A full vehicle wrap may seem like the obvious choice for maximum impact, but in reality, more coverage doesn't always mean better value. Sometimes a carefully-designed set of vehicle graphics is all that's needed to make your branding recognisable without overwhelming the vehicle itself. In other cases, the freedom of a full wrap opens up possibilities that simply wouldn't work as well within a smaller area.
That's really where the decision about these particular kinds of graphics needs to start. Not with how much vinyl you can fit onto the vehicle, but instead: what do you need that vehicle to achieve?
In the blog below we take a look at where vehicle graphics and vehicle wraps each earn their place, along with the practical considerations that can make a big difference when you're branding an entire dealership fleet.
Vehicle Graphics vs Vehicle Wraps: What's the Difference?
The line between vehicle graphics and vehicle wraps isn't always clear-cut. Graphics can mean a small logo, several panels of design, or anything in between. For instance, a partial wrap uses more of the vehicle without covering it bumper to bumper, which works well when the existing paint colour already suits the design.
A full wrap goes further still and turns most, or all, of the painted surface into part of the design. These are usually used (and ideal for) a launch vehicle or a campaign that needs to stop people in their tracks.
When Vehicle Graphics Make More Commercial Sense
Vehicles that move through the fleet quickly, such as courtesy cars, usually just need to make it obvious where they're from. Here, we design around the vehicle's existing shape and colour and apply graphics where they'll have the most impact.
Graphics also suit messages that change often. Offers and campaigns move fast which means that updating one section of a design is far more cost-effective than replacing a full wrap; a difference that adds up quickly across a large fleet.
When a Full Vehicle Wrap Is Worth the Investment
Some jobs call for every bit of available space, such as a launch or if you have a car that’s heading to events and will be seen by a large number of people. These types of vehicles need that extra freedom to be memorable rather than blend in.
The decision can be practical too; if the vehicle's paint colour fights your dealership branding, a wrap can give you full control instead of working around compromises. To be upfront, it also costs more than graphics or simple lettering; so there needs to be a good reason to apply a full wrap; this type of investment needs to earn its keep.
Which Offers the Best ROI?
We tend to look at dealership vehicles as moving pieces of the wider brand rather than something separate from it. Once a courtesy car leaves the forecourt, it could spend the next few days travelling around the local area or sitting outside a customer's home. That will give your branding a life beyond the showroom; in places where your usual dealership graphics aren't going to be seen.
This doesn't mean that every vehicle needs to shout for attention. For example, with test drive and courtesy vehicles we'll often want the vehicle itself to remain the focus, so a more considered graphic can work far better than covering every available panel. A launch vehicle has a completely different purpose and gives us much more reason to play with the space and create something that people are going to notice.
This becomes particularly important when we're working across a larger dealer group. Different models and vehicle types give us different surfaces to work with, yet everything still needs to look like it belongs to the same brand. Getting that balance right is where good vehicle graphics really become part of your dealership graphics checklist, rather than simply adding a badge to a car.
Why the Quality of Your Vehicle Graphics Matters
We talk a lot about how much coverage a vehicle needs, but the vinyl itself and the way that it's fitted are just as important to the return that you might get from it. Saving money at the start doesn't count for much if the graphics begin to lift or need replacing sooner than expected. Across a large dealership fleet, those problems can become considerably more expensive to put right, not to mention the impression that tired or lifting graphics can give to your customers.
This is one of the reasons that we're proud to be a 3M™ Platinum Select Partner, which means that we adhere to internal processes that are audited by 3M to make sure that we're meeting their standards for quality. We're also a 3M Authorised Vehicle Wrapper and one of a select number of UK companies that can offer the 3M MCS warranty; providing cover against material failure for the expected life of the vinyl wrap based on its application.
For dealerships that are trusting us with dozens or even hundreds of vehicles, that reassurance matters. You know that the same standards are being applied across the rollout, rather than having to cross your fingers that vehicle number 80 looks as good as vehicle number one.
Think Beyond One Vehicle
Once you're branding an entire fleet, there's a lot more going on behind the scenes than adapting a design to fit a few different cars. Vehicles may be spread across multiple sites and new models will regularly come into the fleet. You also need a plan for those inevitable occasions when damaged graphics need replacing.
Having one team overseeing the rollout makes a real difference. At Joyce Design, our dedicated account managers coordinate fleet wrap projects from design and in-house production through to fitting; with a nationwide network of approved installers that allows us to work around where your vehicles actually are. We can also liaise with vehicle suppliers and dealerships directly, so your internal team doesn't have to coordinate every part of the process themselves.
We've thought about what happens after the initial rollout too. We keep an inventory of graphics parts as part of our Accident Management Programme, which means that replacement kits can be produced quickly when a vehicle is damaged. For a busy team, it's this kind of planning that helps to keep vehicles on the road and your dealership graphics looking consistent long after the first installation is finished.
Plan Your Vehicle Graphics and Wraps with Joyce Design
You don't need to decide between vehicle graphics and a full wrap before you come to us. Show us the fleet, tell us what you're trying to achieve and we'll help you to work out where your budget is going to have the most impact. That might mean keeping the branding fairly subtle on your courtesy cars or older vehicles and doing something much more ambitious for a launch vehicle. For a larger rollout, we'll also think about how the designs need to work across different models and dealership locations.
We've spent years designing and producing vehicle graphics, so we understand that the finished design is only one part of a successful rollout. As a proud 3M™ Platinum Select Partner, we can manage your dealership graphics from the first design concepts through to production and installation across the UK. Get in touch with our team and we'll help you find an approach that works for your fleet and your budget.
