The traditional advertisements ways have become outdated as now effective advertisement quite literally means van wrap. A van wrap can become your billboard on wheels that advertises your business on every road and street. More businesses are choosing commercial van wraps as they can generate 30,000 to 70,000 daily impressions, as per OAAA. Here’s all you need to know about van wraps.
What Are Van Wraps?
Van wrap is a flexible film of polyvinyl chloride polymer applied to the van’s surface with variable purposes, ranging from aesthetic improvement to fleet uniformity and paint protection.
However, with the advent of vinyl printing, vinyl van wraps are utilised to serve a greater purpose for businesses, and that is, mobile advertisement.
Van and vinyl wraps join the functionality of the mobility of vans, and the printability of vinyl wraps, providing a moving billboard that advertises your business passively yet effectively.
While we will expand on that effectiveness later in the article, we want you to know how much easier the process is.
Vinyl Printing Process
Getting your billboard ready in the form of a vinyl wrap is as easy as a walk in the park. All you need to do is design your advert with all the impactful elements, more on that later, hand it over to your vinyl operator, and voilà, your job is done.
The vinyl operator will print your design on a vinyl wrap and install it on your van to get it ready to rock n roll your billboard.
Types of Van Wraps: Versatile Coverage Options
One might think that the vinyl van wraps may limit their choices; however, in truth, vinyl wraps open the door for versatility. You can choose from various options, from finish types to coverage options, anything that suits your needs.
Here are the types of vinyl van wraps you can choose from.
1. Full Van Wraps
A full vehicle wrap offers full coverage of the van covering all the panels, even the van’s roof, door handles, and bumper. With a full wrap, not only does your van’s surface get protected, but you also get to have a bigger canvas to add extra details.
Ideal for: A full coverage wrap ideally suits the needs of corporate fleets that want their vehicles to have uniformity.
It also works exceptionally well with logistics vans and delivery vehicles as they travel door-to-door and quite literally take your brand to the customer’s doorstep.
2. Partial Van Wraps
As the name suggests, partial wraps are for certain parts of the vans, which can be either the sides of the van, the hood, or the rear door. They are a budget-friendly option that gets the job of advertisement done that too within a budget.
Ideal for: This coverage option is ideal for small businesses or startups that want to test the potential of van wraps and see how many impressions they get.
Moreover, being economical allows small businesses to market themselves within a budget.
3. Spot Graphics & Lettering
Another option is the installation of decals, which are the cut-outs of vinyl wraps and are applied as stickers.
Although decals do not perform the functionality of protection as a full wrap does, they do provide quick advertising through simple logos or contact info placement.
Ideal for: Decal application is suitable for local services or single-vehicle operators, as they are budget-friendly options.
Benefits of Van Wraps for Businesses
Unlike traditional forms of advertising, such as TV commercials, mobile advertising doesn’t shove promotions directly in the consumer’s face.
Instead, the van simply exists in everyday traffic, and consumers notice the advertisement naturally and on their own. For businesses, van wraps can prove to be a jackpot, and here’s how.
24/7 Mobile Advertising
Unlike television advertisements, which play one ad and move on to the next, with a van wrap, your advert remains in the limelight all day long. Wherever the van goes, your business will go along, reaching consumers at every turn.
Protects Factory Paint
Apart from promoting businesses, a van wrap also protects the original paint of the van from deteriorating due to harsh road elements like rock chips, scratches, abrasions, and bird droppings.
Removable & Reversible
With the right removing tools, van wraps can be easily removed, and this removability becomes a major advantage when it’s time to switch ads. Have you launched a new product? No problem, you can peel off the old wrap and get a new wrap professionally installed.
Brand Visibility
A van wrapped in an appealing wrap is likely to catch attention on an otherwise monotonous road than a static billboard tucked into a corner. A passerby might have never heard about your brand, but will notice the advertisement on the wheel and may also become interested.
As per a study conducted by RYP and Becker Group, vehicle advertising reportedly has a 96% greater impact than traditional, static billboards.
Cost-Effective
Vinyl van wraps are not only a cost-effective solution over a paint job, but also the advertisement cost of a van wrap is much less than one month’s rental fee of a typical billboard.
You get to save money as well as gain better marketing reach, so it is a win-win situation.
Industries That Benefit Most From Van Wraps
The benefits that van wraps bring to the table for businesses can be seen in two ways. Firstly, it benefits the van businesses that agree to provide their vans as a medium.
These vans continue their routine work, but with a commercial wrap installed, they serve a dual purpose: transportation and passive marketing. As a result, the business being advertised gains visibility, and the van-owning company benefits from the fee.
The following are the different businesses that reap the benefits of creative van wraps.
Recreational Van Services: Different RV companies, apart from their rental services, also offer businesses to place adverts on their RVs through wraps. Since RVs travel long distances, they serve as powerful billboards that provide wide-reaching visibility.
Delivery & Logistics: Delivery and logistics vans move door-to-door and hence, are an excellent advertisement medium. Many businesses reach out to have their branding displayed through van wraps, as these vans offer maximum daily exposure.
Food Trucks & Catering: Gone are the days when food trucks were mere white vans standing on the corner of the road. Now, food trucks use attractive branding through wraps to make their trucks distinctive on the road and allure customers.
In the U.S, the prevalence of food trucks has increased by 0.4% in 2024, given their better presentation.
B2B & Professional Services: Businesses like construction works and mobile clinics have their own work vans. They also wrap their vans with custom graphics that reflect their brands in order to attain fleet uniformity and a professional appearance.
How Much Does a Van Wrap Cost?
The cost to wrap a van is not a set-in-stone value; instead, it is influenced by different factors that often vary for different consumers. Mentioned below are the factors that affect the price of wrapping a van.
Van Size: The size of the van determines how much vinyl and effort will be required to complete the wrapping. Thus, it goes without saying that a bigger van will incur a higher expenditure.
Material Quality: The quality of the van wrap also influences the overall expense, as not all vinyl films are equally priced. A matte wrap may have a different price than a chrome or carbon fiber wrap.
Design Complexity: The design of the wrap also impacts the expense directly. More complex graphics require greater effort to design and, hence, are high on the wallet.
Installer Certifications: Professional installers undergo training and audits to refine their skills and add credibility to their service through certifications.
Therefore, an installer with more certificates will charge you more for a high-class service.
Wrap Style: Whether you choose to have a full wrap or a partial wrap also determines the total cost. It is because the wrap style determines the coverage area, which in turn decides the vinyl amount and effort required. So, everything is interconnected.
Estimated Expense
Given below is the table with estimated values of the cost of different types of vans.
| Van Type | Partial Wrap | Full Wrap |
|---|---|---|
| Small Sized | $2,000 | $3,500 |
| Medium Sized | $2,500 | $4,500 |
| Large Sized | $3,000 | $6,000 |
However, for the calculation of the exact wrapping cost for your van, you must consult a credible wrap company like CarLike Film.
Design an Impactful Van Wrap: Key Element
You may have hundreds of vans carrying the advert of your brand, but if it is not designed in the correct way, it may not attract customers. An impactful design has different key elements that make it hit home, which is necessary to turn a viewer into a customer.
Clarity and Readability
Your design should deliver the message of your brand without ambiguity. It should be short, quick, and written in big fonts to provide readability.
Brand Consistency
The design should be a true reflection of your brand, which can be achieved through maintaining consistent typography. The logos and color palette on the advertisement should match those used in your brand.
Call-to-Action Placement
A CTA is what is going to connect your customers with your business. Therefore, the phone, website, or QR code should be placed in a prominent position.
Pro Design Tip
As the van wrapped with your commercial is going to be on the go, it is advisable to keep your message readable within 3 seconds.
Conclusion
A van wrap can become the ultimate part of your sales funnel if done right. The investment in a mobile billboard never becomes a sunk cost because it generates ROI through impressions that lead to more sales.
So, wrapping a van with vinyl film does protect its exterior, but with the right creativity, you can also turn it into a revenue-boosting tool for your business.
Stock Up Your Inventory With Premium CarLike® Van Wraps
CarLike® has gained its place among the leading figures in the automotive films industry through its commitment to manufacturing high-quality products. With our vinyl wraps, you can be assured that your customers will never complain.
We will let you start with an MOQ as low as 10 rolls so that you can be assured of us.
Contact us now, and get to know what we can do for you!
FAQs
Can a van wrap be installed with a DIY project?
Yes, a van wrap can be installed with a DIY project. However, if you are wrapping your van for an advertisement, it is advisable to get the installation done professionally. It is because DIY installation cannot achieve a smooth and attracting finish.
How to measure the ROI of van wraps?
The ROI in the case of van wraps is the increased sales of your business. As the van cruises through streets and roads, it advertises your brand and increases visibility, which is the ultimate ROI.
How to maintain a van wrap after application?
After application, all you need to do is provide aftercare every once in a while. You must wash your van with mild, ammonia-free detergent and keep an eye out for edges lifting and bubbling.
What are the potential mistakes in the design of a van wrap?
Going overboard with it is the one mistake that totally ruins the design. To make the van wrap effective, you must design it minimally with readable fonts and elements.
