Finding the right vehicle graphics design for your car or truck isn’t an easy task. It depends on many factors that should be taken into consideration, like the type of business, color scheme, and vehicle model. No matter what your reasoning is when changing the graphic design of your car, you need to make sure that it will give the best return on investment.

The importance of color in marketing

When designing a vehicle wrap or any other type of marketing campaign, color selection can make or break your campaign’s effectiveness. In fact, according to research from the University of Loyola in Maryland, color improves brand recognition by up to 80%. This happens because color is one of the first things we notice about something, and it can subconsciously impact our behavior in ways we don’t even realize.

How does a vehicle design affect the color choice?

When you’re starting out on your vehicle design, it’s important to keep in mind that the shape of the vehicle will affect how your graphics are viewed. For example, if you have a logo based on a circle or square, it will look fine on the sides of a van or truck. However, the same logo may not look well placed when it is used on a trailer.

Similarly, if you have a picture that goes along with your brand or business, be sure to check how it looks when placed on vehicle graphics. A picture may be too complex for vehicle graphics and may have to be simplified in order for it to stand out and look good. Even though you have an idea of what you want for your design, sometimes it doesn’t always translate well to vehicle graphics and will need some modifications before it is used on your vehicle wrap.

Solid colors vs. gradients

There are numerous factors that can affect your decision to use solid colors or gradients on a wrap and pull the design together. There are several factors that should be considered when making this decision:

Cost

The cost of using solids is significantly less than using gradients, as it requires more vinyl to produce them. Gradients will also take longer to create and install on the vehicle.

Graphic size

Gradients take up more space on the vehicle and will likely be cut off at the edges or seams of the panels. They also require more material for production and installation making them impractical for small-area graphics.

Resolution

If you plan to print your graphics in high resolution, it’s recommended that you stick with a solid color palette, as gradients will suffer from pixelation in large areas.

Reflection and distortion

Consider the vehicle’s reflective properties. A shiny white truck may reflect the sky and surrounding colors into the viewer’s eyes, which could make the lettering difficult to see. In addition, curved surfaces can create a visual distortion that makes text difficult to read.

A dark-colored vehicle, such as black or navy blue, will absorb more light than light-colored vehicles. This can cause heat to be retained inside the vehicle, making it warmer for the driver and passengers on hot summer days.

Contact us to learn more

Do you want your brand to be bold or conservative? Do you want people to remember your company name or business category? What kind of market are you trying to reach? The colors on your vehicle graphics should help you achieve these goals.

Contact us to determine which colors are best for your vehicle graphics!

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