There are three underlying reasons people display outdoor vinyl stickers on their cars, water bottles, laptops, or other visible locations. Vinyl stickers are generally displayed for promotional, artistic and/or personal reasons. Let’s take a look…
A purely promotional sticker promotes a company, a place, a product, a person or an idea. A bagel shop, a band, a non-profit promoting water conservation, etc. These stickers are placed to promote what the displayer is interested in promoting. That could also mean peace sign or a candidate for Sheriff.
An artistic sticker may add artistic flare – like a racing stripe, flames, a flower, a tribal symbol, or other fun art or highlights that the displayer feels are aesthetically pleasing or cool.
Though all custom vinyl stickers are applied and displayed for “personal” reasons, some custom stickers function more like badges or tattoos – they boldly project your identity and interests but may not necessarily be “promotional” in a traditional sense. Examples would be a silhouette of a hockey player, or a bumper sticker that says “I love My Beagle”, or family stick figures.
There is obviously often a good deal of overlap between these reasons for displaying custom stickers, and that is the point I’m trying to get at. A political bumper sticker is promoting a person or platform, but it is also a personal choice supporting someone or something that an individual is proud to identify with. To design the ultimate, custom promotional sticker, most likely to be applied and displayed for an extended period of time, tapping into all three core reasons people display stickers is necessary. The promotional sticker should connect in a personal way and be artistically appealing for effective, optimal promotion.
Ultimate Promotional Sticker = clarity in the message + artistic appeal + striking a personal chord
Have the right balance of all three and you could have a powerful product or marketing tool on your hands. Fall short on any of these three core reasons and your stickers may end up in the trash or left on the shelf. Strong sticker promotions are not as easy as just throwing your logo or name on a bumper sticker. The art, the shape, the size, the attitude, the personal connection… all need to resonate with the potential sticker displayer.
This all leads back to really knowing your target market; Where will they put the stickers? What colors do they like? How big is too big? What slogan or image are they willing to tattoo with pride on one of their personal possessions? Answering these questions and designing a sticker (or stickers) that personally and artistically connects to your market is the best way to give your sticker and your promotion the strongest impressions and most value.
More:
Why You Should Involve Customers In Sticker Design
Effective Sticker Design Targets Two Different Goals
Great post! It’s so important to consider the target market when designing your sticker. So many times I have received a sticker with a cool design, but I can’t use it because it’s either too large to put on anything, or it’s not outdoor durable, etc.