What Exactly Is Branding Car and Does It Work in Singapore?
You’re stuck in traffic on East Coast Parkway. You’re bored and there’s nothing much to do. Before you is a van plastered with graphics, a logo, and an attractive tagline. Now, the road isn’t where you’d expect to see an advertisement, and when you do, it piques your interest differently. Furthermore, since the ad isn’t too intrusive and doesn’t use loud music or unnecessary obstructions, you’d more probably feel entertained than annoyed.
As a business, it’s easy to see a branding car as an effective way of marketing, but what does the data say? Does it actually work in Singapore’s dense, competitive market? And if you decide to do it, what must you keep in mind so it doesn’t backfire?
What Exactly Is a Branding Car?
Also known as vehicle wrap, car advertising, or mobile billboard, a branding car means applying vinyl graphics, decals, or full wraps to a vehicle to promote a business.
- Full wrap covers most of the vehicle (sides, hood, back).
- Partial wrap or decals only use certain panels or places. Sometimes, even interior branding is done.
A branding car is designed to be a one-time cost (with maintenance) that turns an everyday vehicle into a marketing tool wherever it drives.
What Are the Benefits of Branding Cars
Branding cars have several benefits, including:
High frequency exposure
A wrapped vehicle moves through many neighbourhoods. Similarly, in a congested market like Singapore, the city isn’t huge, and prospects can see your ads repeatedly. Over time, those repeated exposures help a brand stick when they come face-to-face with the exact vehicle.
Cost-per-impression advantage
In terms of money, if you’re advertising in your own car, you often pay once for the wrap and reap exposure over the years. Similarly, companies offering branding car services generally offer competitive prices, given they also don’t need to put much manual effort into it.
Brand experience in motion
According to branding literature, stimuli (visuals, motion, emotion) are highly effective when it comes to building brand experience with customers. What’s more, exposure to such stimuli is linked to positive brand image and brand love. And over time, these result in brand loyalty.
Things You Must Avoid to Prevent a Branding Car From Failing
Before going all in on a branding car, here are some considerations that you must understand:
- Bad design or cluttered graphics and ones that are unreadable at speed will cause the advertisement to do more harm than good.
- Lack of consistency of the branding car with other branding like your website or uniforms will cause the message to be disjointed.
- Wear and tear like scratches, fading, and peeling diminish impact and can even affect the way people look at your business.
Thus, maintenance matters. Inadequate tracking metrics (calls, website hits, promo codes), will result you in not knowing if the branding car is working.
What You Need to Know If You’re Using a Branding Car in Singapore
You must remember these things if you’re using a branding car in Singapore:
Keep in Mind the Legal & Regulatory Requirements
In Singapore, car branding and wraps are allowed as long as they don’t obstruct the driver’s view, number plates, or vehicle lights. Still, stickers on windows must follow LTA tint limits, which means at least 70% light transmission for front windows and windscreens.
Also remember that all graphics must avoid offensive, obscene, or misleading content. Similarly, using government-like symbols is prohibited. Some modifications or full wraps may need LTA approval, especially if they affect safety or visibility.
Ensure Proper Design & Visibility
Branding cars usually work best when you use high contrast, bold fonts, and simple messaging. Remember, most people will only glance at your car for two to three seconds. If possible, you should prioritise the “hero panel” (usually the side doors) for your key message or logo as that space is wider and gets more attention from people.
Experiment with Both Fleet vs Single Vehicle Strategy
If you’re serious about branding cars and need visible results fast, a fleet of wrapped vehicles can be better than a single one. If you’re using the car to build awareness over time, a single car can be the only ‘ambassador’ you need as long as you reroute effectively.
Don’t Skip Maintenance & Durability
For a branding car, you must use high-quality vinyl, ideally with warranties. Regular cleaning and inspections help prevent peeling, which also means you avoid people forming a negative perception about your brand due to a torn logo.
Measurement & ROI Tracking Is Important
It would be a great idea to have a unique promo code or landing page on the wrap to see conversions. Additionally, you can track impressions (via route logs), brand awareness (surveys), and inbound enquiries correlating with the wrap launch. Also, since branding car effectiveness can vary among different businesses, you should always compare cost-per-thousand impressions (CPM) against other media channels.
The Bottom Line
While a branding car can be effective for local branding, it needs to be designed smartly. You need to be able to attract attention within the first few seconds; if you do so, you’re going to get a lot of customers, and if not, the branding won’t be fruitful.
