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Custom Car Decals: Tips from Design Experts at Signs.com
Are car decals an effective form of advertising? You bet. In a study done by ARD Ventures, they found out that “individual vehicle advertising generates between 30,000-70,000 daily vehicular impressions” daily, which makes car decals one of the most cost-effective investments you can make. For reference, the average cost-per-thousand-impressions (CPM) on Facebook right now is $12.07 per 1000 impressions.
While the two aren’t strictly comparable, it just goes to show how powerful car decals can be. It stretches your marketing budget by a mile while, at the same time, captures a massive audience. With this in mind, optimizing your car decal design for maximum effectiveness is critical. I talked with the design experts over at Signs.com and asked them for five important tips to make your car decal design a resounding success.
5 Tips for Effective Car Decal Design
Image from @phinephilly
1. Stand Out - Your design must grab attention wherever the car is. This is not the time for subtlety. Your decals should immediately capture the interest of anyone nearby. A simple way to do this is to use bold, eye-catching colors such as red, yellow, and orange. The human eye has a tendency to hone in on these colors so using these liberally with your decals can help attract attention.
2. Focus on Legibility – If you’re going to use text on your car decals, make legibility a high priority. Making an effort to advertise only to lose a lead because they can’t read your contact details is bad for business. Avoid hard-to-read fonts or script. Focus on simplicity. Make sure to use big, bold letters that are easy to read even while the car is moving.
Image from @tomb_raider2073. Don’t Overdo It - You want your decals to go viral for the right reasons, not because it’s garish. This tip goes hand in hand with our first one. You have to strike a balance between standing out and taking it too far. An easy way to check if you need to rein it in is to look at the design from afar. Is it cohesive or is it cluttered? Are there too many elements? Is your central message getting across? If you think that some aspects of your artwork are overboard already, take it down a notch or two. Simplicity in design goes a long way.
4. Stay on Brand - Don’t go off the rails for the sake of advertising. We all have the tendency to go ham when given the keys to the kingdom, but remember, it is your branding that must shine through. For example, you can shake things up for a new marketing campaign, but your audience has to know that your brand is behind it. If they can’t discern your brand, your marketing efforts will be for naught. Make sure that important design elements, such as your logo, brand colors, or trademark slogans are front and center to act as a visual cue.
5. Use a Professional Printer - Placing advertising stickers on your car fleet isn’t the time to cut corners. Home-printed decals can fade or peel away at inopportune times which may leave a negative perception on your brand. Partner with a trusted printer who’ll deliver. Professional-quality car decals from Signs.com are long-lasting, UV-resistant, and waterproof. The colors are also consistent, which is important in creating a cohesive look for multi-platform campaigns.
Image from @moosetagramWith cost per impression in mind, car decals are one of the most bang-for-your-buck marketing tools available. It reaches thousands and lasts for years, ensuring that your advertising budget is maximized. If you need further convincing, you can read up on The Benefits of Car Advertising and How to Use Car Decals as Ads. Both articles go into detail about the merits of using decals for your vehicle fleets.
Once you’re ready to print, our design experts here at Signs.com will take care of you.
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