Creating Visual Impact on the Go
How vehicle wraps and graphics are benefiting from improved technology, materials, and design tools.
Mobile media graphics are all about delivering visual impact. While the individual car owner might like the flash and glitz a customized creation brings, for a brand it’s all about generating awareness and ultimately new business.
According to the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA), media targeting drivers and passengers reaches more than 95% of Americans. Looking just at mobile media, one vehicle wrap can generate between 30,000 to 70,000 impressions daily, up to 3,000 in one hour.
Vehicle wraps have come a long way in the past 10 years: Output and design technology, tools, and materials have all improved, helping providers deliver better and more unique, colorful, and longer-lasting products.
For the vehicle-graphics provider looking to capture the more lucrative commercial client, the imperative is to create wraps that help these business customers grow their brand.
Grabbing their attention
“We’ve been in business for 26 years; we’ve watched the market grow and grow up,” says Tony Palmer, owner of award-winning Palmer Signs (palmersigns.com) in Roseville, CA.
“When a client comes in, we spend a lot of time discussing what they are trying to accomplish,” says Palmer. “We are experts at creating clever and unique advertising within the wraps to help them generate business.”
In addition to vehicle wraps, Palmer Signs does “anything digital,” he notes. “We produce vehicle, wall, and floor wraps, banners; promotional products, graphics, and we’ll theme an entire restaurant.”
Palmer migrated from a solvent rollfed printer to an HP L360 latex printer to produce his firm’s vehicle graphics. “It dries immediately so we can laminate without waiting,” he says. “That’s its main advantage.
Lead Palmer Signs designer Justin Lee’s goal is to create standout graphics. “We’ve always been inventive,” says Lee. “We look at wrapping as similar to a post card – you have 15 seconds to grab the attention of the potential customer.”
He’ll often use unique textures and attention-getting designs to create visual impact. For one customer, a food truck that sells tacos, Lee created a plaster background of a wall, overlaying it over the color. “It looks like an old Mexican mission,” says Lee. “We didn’t just use typical gradations of color.”
One of Palmer Signs’ top recent achievements was for Cowtown Creamery. “We themed their entire marketing program,” says Lee. “For the wrap for their food truck, we drew 27 farm animals that pay homage to vintage rockabilly and other musicians; we also used it in their marketing off the wrap. There’s a bat named Orbison, a dog named Presley, and even Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin are represented. It’s structurally designed to look like a barn.”
Lee digitized the hand-drawn pen-on-paper art using Adobe Photoshop and CADlink’s Signlab.
“The challenge is to come up with something that’s striking but is also professional, and lets people know that the business will do the best job for them – whether it’s a concrete company or a plumber,” says Mike Gauthier, owner and founder of Green Screen Graphics (greenscreengraphics.com), a 30-year-old full-service graphics solution provider in Rutland, VT.
“We provide a tremendous amount of service; we are very responsive to the client,” says Gauthier. “We only work with the best materials and take a lot of pride in the product we are putting out the door.”
Green Screen Graphics looks to develop that philosophy of pride in workmanship with every employee it brings on board. “I’d rather take an unskilled employee from the get-go that has common sense and pride in workmanship and then show him how to do the job, versus someone with experience who doesn’t,” says Gauthier. “It’s hard to teach that kind of work ethic.”
Standing apart from the competition
Wade Becher, a customized car aficionado, started Wicked Wraps (wickedwraps.net), located in Mukilteo, WA, in 2007. His wife, Katherine, became involved with the company a few years later.
“When I began getting involved and brought my marketing and PR to the table; we shifted our focus to helping our customers grow their businesses, instead of just ‘pimping people’s rides,’” says Katherine Becher, company co-owner.
“We started to think about how we can differentiate from other shops in region, the state, even the U.S.,” says Becher. “We decided we wanted to be the absolute best at what we do; to offer the best design, the best customer service, to offer the longest-lasting wraps. To accomplish that meant that we would have to use the best materials, have the best designs, and the best installations with the best techniques.”
“The most important thing we do,” she says, “is that we use Avery Dennison Premium Cast vinyl for every job we do.”
In the wrap world, there are two main categories of vinyl technology: calendered and cast. Cast is significantly more expensive; the majority of shop primarily use cast for vehicles, but will sometimes use calendered for box tops, buses, temporary wraps or just for cost-conscious customers.
“We never use calendered,” Becher explains. “Whether we’re wrapping a customer’s beat-up Ford truck or their Ferrari, we use Avery Dennison cast vinyl with matching cast laminate (Avery MPI1105 and 1360/1380Z) on our HP Latex L26500 printer. We use the Avery media for everything we wrap. When you use the best, you don’t have problems; there is no shrinkage, it is easy to install and remove, and it doesn’t fall off,” Becher adds. “We save time and money on installation and on future removal.”
Cast vinyl, she notes, is also “tremendously easier to work with than calendered vinyl, which is one of the reasons it’s more expensive.”
Advances in vinyl substrates are helping vehicle-graphic service providers deliver an even better product. “Wrap materials are available that have air-release channels that virtually eliminate bubbles, allowing air to be more easily squeezed out,” says Gauthier. Air-release channels are very small channels in the adhesive on the back of the vinyl that allow air to flow out when it’s applied to a vehicle.
At Green Screen Graphics, Gauthier and his crew primarily use 3M IJ180 Controltac media with matching overlaminates for all of the company’s vehicle wraps and graphics. On the printer side of things, Green Screen utilizes its Roland SC-540 and Roland XC-540 rollfeds for vehicle wraps and graphics work (as well as a Mimaki JFX 200-2513 flatbed for P-O-P, display, and exhibit graphics).
“There is a big difference between cheap material and those that aren’t,” says Gauthier. “The proof is in the pudding, when you want to take the wrap off. With 3M you just apply some heat and the wrap comes right off in one fell swoop. Cheap materials are hard to take off.”
Gauthier notes that new materials are being introduced all the time. One that has caught his eye: solid color wraps, used instead of printing solid color on a press. “There are also color-shifting vinyls that are reflective,” he says. “So it will look green in the front of the vehicle, but will turn to purple when you walk past it.”
The details and the passion
Vinyl wrapping is not an easy process that can be done by just any regular Joe. According to those involved, it takes time, patience, skill, and, of course, talent.
While equipment, materials, and tools are key to a successful vehicle wrap, so, too, is the experience of the installer. “It really comes down to the skill of the installer,” says Gauthier. The goal, he adds, is to make it look like paint, without seams in open areas.
Wicked Wrap contracts with an automotive body shop to remove all of the parts on the vehicles that are in the way of optimally installing the wrap. Door handles, mirrors, vents and grills are all removed to avoid having to trim lightly around and hope they aren’t cutting in on paint. “We wrap, then put them back on,” explains Katherine Becher. “It is an added expense, which the customer pays for, but the end result is more flawless and amazing.”
For designing wraps, Wicked Wraps uses 3D custom Photoshop templates from The Bad Wrap that enables the customer to view how the wrap will fit on their exact vehicle.
“A lot of shops use vector-based line drawings, but those illustrations do not show convexes and concaves,” says Becher. “Instead, we use photo-based templates that allow for a more thoughtful strategy as to where you put your design.”
However, no template is perfect. At Wicked Wraps, Green Graphics, and Palmer Signs, measurements for each vehicle are verified by an employee, ensuring that the 2-D template is correct for the actual 3-D vehicle.
“It’s one of our secrets to success – we don’t preprint wraps,” says Becher. “Every customer wrap fits differently. We verify how things will fit in relation to body lines, door handles; we check these individually on every project.”
“Another thing we worked hard on is positioning ourselves in community as a source for information. This is our passion – we love this industry, we love the nitty-gritty details,” Becher says. “We are trying to educate the community about what this wrap industry is about and what are the right expectations to have for a wrap. We encourage customers to come out to our facility, to see wraps being printed, to see them being installed.”
Wicked Wraps’ goal is try to help prevent customers from getting poorly executed wraps. “There are still a lot bad products being sold,” says Becher. “There are so many complexities to how wraps are wrapped, and if someone is not properly trained, there’s a lot of room for things to go wrong.”
One of the challenges now, notes Palmer, is the sheer number of people doing it. With the price of digital printers shrinking, a lot of people are jumping into the market.
“The problem is, they may have a good design background; but to get the business they will drop the price, not realizing what they are getting into,” he says. “To make a customer happy, there’s a lot of back and forth with the client. Some companies, to save time, will hurry the design and or installation, and then mistakes are made. By doing that, every company gets a bad reputation.”
Carisma: Bringing Brands Into the Spotlight via 3D
Vehicle-wrap specialist Carisma (4carisma.com) in Brooklyn, NY, has been producing innovative on-the-go wraps and graphics since 1999, for projects ranging from SUVs and vans to food trucks, smart cars, and even shipping containers.
In the past year or so, however, the firm has been able to substantially amp up its efforts, thanks to the installation of a Massivit 1800 3D Printer last spring. As a result of that technology addition, Carisma has been successfully targeting existing and prospective clients by elevating its more-traditional 2D vehicle graphics with the addition of eye-catching 3D printed elements. Its high-profile projects featuring 3D elements have comprised a number of blockbuster US movies and TV series, including The Angry Birds Movie, Ghostbusters, and Little Princess.
Earlier this year, Carisma was tasked with creating nine double-decker bus wraps to promote the recently released final season of Black Sails on Starz in a nationwide campaign.To 3D print the 8-foot skull that would adorn the bus, Carisma utilized the company’s Massivit 1800 printer and Dimengel material. This was then vacuum-formed into the nine skulls and adorned with printed self-adhesive vinyl sheets, all within 3 days.
“Needless to say, our client was blown away by the attention generated by the 3D-printed bus graphics,” says Moshe Gill, CEO and founder of Carisma. “As a business owner, the need to retain clients by securing repeat work is critical and our bus-wrap projects are a clear example of how the Massivit 1800 3D printer enables us to do exactly that,” he says.
“At Carisma, we’re always looking for exciting ways to push the industry forward and bring brands into the spotlight,” the company indicates on its website. “Out-of-the-box thinking has paved the road to amazing results… Carisma works with many marketing companies, helping them bring their visions to fruition. From custom P-O-P to unique film props, nothing is outside of our vision.”
5 Wrap Trends
JMR Graphics (jmrgraphics.com), a leading designer and manufacturer of vehicle wraps based in Central Islip, NY, shares these five vehicle-wrap and graphics trends in 2017:
Partial wraps: Partial wraps are an effective and cost-efficient solution for businesses. Partial wraps are great for seasonality messaging or promotional changes, because they’re easy to update.
Matte finishes: Matte finished wraps command attention, providing an alternative to the more typical glossy paint finishes. Stealth in appearance, mattes are most popular in darker, more sober colors such as black, steel, or a deep mossy green.
Textured wraps: Textured wraps provide a huge visual impact. They can be faux finishes such as leather or riveted steel, or can be artistic patterns. Textured wraps are great for making personal vehicles pop, as well as being a great addition to commercial vehicle wraps to grab consumer attention.
Custom graphics: Custom graphics are a perfect solution for commercial businesses. Today's technology mated with quality products provide business owners with the ability to incorporate almost any customized imagery to meet their goals. Logos and unique and compelling custom graphics can have a huge impact on brand recognition and increased traffic. Custom graphics are also a great way to express individual style on personal vehicles.
Embossed wraps: Embossed wraps take vehicle graphics to the next level with traffic-stopping 3-D effects and distinct looks. Embossed wraps are made to blend into the whole vehicle design seamlessly for a stand-out visual effect.
Carisma: Bringing Brands Into the Spotlight via 3D
Vehicle-wrap specialist Carisma (4carisma.com) in Brooklyn, NY, has been producing innovative on-the-go wraps and graphics since 1999, for projects ranging from SUVs and vans to food trucks, smart cars, and even shipping containers.
In the past year or so, however, the firm has been able to substantially amp up its efforts, thanks to the installation of a Massivit 1800 3D Printer last spring. As a result of that technology addition, Carisma has been successfully targeting existing and prospective clients by elevating its more-traditional 2D vehicle graphics with the addition of eye-catching 3D printed elements. Its high-profile projects featuring 3D elements have comprised a number of blockbuster US movies and TV series, including The Angry Birds Movie, Ghostbusters, and Little Princess.
Earlier this year, Carisma was tasked with creating nine double-decker bus wraps to promote the recently released final season of Black Sails on Starz in a nationwide campaign.To 3D print the 8-foot skull that would adorn the bus, Carisma utilized the company’s Massivit 1800 printer and Dimengel material. This was then vacuum-formed into the nine skulls and adorned with printed self-adhesive vinyl sheets, all within 3 days.
“Needless to say, our client was blown away by the attention generated by the 3D-printed bus graphics,” says Moshe Gill, CEO and founder of Carisma. “As a business owner, the need to retain clients by securing repeat work is critical and our bus-wrap projects are a clear example of how the Massivit 1800 3D printer enables us to do exactly that,” he says.
“At Carisma, we’re always looking for exciting ways to push the industry forward and bring brands into the spotlight,” the company indicates on its website. “Out-of-the-box thinking has paved the road to amazing results… Carisma works with many marketing companies, helping them bring their visions to fruition. From custom P-O-P to unique film props, nothing is outside of our vision.”
5 Wrap Trends
JMR Graphics (jmrgraphics.com), a leading designer and manufacturer of vehicle wraps based in Central Islip, NY, shares these five vehicle-wrap and graphics trends in 2017:
- Partial wraps: Partial wraps are an effective and cost-efficient solution for businesses. Partial wraps are great for seasonality messaging or promotional changes, because they’re easy to update.
- Matte finishes: Matte finished wraps command attention, providing an alternative to the more typical glossy paint finishes. Stealth in appearance, mattes are most popular in darker, more sober colors such as black, steel, or a deep mossy green.
- Textured wraps: Textured wraps provide a huge visual impact. They can be faux finishes such as leather or riveted steel, or can be artistic patterns. Textured wraps are great for making personal vehicles pop, as well as being a great addition to commercial vehicle wraps to grab consumer attention.
- Custom graphics: Custom graphics are a perfect solution for commercial businesses. Today's technology mated with quality products provide business owners with the ability to incorporate almost any customized imagery to meet their goals. Logos and unique and compelling custom graphics can have a huge impact on brand recognition and increased traffic. Custom graphics are also a great way to express individual style on personal vehicles.
- Embossed wraps: Embossed wraps take vehicle graphics to the next level with traffic-stopping 3-D effects and distinct looks. Embossed wraps are made to blend into the whole vehicle design seamlessly for a stand-out visual effect.
