What if someone gave you a car? The only hitch, you’d need to drive it on certain routes, in certain cities, at certain times and it’s totally wrapped with blazing graphics. If you were paid $100. per month, what then would you be willing to display on your own car? Or, what if all your gas was paid for? There are many companies out there doing innovative things with mobile advertising and there’s probably plenty of room for more. But, is this the most cost effective use of stickers for marketing? Is this the future of sticker advertising and vinyl graphics? I don’t think so.
“We don’t really need more locations for ads – we need more opportunities for referrals and word-of-mouth advertising from advocates.”
Promotional stickers are a very cost effective marketing medium but there is a huge difference between what someone chooses to display on their car and what one is paid to display as sticker advertising. Not only will the sizes and styles vary greatly but often one is viewed as a recommendation from a “fan” and fellow traveler and one is viewed… well, as just another in-your-face advertisement. I am fascinated by what people put (or are willing to put) for free on their cars as statements, decorations or for support for an organization, place, or lifestyle.
Where exactly is the line between sticker advertising and stickers as unsolicited recommendations from loyal, excited fans? How far can you push and encourage (perhaps even bribe) volunteers to turn low cost promotional stickers into mini-billboards driving sales, traffic, building identity and generating word-of-mouth advertising for your business?
I’ve talked about this question before in a Blog about promotional stickers on employee vehicles. Do all the employees in your company have a logo sticker on their car? What about friends and family? What minimum effort would it take for your company/organization to be getting this low-cost exposure?
I just read about a politician that asked a room full of people something to the effect of, “raise your hand if you would not put my bumper sticker on your car” when no hands were raised he sent his staff out to the parking lot to make sure every car got his political campaigns bumper sticker. That’s a bit questionable and thank goodness for removable adhesive, but you get the idea. People (preferably fans) can certainly be encouraged, and at a minimum, asked to support you by displaying custom stickers on their cars. This isn’t sticker advertising – it’s guerrilla marketing
There are many effective pieces to today’s marketing puzzle. Promotional stickers are just one tool encouraging consumers to organically market to each other. Promotional stickers advertise, build identity, and support promotions. Are you maximizing the effectiveness of this low-cost marketing tool? Websticker is here to help design and produce the most economical and effective stickers possible. The rest is up to you.
Prod and Profit From Logo Stickers
Why Do People Put Bumper Stickers On Cars?
If you do want to be paid (or pay) to sticker advertise, Google lists several possible options like Carvertise
Jeff Nicholson is the founder and Creative Director at 
2 Responses
Great article. I love it. http://stickerads.blogspot.com
As gaudy as the enormous stickers and wrapped cars can appear, it is hard to argue that these are not effective ways to advertise. It is so in-your-face, that it is hard to ignore and the amount of exposure from a day's worth of driving could be lucrative in a busy area. That being said, you need to be a certain type of company to want to advertise in such a loud way. This may work for the local pizza place or landscaping company, but could degrade your expectations for an upscale clothing store or luxury hotel.