I used to be a professional race car driver, and a big part of the job was securing sponsorships for the car to communicate brand messaging while on the racing circuit. It was an effective strategy for reaching masses of consumers both in person and via television. While my racing days are over, I’m still passionate about engaging people via vehicle marketing. These days, out-of-home (OOH) advertising is a very popular marketing tactic used by many leading global brands.
In fact, according to Magna Global Forecast ,OOH is the only offline channel outside of TV that is expected to grow this year.
Given the technology available to marketers, brands can create amazing, larger-than-life graphics using eye-catching colors and messages to reach customers on the road, whether it’s on the side of a company car, van or bus. What makes this so effective is that even when the vehicle is sitting still – at a rest stop, on a job site, in a hotel parking lot or in a traffic jam – people are still consuming that brand’s message. With vehicle marketing, brands can reach not only their primary audience but also secondary targets because the vehicles are seen on the road by people of all ages, gender, ethnicity, income, familial status and more. In fact, according to the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA), more than 95% of Americans are reached by media targeting vehicle drivers and passengers.
Not only will vehicle graphics impact a marketing campaign, they are also a very cost-effective way to gain visibility for a brand. For an average sized business fleet vehicle, a full vinyl wrap costs $2,500. This can be leveraged all year long and for years to come. According to OAAA, one vehicle wrap can generate between 30,000 to 70,000 impressions daily. If you think about that over the course of a year, you are talking nearly 11 million impressions at the low cost of $.00022 per 1,000 impressions. To put that in perspective, Ad Age shared Nielsen estimates which indicate the average cost of reaching 1,000 viewers via network TV is now $42.90.
Companies can use vehicle advertising for long or short-term campaigns to either complement the marketing mix or as a stand-alone tactic to make a big impact with customers. As a singular marketing effort, companies need to catch the eyes of consumers with design and messaging, whether that means going big and bold or keeping it crisp and clean. If it’s part of the marketing mix, vehicle marketing helps brands remain consistent and serves as another key point along the consumer path to purchase.
Since purchase is usually the main goal of any marketing campaign, it’s important to note that data shows that brands have noticed an increase in sales due to out-of-home messaging. According to a study at the University of Cincinnati Economic Center, 67 percent of those surveyed have made a purchase because a sign caught their interest.
So, as you gear up for your next marketing effort, consider the power of vehicle campaigns to reach your target and ultimately meet sales goals.
