoke with Bob, all three continued to be customers.
How Can We Help You?
If you’re unsure your fleet graphics are getting seen and you’d like your fleet graphics designed, printed, and installed to market your company, even at high speeds, we’re here to help with our full service solutions for commercial fleet vehicles . If you’d like further information or advice, be sure to contact us.
TKO Graphix is a national fleet graphics and vehicle wraps company. Since 1985, we’ve been helping businesses, large and small, brand their fleet of tractor-trailers, service trucks, and company vehicles with our full-service solutions, including print production, design, graphics installation, removal, project management, and inventory fulfillment. We employ the largest 3M™ Certified installation crew in the country. Our graphics installers, along with our established national UASG network of professional installers, allow us to brand any size fleet, anywhere!
As a result of our high standards in quality products and production, we are proud to be certified by 3M™ and able to offer the 3M™ MCS™ Warranty, the gold standard in graphics warranties. This warranty demonstrates our commitment to excellence and gives customers greater peace of mind.
Whether you have a fleet of a few or thousands of vehicles, we are here to lead you through the process. To get started, contact us today for a free quote.
