It’s been said that fleet vehicles are moving billboards and often the face of the business. If that’s so, fleet managers should pay attention to how the vehicle represents the company, and graphics and wraps are a way to ensure a great look—they’re also a way to advertise. Carolina Bautista-Brown of 3M shares her insight on wraps and graphics for fleets.
MWS: A VISIT TO 3M’S WEBSITE WILL SHOW HOW LARGE THE COMPANY IS, THE MANY PRODUCTS IT OFFERS, AND THE INDUSTRIES IT SERVES. WHY SHOULD OUR READERS KEEP 3M ON THEIR RADAR?
BAUTISTA-BROWN: At 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily as our employees connect with customers all around the world. Our graphics portfolio falls in the 3M Commercial Solutions Division. For many years, 3M Commercial Solutions has helped customers worldwide build brands by providing total graphics solutions. 3M manufactures certified graphic films and graphic protection‚ flexible substrates‚ as well as inks and toners used to create finished graphics that are consistent‚ reliable, and durable. By leveraging 3M technology, our products help graphic manufacturers and installers deliver the best results to customers and stand out from the competition—no matter how complicated the job.
For transportation professionals, fleet graphics need to look great—without impacting operations. That makes choosing the right providers for film, printing, installation, and removal a critical business decision. 3M films are manufactured with technology that enables high-quality printing and faster installation and removal, therefore fleet managers worry less about down time of their fleet due to installation and removal of films.
MWS: HAS THE PANDEMIC AFFECTED THE GRAPHICS INDUSTRY AND HOW CAN FLEETS USE GRAPHICS TO THEIR ADVANTAGE IN TIMES OF COVID?
BAUTISTA-BROWN: Fleet graphics receive an average of 30,000 impressions per day, generating nearly 4x online activations per ad dollar than TV, radio, and print, making them the most cost-effective form of advertising. With less money to spend on traditional marketing and an accelerated need for last-mile delivery vehicles, vehicle graphics provide the perfect opportunity for businesses to pivot during the pandemic.
Further, businesses large and small had to quickly pivot and adapt to the safety demands of the pandemic. While brick and mortar shops and restaurants had to pivot to delivery and curbside pickup, mobile businesses like food trucks, bookmobiles, mobile gyms, and other creative ventures were able to continue normal operations and grow during the pandemic.
Vehicle wraps are a popular way for businesses to use their delivery vehicles or mobile services to market their products. Additionally, 64% of US travelers notice vehicle graphics, with results including a 97% message recall compared to a 19% retention rate for stationary signs.
COVID-19 definitely opened the door for more custom designs for these mobile businesses, allowing them to set themselves apart from the rest of the road. We are seeing printing on chromes, reflective, and color-change films; and some of the manufacturers are offering clear wrap films to showcase the vehicles’ paint as well—a “tattooed” look.
MWS: THE PANDEMIC HEAVILY IMPACTED LAST-MILE DELIVERY. FROM A GRAPHICS STANDPOINT, WHAT WERE SOME INNOVATIONS YOU SAW IN THE LAST-MILE DELIVERY segment?
BAUTISTA-BROWN: Last-mile fleet graphics provide customers with a branded experience from order to delivery and can help build positive consumer perceptions. In addition, fleet graphics provide identification for vehicles often traveling through residential areas. For companies looking for a cost-effective way to boost brand visibility, last-mile fleet branding is a great way to create a series of memorable contacts with consumers and keep your brand top of mind.
Overall, in the last-mile delivery industry during the pandemic, we saw a lot of change: delivery robots and autonomous driving and remote-controlled delivery, to name a few. From a vehicle graphics standpoint, an increase in consumer e-commerce deliveries led to increased demand for fleet graphics. One thing I noticed was that companies realized they don’t need to cram a full website’s worth of information onto a vehicle wrap design.
In addition, vehicle graphics designs are becoming more professional. Brands want to portray a trustworthy image and skip those basic cut letters or gaudy colors and images and instead opt for a professionally designed, elegant full wrap. Simplified, clean, and solid-colored wrap films were trending throughout the worst of the pandemic, and still are.
MWS: FOR THOSE WHO AREN’T IN THE LAST-MILE DELIVERY SEGMENT BUT ARE IN INDUSTRIES SUCH AS PLUMBING, HVAC, ETC., HOW CAN VEHICLE GRAPHICS BENEFIT THEIR BUSINESS?
BAUTISTA-BROWN: Obviously in industries with lots of commute time between clients like HVAC, plumbing, and many more, vehicle wraps are the most effective way to advertise your business. During appointments, you’re advertising your services to your client’s community, and as you’re driving, you can pass hundreds of potential clients. It’s definitely worth the investment for these industries to invest in vehicle graphics, no matter how simple the design.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Carolina Bautista-Brown is the USAC Segment Marketing Leader for 3M’s Commercial Solutions division. In her role, Bautista-Brown leads a team of segment marketers responsible for creating awareness and demand of 3M’s graphics and cleaning solutions in key market segments including transportation. Find out more, visit www.3m.com/fleet.
