Fleet Graphics: 8 Tips to visually WOW your audience

We know your trailer, bus, or vehicle is often referred to as a moving billboard. And, it is – kind of. But after many years of developing award-winning creative for fleet graphics, may we suggest that you select designers who specialize in this medium or at least, review designs under a specialized, fleet graphics lens.

Why? Because some designs can look beautiful, but not be the best fit for the format.

And if your designer hasn’t designed explicitly for large-format vehicle graphics, there will be a learning curve.

The main purpose of vehicle graphics is to get positive attention, and to bring you awareness of your brand message! So, this means, the design has to be great. Sub-par design just won’t be a good use of your ad dollars.

But don’t fear! We have in-house designers who are experts at fleet graphic design. We can handle the design process for you.

Or, if you have a designer you prefer to use, we will provide guidelines based on time-tested experience. Based on our presentation about vehicle graphics, here are our top 8 tips for maximizing your vehicle graphics:

1-Think Simplicity. Your audience has 3 seconds to capture your message and remember it, so keep things simple when it comes to design. Less is more. You want a clean, impactful graphic rather than a busy, intricate one.

2-Images are powerful. Choose images that are going to evoke emotion, draw people in, and create a conversation. With the right images, you can feel things like pride, victory and commitment.

3-Typography matters. Viewers are taking in the information from a distance and when the vehicle is moving. Use easily readable fonts. Avoid italic, thin script or overlapping fonts. Stick to one font. And ensure the fonts fit the feeling of the design.

4-Symbols are magic. The Wi-Fi symbol and social media icons are worth lots of words. Include them.

5-Keep structure visible. What is the primary takeaway you want to leave with your viewer? The wrap should effectively and communicate this takeaway. Have a hierarchy with dominant elements and secondary accents.

6-Reinforce current branding. Your advertising efforts should be consistent across the board, from print media, packaging, and your website to your vehicle graphics! Keep colors, branding and imaging consistent to support the big picture.

7-Give them a memory. When a well-designed graphic creates a buzz, it’s the best thing you can have. Give them something to talk about.

8-Use your real estate wisely. Your bus is a rolling billboard that gets thousands of views per day. We think it’s the best, or at least the most efficient, investment you can make! Consider where key messaging is placed. For example, some of the most visible real estate is at the rear of the vehicle. If your future customers are caught in traffic, they can use dwell time to note critical information like your brand, website, tagline or phone number. Presenting this information in reflective film allows visibility 24 /7 and extends your advertising clout even further.