Published by Sign Guru
The economics are unusual
Most advertising is rented — you pay monthly for a billboard site, an airtime slot or a placement. Vehicle branding is a once-off cost on an asset you already own and already operate, and it keeps working for the life of the wrap.
The vehicle also advertises exactly where your customers are: outside the client's premises, in the supermarket car park, on the road to a site.
What belongs on a branded vehicle
The most common mistake is treating a vehicle like a brochure. A driver behind you has a few seconds and is concentrating on the road.
- Your name or logo, large enough to read from another lane.
- One line saying what you do — not five services in small type.
- One contact method, usually a phone or WhatsApp number in large digits.
- A website only if it is short and memorable.
- Nothing below window height on the rear, where it will be obscured by traffic.
Full wrap, partial wrap or cut vinyl?
A full wrap covers the whole body and gives complete design freedom, including colour change. A partial wrap uses printed panels on key areas over the existing paint — often the best value on white vehicles. Cut vinyl applies logos and lettering only, and is the most economical route.
For fleets, the right answer is usually consistency over maximum coverage: a well-executed partial wrap applied identically across every vehicle looks stronger than one flagship full wrap alongside five unbranded bakkies.
Protecting the investment
Wash by hand where possible, avoid high-pressure jets directly at panel edges, and park under cover when practical. Laminated prints resist UV far better than unlaminated ones, so confirm lamination is included in your quote.