How can you make your fleet graphics stand out when there are thousands of other vehicles vying for everyone’s attention? One of the best ways is to wrap the back of your fleet vehicles, including the rear window. The average consumer has about 5 seconds to view vehicle graphics on the road. “None of us have enough hours in the day, and none of us have time to decipher poorly planned fleet graphics. You have 5 seconds to grab attention; after that, your wrap is a waste of time.” — The Fleet Graphics 5 Second Rule. However, the back of your fleet vehicles may be seen for longer than a few seconds.

I was stuck in traffic behind a businesses van while coming home for work last week. I sat directly behind it for several minutes. The graphics covered most of the back of the van, including the window. I had plenty of time to view their product list, branded logo, tagline, and call to action. And I’ll remember this business if I ever need their services.

Is Wrapping the Back of Your Fleet Vehicles Safe?

If you wrap the back of your fleet vehicles including the windows is that safe? So, are vehicle window graphics safe? The answer is if done correctly, they are absolutely safe. Perforated window material is designed to cover glass areas with effective graphics. And at the same time avoid reduced driver visibility. According to 3M’s statement on its 3M Scotchal Perforated Window Graphics, “This 4-mil cast vinyl film allows a full image to be seen on the outside while allowing viewing through windows from the inside. A 50 percent perforation pattern enhances light transmission for a good balance of viewing through the window and image density as viewed from the outside.”

More Bang for Your Buck

Advertising is expensive, billboards, print ads, radio, and TV are not only pricey to run but cost a lot to produce. Even social media, the free marketing of the 21^st century, has a cost – the time it takes to do it right. Vehicle graphics aren’t free. However, their cost to exposure numbers are better than other forms of advertising and the graphics last for years.

“On average, wrap advertising costs as little as four cents per thousand impressions. This is significantly lower than other forms of advertising. For instance, it’s estimated that outdoor signs cost $3.56 and newspaper ads cost $19.70 per thousand impressions. Wrap advertising isn’t quite as cost-efficient as online advertising, but it’s certainly more effective than some other forms of marketing.” — Are car wraps a good investment for your small business?

Would you like to see a few examples of rear window graphics? 10 Examples of How to Use Window Graphics to Make Your Vehicle Wrap More Effective

If we can answer any questions, don’t hesitate to Contact Us , we’ll be sure to get right “back” with you.

If you’d like a free estimate for your fleet or vehicle graphics; you can Request A Quote.

TKO Graphix is a national fleet and vehicle graphics company helping customers since 1985. We provide full-service graphic design, digital printing, screen printing, graphics installation, and removal of large format graphics.

We’re a fleet and vehicle graphics company and since 1985, we’ve been helping businesses, large and small, brand their fleet of tractor-trailers, service trucks and company vehicles. Whether you have a fleet of thousands or a few vehicles, we are here to lead you through the vehicle branding process.

TKO Graphix is a Certified 3M™ MCS™ Warranty graphics manufacturer. Our installation crews are 3M Certified and are employees of TKO Graphix, not sub-contractors. If you’d like to learn more and get a free quote, contact us today.

So, what’s the number one vehicle graphics installation mistake? It’s improper surface preparation, which is usually incomplete or improper cleaning. It’s often not that someone didn’t try to clean the vehicle before applying adhesive vinyl graphics – it’s that they didn’t follow best practices. And that can lead to graphic failure. Don’t make this vehicle graphics installation mistake.

“The biggest vehicle graphics installation mistake is not prepping the surface,” says Jeff Stadelman. “It’s so important to have a clean surface to put the adhesives down on. That’s definitely the number one error. No matter the substrate ­ glass or paint,­ and no matter the installation method ­wet or dry – if you do not clean the substrate properly then you will end up with a contaminated surface that hinders the performance of the adhesive.” — Preparing the surface.

Just because it looks clean doesn’t mean it’s clean enough for adhesive vinyl application.

“In most cases, graphic failure is caused by a misstep in the installation process—and a good portion of those missteps can be traced to insufficient surface prep. Therefore, surface prep is an absolutely vital step in every type of graphic vinyl wrap application.” — Prep before you wrap.

“The surface of any vehicle must be completely cleaned and dried before graphic installation. Surface dirt, grime, solvents, or petroleum product residue can cause the adhesive to fail and the vinyl to bubble or come loose. The surface must be completely clean and dry. It can’t have any grease, oil, or chemicals. Some solvents may be unseen by the naked eye yet will adversely affect how the adhesive vinyl sticks to the substrate.” — How Not to Install Vehicle Graphics Part One

Preparing a surface for vehicle graphic installation doesn’t mean washing the vehicle, it means cleaning it so that no residue, including moisture, remains. So, what are the wrong ways to prep a surface, what are the causes of this vehicle graphics installation mistake?

Common Causes of the Number One Vehicle Graphics Installation Mistake 

Ignorance

Too often, installation teams don’t understand that surface prep is more than a soapy washdown. Many times, the newest and greenest members of a team are given the task of cleaning the surface with little more instruction than here’s a bucket, soap, and rag. Not knowing the importance of a residue free, completely clean, dry, and undamaged surface can lead to adhesive vinyl vehicle graphic failure. It’s not a pretty sight.

Hurried work

When installers are hurried by a work schedule, customer, or weather it can lead to incomplete prep, which can lead to problems. “People often want to skip the most basic step,” says Nathan Franzblau, founder of the Professional Decal Application Association, an association of independent certified vinyl installation companies. “If it is a trailer, then some people don’t want to take the time to clean it. If it is raining, then some people don’t want to take the time to dry off the raindrops. But that is a mistake. The materials are designed to work, but they are designed to work under the correct specifications.” — Sign Industry.com — Vinyl Techniques: Preparing the Surface.

Using the wrong cleaning fluid

Not every cleaning fluid is appropriate for surface preparation. For example, people often use ammonia-based cleaners to wipe off glass before applying window graphics. However, ammonia leaves a film on the glass that can cause bubbling in adhesive vinyl.

Cleaning fluids that leave any type of residue such as oils, wax, or chemicals can and will lead to the failure of the graphic. It’s a simple explanation. When the adhesive attaches to material on the surface, rather than the surface itself, it will only adhere as long as residue stays attached to the substrate.

Not removing all residue

Road chemicals, bug parts, oil, tree sap, and pollution all contaminate the surface of a vehicle. Even if you don’t see it, oil, grease, and road debris can ruin an application. Also, dirty or worn out rags leave dirt and lint behind, and unclean tools can be a problem as well. As mentioned earlier, residue includes moisture. Any water or cleaning fluid left on the vehicles surface will cause the adhesive to fail.

How to Properly Prepare the Surface

Properly prepping the surface of a vehicle before applying adhesive vinyl graphics varies by the condition of the substrate and whether the surface is metal, plastic, or glass. Here’s one example for preparing a clean and undamaged surface.

“Standard Method – for lightly soiled surfaces

• The surface to which the films are applied must be completely clean, smooth, and dry before final preparation.
• Remove all dirt and grime with a commercial synthetic detergent solution and warm water (1 ounce per gallon). Avoid detergents with lotions, waxes, creams, or oils.
• Be aware some window cleaners contain ammonia and other chemicals that can stick to the surface. Use of automated car wash facilities requires additional cleaning as some chemicals used in these systems will prevent complete adhesion of the film.
• Interior walls with grease and/or oil present will require special attention to remove contaminants. Prepare a solution of trisodium phosphate and warm water as specified in the manufacturer’s instructions and clean the substrate.
• Thoroughly dry the substrate with a lint-free cloth or paper towel. Allow porous materials to dry completely before application.” — Prepping a Vehicle for Graphics Installation

You Cannot Hide the Truth

So, what if the surface needs more than a good cleaning? What if there’s damage to the exterior? Can the graphics hide the damage? Damage can’t be covered up and hidden by vinyl graphics – it doesn’t work like that. Not only will damage such as dents continue to show, but they may also may cause lack of adhesion.

“There’s a misconception that vehicle graphics, especially a full wrap, can “hide” damage to a vehicle’s body. Minor damage such as fading and very small scratches may be covered and concealed, but not damage. Rust, dents, scrapes, bends, and bows will all show through the graphics and cause problems.” — FAQ: Can Graphics be applied over body damage?

“Older vehicles that have dents, scratches, rust and other damage may be visible through the wrap. These defects may cause the wrap to look bad. 3M’s warranty only covers vehicles that have an excellent paint to substrate bond. Vehicles with clear coat issues, scratches and dents will need to be sanded and prepped before they are wrapped.”  – All about 3M 1080 Vehicle Wrap Film

“I saw a blog post the other day comparing painting a vehicle to wrapping a car or truck. The image on the post showed a severely rusted van being wrapped to look brand new. This is misleading. False promises such as this could give the vehicle graphics industry a bad name. Covering damage with vinyl doesn’t repair the damage; it only hides it for a short time. It won’t be long before the adhesive vinyl will not adhere to the rust. Surface damage should be repaired before applying graphics. Graphics don’t hide dents or adhere to rust.” — How Not to Install Vehicle Graphics

Don’t Make this Vehicle Graphics Installation Mistake

Don’t make this, the most common vehicle graphics installation mistake. Improper surface preparation can ruin a vehicle graphic. Moisture left behind, chemicals, and minuscule particles can all cause the adhesive vinyl to bubble, tear, and separate. And regardless of how well a graphic was designed, printed, and installed it doesn’t hold its value when it’s ripped.

Would you like to learn more about vehicle graphics installation surface preparation for more difficult surface conditions, click here, TKO Graphix — Surface Preparation Prior to Vinyl Graphic Installation.

If you’d like to learn about preparation for substrates other than vehicles click here, Vehicle Graphics Surface Preparation for Various Substrates

If we can be of assistance, let us know. We know how to avoid the biggest vehicle graphic installation mistake. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to Contact Us.

So, 4 keys to successful fleet graphics design, what are they? We’ve all seen company cars and trucks on the highway and asked ourselves, “What were they thinking?” Whenever I bring this up, I think of a B2B (Business to Business) provider whose large box truck was covered with a nearly nude woman. I mean, what were they thinking? I’m not a prude, far from it, but it offended me, and I can only imagine what a woman-owned business might think.

How to Create a Successful Fleet Graphics Design

Be Appropriate

So, the first key to a successful fleet graphic design is to be appropriate. And that doesn’t only mean the subject such as the naked lady, but that the design matches the business and the industry. For example, I recently saw a funeral parlor sign that said, “Think outside of the box.” Granted it’s funny, but would it be funny if you were burying a loved one who was in a box, a casket, at that funeral home?

Recently, while commuting to work, I was stopped behind a local retailer’s delivery truck. The retailer markets to an upscale niche. Their brick and mortar outlets are well designed, tastefully decorated, and impeccably maintained. They offer excellent service, customer follow-up, and after-market training. The box truck sent a different message. It shouted, “WE ARE SECOND-RATE!” When it comes to vehicle graphics, a bad message is worse than no message.

vinyl vehicle graphics care

Match Your Brand

A successful fleet graphics design stays on brand. Color, fonts, and logos on your fleet graphics should match your brand. The logo and company name people see on your website or Facebook page should match what’s on your vehicles. It’s not always possible to match 100%, but it is always possible to be a recognizable brand. If someone is familiar with your organization sees your car or truck, they should immediately recognize it as belonging to your business.

Advertising on vehicle graphics is no different in principle than any other form of advertising. Once a strong brand identity has been determined, it must remain consistent and reliable to the consumer. Often the excitement of vehicular advertising leads companies to design each vehicle in a striking and visually stunning way, but with a complete lack of consistency across their brand. If no two vehicles are the same in their use of graphics, or color scheme, then consumers will not consistently identify the brand.

Create a Call to Action

Why do businesses advertise? Ultimately, it’s to increase business, create new customers, and encourage repeat business. It’s the same with fleet graphics. The days of fleet graphics being simple identification are long gone. Your fleet graphics should promote your business and bring leads to the top of the funnel. The call to action can be as simple as providing your contact information or it can be a special offer. Regardless, the key is to make it clear you want prospects to take action.

Vehicle graphics should promote action, and that’s accomplished with effective calls to action. Entice them, solve their problems and customers will come calling. They’ll take action.

Attract Attention

Let’s face it we’re all bombarded with advertisement. Driving your daily commute, you are surrounded by signs, billboards, and vehicle graphics. So, how can you make your fleet graphics stand out? Here’s an example of how to attract attention. “The friendly smiling face looking back at you and waving almost makes you want to wave back, doesn’t it? It certainly brings a smile to the face. The friendly expert in his branded Effective Air shirt, standing next to his product inspires trust. He looks like the kind of person you’d enjoy sitting down and having a cup of coffee with.” — Effective Air an Effective Work Truck Wrap

“You have 3-5 seconds to direct consumers’ eyes to the areas you’d like them to focus on. To make an impression with a visual image, you must draw attention to the portion of the wrap that you have identified as most critical through effective design.” — 3M — Tips to maximize your wrap’s impact

4 Keys to Successful Fleet Graphics Design

If you create a fleet graphic that is appropriate for your business, matches your brand, sends a call to action, and attracts attention, you will be noticed, and you will attract customers. If we can help you drive your brand message home, Contact Us.

The fleet graphics what to do and not do is mostly common sense. Most of us have heard do’s and don’ts all our lives. As children, we were told don’t cross the street without looking both ways. Do brush your teeth before you go to bed. As teenagers, we were warned, don’t drink at the party and do drive the speed limit. And as adults, we live with a list of do’s and don’ts. My point is that these do’s and don’ts protect and help us. If we didn’t follow the do’s and don’ts of life, we would be much worse off than we are. It’s the same with this list of fleet graphics what to do and not do.

If you follow the fleet graphics what to do and not do, you’ll create a positive experience and if you do not – then the fleet graphics experience can head south on you quickly. So, it’s important to understand the do’s don’ts of fleet graphics before you begin the fleet graphics process.

Fleet Graphics What to Do and Not Do

Do use an experienced fleet graphics designer

Every graphic designer isn’t a fleet graphics designer. There are big differences between designing a layout on a two-dimensional screen and creating a design for a three-dimensional application such as your fleet vehicles.

“I remember a potential sponsor for an Indy car whose product came packaged in a bottle. Their creative team sent us a beautiful design for the race car with the bottle on the nose. Their design shared every view of the race car. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t work. Our design team showed me by using a 3D template how the design would appear on the car. You couldn’t tell it was a bottle. A total redesign was called for; it needed our teams touch. With vehicle graphic design — there’s more than meets the eye.” — 5 Keys to Vehicle Graphic Design

The last thing you want to do is try to DIY a fleet graphics design. Sure, give your thoughts and ideas to a professional fleet graphics designer but don’t try to BE the designer.

Do keep your design simple

Fleet graphics only have seconds to capture your audience. So, unlike some other forms of advertising, fleet graphics should be focused on one message. Fleet graphics aren’t a medium to let it all hang out.

Use highly readable fonts, and make them large enough to be seen and read at 65 MPH. Don’t use comic sans, italics, or scripts that are difficult to read.

Do match your brand.

The colors, logo, and design should match your website, print ads, and all other marketing. How important is  unifying your brand on fleet graphics? “A white paper shared by the ATA (American Trucking Association) Vehicle Branding: Is there Hidden Value in Your Fleet?  discovered that 75% of people developed a first impression about a company and its products from truck advertising. Furthermore, an impressive 91% of people stated that they not only noticed adverts on the side of trucks, but could also remember them days later. Most importantly, however, the survey revealed that almost a third of people would base a buying decision on the impression they got from vehicle advertisements.”

Do share your USP (Unique Sales Position)

What sets you apart from your competition? Is it superior service, outstanding products, time in business, or ? “Too often, entrepreneurs fall in love with their product or service and forget that it is the customer’s needs, not their own, that they must satisfy. Step back from your daily operations and carefully scrutinize what your customers really want.” — Entrepreneur.com — Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

Do use color to match your brand and create emotion

And be sure to contrast the lettering against the background, so it stands out. “When choosing colors for your vehicle graphics, it may not be what color, but how colors of both the vehicle and your graphics contrast. Using poorly contrasted colors reduces the impact of vehicle advertising. Poorly chosen hues, designs that hide the message, and colors that don’t match your brand waste your marketing dollars. One should first consider the brand, logo, and vehicle colors.” —  FAQ: What Color Should I Wrap My Business Vehicle?

Don’t try to share too much information

People only have about five seconds to read your vehicular adverting so keep it simple. “Whether a consumer is driving, or walking in a business district, there are thousands of messages fighting for their attention — signs, billboards, and fleet graphics come at people in droves. It’s impossible to take them all in, and even the best only receive seconds of anyone’s attention.” — Fleet Graphcs 5-second Rule

Don’t try to put one small decal on the door of your vehicle and think its advertising – it’s not

On a recent 14-hour drive, my wife and I created a game where we pointed out company vehicles that had small undecipherable decals on the door. Our favorite was an eye care shop out of Canada. It almost made sense to make the decal so small that it was difficult to read.

Do use the best material for the job

Do use a large format print shop that knows what material to use for your application. There are hundreds of printable adhesive vinyl. Some are for short term use, others for five to seven years. Some materials cannot be stretched or conformed to go around curves and corners; others are manufactured to do just that. Another consideration is if the ink matches the material. Using an ink that isn’t recommended for the material can nullify the warranty.

“A small business owner brought his work vehicle to TKO to inquire about replacing a faded graphic installed by another graphics provider. He brought it to us because the graphics provider who completed the installation was no longer in business. Unfortunately, the material used had a very limited warranty. The owner was told that the warranty covered fading. It did cover replacing the material. However, it did not cover removal or installation of new material.” — The Cost of Going Cheap

Do protect the print with clearcoat or overlaminate

UV rays will fade paint and vinyl. A protective layer will slow the process. Overlamination of adhesive vinyl graphics protects the design from harmful UV rays, acid dew, and road debris. Laminating the material is recommended by manufacturers, such as 3M in this Graphics solutions post, “It also provides excellent gloss and clarity of reflection, giving a “wet paint” look. And it is warranted by 3M when used with recommended 3M graphic films, printers and inks – including its performance on horizontal surfaces, offering your customers peace of mind.”

Do check for color calibration of printers

Does the print shop calibrate the printers regularly? If not, they may not be able to match the color in the future when you add more vehicles to your fleet or heaven forbid a vehicle is damaged, needs repaired, and graphics replaced.

Do use certified installers

Yes, use certified applicators. However, be careful, not every adhesive graphics certification means an installer can do what you need done. For example, some first level training certifies that an installer can apply decals but not wraps or partial wraps with corners and curves.

Here’s one example, “The UASG is a national network of graphic installation companies. Our members are committed to installing your jobs better, on-time, within budget, as expected, and represent your company professionally.” — USAG United Application Standards Group.

Do use an established provider

Do vet the provider before committing to them. How long have they been in business? What accreditations do they have? Are their printers current and state of the art? Are their installation teams certified? Do they have work you can see either in person or in a portfolio? How do customers rate them in reviews? How do their prices compare (but be careful too cheap can lead to a bad experience?)

Don’t forget about maintenance

It’s important to keep your fleet graphics clean for two reasons. 1) Road salt, spilled petroleum products, and corrosives can damage your graphics and 2) what do potential customers think when they see a dirty, poorly maintained, vehicle?

Do not allow tree saps, bugs, and contaminates to accumulate

“The best thing anyone can do to keep adhesive vinyl vehicle graphics looking bright and new is to keep it clean. Road contaminants, solvents, and dirt can damage the surface of any vehicle, paint or graphics. It’s important to remove these particles soon and often. Don’t allow harsh chemicals like road salt to build up and attack the surface of your vehicle. Wash bird droppings, tree sap, and other stains as soon as possible. The number one key to keeping your new vehicle graphic looking new is to keep it clean.” — Caring for your New Vehicle Graphics

Do not use the wrong wax

In most cases, it isn’t necessary to wax vinyl graphics, and some waxes can damage the vinyl. ““Can I wax my vehicle? Yes, as long as the wax does not contain petroleum distillates, which is found in many paste waxes. Products that are a combination of a waterless wash and wax are great options as long as the vehicle doesn’t have a matte finish and isn’t excessively dirty. Test the wax on an inconspicuous part of the vehicle first.” — Caring for your Wrap. Here’s more on waxing your fleet graphics, Should I wax My Car Wrap?

Do not use car washes with brushes

Brushes can loosen the edge of the graphics. “Vinyl wraps may be run through car washes. Touchless car washes are the best for graphic care. Use of brush car washes (depending upon the frequency and quality of brush) may cause dulling/scratching/lifting edge of the graphics.” — 3M — Caring for Your Vehicle Graphics

Do this Don’t Do that

There you have it. A few basic do’s and don’ts of fleet graphics. If you follow this advice, you’ll save yourself a lot of pain. If we can be of any service, do let us know. It’s what we do so don’t be afraid to Contact Us.

What do your fleet graphics say about your business? The better question might be, what shouldn’t your fleet graphics say about your business? As important as fleet graphics can be to your business, too often, there’s often not enough thought given to what the design should convey and how to send the best message.

Poorly considered vehicle wraps and decals are on every street in America. There are cars with no hierarchy, trucks without a call to action, and vans with little or no brand identification. Designs with poor contrast, fuzzy fonts, busy images, too much copy, as well as poorly placed graphics are everywhere – just look around.

What Do Your Fleet Graphics Say About Your Business?

• How do you want your organization to be known?
• What’s your core product or service?
• What’s the biggest problem you solve for your customer?
• How will brand unification be achieved on your fleet graphics?
• What’s your USP (Unique Sales Position)?
• Who’s your target audience?

Before you can begin the design process, you should be able to answer these questions, because if you don’t, unless you’re incredibly fortunate, your vehicles will become one more example of poorly considered and badly designed fleet graphics. You might not incorporate every answer to every question into your design. However, you should know the answers to most of these questions before you decide what should be part of your design as well as what should not.

What Are the Biggest Vehicle Graphics Design Mistakes?

The biggest mistake is color. “You can overcome a poor design with proper use of color, but a great design can’t cover up bad color choices.” TKO VP of Marketing, Nancy Jarial, gave this example: “A vehicle with light yellow letters against a white background would be nearly illegible regardless of how well designed it is.”

Other Mistakes Include:

• TMI, too much info on a vehicle can distract from the primary message
• Too busy with too many images, colors, and too much copy
• Hard to read fonts. Italics or Comic Sans might look good on a business card, okay they don’t, but it absolutely doesn’t work on fleet graphics. If a potential customer can’t understand the copy in five seconds or less while driving down the road – it doesn’t work.
• Too small. Trying to save a buck by cutting down the size of a decal is a bad idea that happens much too often. My wife and I search for a find these almost every day. It’s a game we play.

Fleet Graphics Are an Investment

So, What do your fleet graphics say about your business? Vehicle wraps aren’t a cost because when properly designed, they offer a return on your investment. A good design introduces your business to new customers and sends a call to action. Poorly designed fleet graphics are the opposite, they’re an expense, not an investment, and it’s an expense that keeps on costing by sending the wrong message. What do your fleet graphics say about your business? Do you know the answer?

If we can be of any assistance, please Contact Us.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like,  7 Ways to Save Money on Vehicle Graphics, and FAQ: What Color Should I Wrap My Business Vehicle?

TKO Graphix is a national fleet and vehicle graphics company helping customers since 1985. We provide full-service graphic design, digital printing, screen printing, graphics installation, and removal of large format graphics.

We’re a fleet and vehicle graphics company and since 1985, we’ve been helping businesses, large and small, brand their fleet of tractor-trailers, service trucks and company vehicles. Whether you have a fleet of thousands or a few vehicles, we are here to lead you through the vehicle branding process.

TKO Graphix is a Certified 3M™ MCS™ Warranty graphics manufacturer. Our installation crews are 3M Certified and are employees of TKO Graphix, not sub-contractors.

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