Fleet Auto News conducted a survey with readers to find out if using fleet cars as mobile billboards, by branding them with company logos, works to create awareness of the brand and business. The answer is YES! Car signage and wrapping is a great way to advertise your business.
Click here if you want to complete the survey.
Here’s the questions we asked:
- Does vehicle signage create awareness for a business?
- Which department should control vehicle signage?
- Does your car have signage or branding?
- Would you consider changing employers if they put branding on your company car?
- What type of vehicle do you drive?
Question 1
The results from the first question confirm why you see so many cars, SUVs, utes, vans and trucks with signage. Because according to our readers at Fleet Auto News, it creates awareness of the brand or business.
Question 2
Marketers generally have two jobs – 1) Create a need for the product/service; 2) Get the customer to choose their brand over a competitor. Vehicle branding can help achieve both objectives. And this is why the majority of respondents (78%) in the survey believe Marketing and Sales should control vehicle branding.
There were 20% of readers that thought the Fleet department should control the vehicle signage. This does make sense once the design has been approved by the Brand Police. It’s the Fleet Manager that needs to coordinate the installation when new vehicles are delivered, monitor vehicle condition while in service, and arrange for any touchups if the vehicle is damaged.
Question 3
So while lots of people think putting logos and phone numbers on fleet vehicles creates awareness for a business, how many actually do it? Only 43% of FAN readers confirmed that they have vehicle signage or branding on their car. It’s a strong result considering not all respondents drive company cars.
Looking around on the roads, small businesses and tradies believe in fleet branding. Utilities and large construction companies put logos on their cars to promote themselves and their projects. Councils and other government agencies use branding for community awareness. And every business with an electric vehicle covers it with signage.
Question 4
This is the interesting one. Company cars have traditionally been a status symbol and many employees consider them as private vehicles even though the employers pay the bill.
Over the years the team at FAN have heard many stories involving drivers being caught doing the wrong thing while driving a company car with signage. It can even increase the popularity of novated leasing once a policy of fleet branding is announced by the HR department.
The good news for the HR is, only 17% of respondents said they would consider changing employers if they had to drive a fleet car with a logo on the door, boot and bonnet.
Question 5
This question didn’t really confirm or provide any insights into the success or failure of fleet branding. It did confirm the popularity of SUVs as fleet vehicles. 50% of respondents confirmed they drive an SUV.
