It’s not uncommon for organizations to view delivery vehicles as a means to an end in their supply chain logistics management. Trucks are business assets purchased and maintained to perform a very utilitarian – although important – task. While businesses may prioritize oversight of vehicle use to track depreciation and get the most out of assets, they may not recognize the advertising opportunities distribution trucks and vans provide.
A company’s delivery vehicles consistently drive past consumers and arrive in front of the homes and businesses of its customers. The appearance of the truck or van is not only part of a brand, it may be a consumer’s first impression. Here are four things to keep in mind if organizations want their delivery fleets to serve the dual purpose of supply chain and marketing asset:
1. Create a Consistent Brand
All of the colors, images and content used on a business website or print advertisements should be consistent. Manufacturers or retailer delivery trucks must look like an extension of the existing brand as opposed to a disconnected resource.
If a business doesn’t have consistent graphics or a logo, launching new marketing campaigns on trucks allows organizations to make a dynamic impression. Deluxe, a business financial partner, suggested starting with a logo design. It’s fairly easy and cost-efficient to find an image to associate with a business and creating a logo with a truck display in mind helps business leaders make choices with an end goal.
2. Make a Lasting Impression
Delivery trucks can create a consistent brand presence. The American Trucking Association performed a consumer survey that found 75 percent of people said truck advertising was a their first impression of a brand and 90 percent said they could recall vehicle marketing days later, according to the Wheels fleet management company.
Trucks are large and interact with consumers in their daily lives. If the design, colors, images and written content on the truck is interesting or informative, it’s not just memorable, people may share it with their friends. The Mentertained amusement site shared examples of shipping truck designs it found particularly funny or cool. The vehicles included displayed products in innovative ways, created visual metaphors for brand promises and took some friendly shots at competitors.
3. Provide Information
Amusing truck displays also showcase typical consumer pain points and offer solutions, such as showing how the products facilitate relaxation or fun. Truck branding can do more than just capture attention, it can deliver important company information.
It’s very common for delivery trucks to display phone numbers so consumers can make contact. These days, it might be easier – and more effective – to list a website address or social media page on the side of the truck. Businesses may want to encourage passersby to take a picture and share with contacts to receive special messages and discounts.
Blue Bell, an ice cream manufacturer, displays an image of its product and advertises its commitment to value on the side of its trucks. This company prioritizes inventory management with help from data collection software solutions, according to an RFgen customer case study. It can recognize where each of the assets in its supply chain may help the business.
4. The Type of Vehicle and Drivers Matters
Sometimes it’s better to show rather than tell. If a truck displays images and text communicating a brand, it won’t be effective if the vehicle does not correspond to an organization’s philosophy. For example, if a business sells natural, healthy products, it probably doesn’t want to drive a gas guzzler up and down local roads.
The same goes for the employees driving the vehicles. Accidents involving brand trucks are terrible for public relations. Plus, a company doesn’t want a delivery agent stepping out of a branded vehicle to be rude or inconsistent in his or her performance.
Companies need to audit their entire supply chain and see where there are actions, assets or procedures that don’t correspond to brand values. It may be time to invest in new trucks when a company redesigns its internal operations, or an organization may want to invest in upgrades that will attract consumers looking for dependability from every branch of the company.
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