When you need to go big with your branding strategy, there’s nothing like building wraps. They are eye-catching, memorable, and give your brand an outsized appeal that’s simply impossible to ignore. This building wraps advertising guide will show you everything you need to know about these amazing graphics, from the benefits they offer to how to maximize their impact on your potential customers.
What Are Building Wraps?
In previous posts, we took a closer look at fleet wraps and boat wraps. As you may remember, these graphics are panels of digitally printed vinyl applied to the surface of a vehicle or boat.
Well, with building wraps the basic idea is the same, except that in this case the vinyl panels are applied to the sides of a building, covering it totally or partially.
A wrap that covers a building in its entirety is called a full wrap. On the other hand, if the wrap covers only a limited area of the building, then it’s referred to as a partial wrap.
Building wraps are used for advertising purposes. However, they are also utilized to conceal construction or renovation work in an imaginative way.
Companies across a vast range of industries are taking advantage of the advertising power of building wraps, including:
- Retail stores
- Apparel brands
- Sports teams and venues
- Hotels
- Hospitals
- Tech companies
- Food and beverage companies
- Lifestyle brands
- Real estate
- Automakers
- Museums
If you read the above list carefully, you will realize that it covers many different types of companies. This demonstrates the power of building wraps. Whether you sell machines (automakers), cultural experiences (museums), or services (like many tech companies), building wraps are an effective way to reach your audience.
How Are Building Wraps Made?
Building wraps are one of the most stunning applications of digital large format printing. But how exactly are these impressive graphics made?
Until not so long ago, advertising in public spaces was limited to billboards and banners. Using an entire building to promote your brand presented many technical, financial, and artistic challenges that together amounted to an extremely difficult undertaking.
Now, thanks to the most recent advances in digital large format printing, you can use any building as a canvass to advertise your brand.
Building wraps are designed using a combination of professional software tools. During this process, designers apply the appropriate digital standards to ensure that the final result delivers the intended impact.
Once the design is complete, the graphics are printed on vinyl, a durable and versatile substrate. This is important because while billboards offer standardized conditions, every building is different in terms of dimensions and materials. That’s why there are many different types of 3M vinyl that can be used to achieve almost any effect.
Finally, the installation process will vary depending on the type of building. With buildings with a glass exterior, the vinyl can be applied directly on the glass surface. In other cases, it may be necessary to mount the vinyl on a support and then secure it to the side of the building.
What Are the Benefits of Using Building Wraps?
Choosing building wraps to promote your brand means advertising on a whole different scale. This comes with an attractive set of benefits that translates into greater brand awareness, more sales, and a stronger bottom line for your business.
- A high-impact solution. A building wrap literally towers over other forms of advertising, making a powerful impression on your audience.
- Stand out instantly. In a world of digital and online communication, a building wrap is a bold statement that sets your brand apart from the rest.
- Reach a large audience. A well-designed building wrap has an almost gravitational pull. Placed strategically, it will help you reach a vast number of potential customers.
- Cost-effective. Due to their impact and their unique ability to elevate your brand’s profile, building wraps are one of the best marketing investments you can make.
- Customizable. You can adjust the size, shape, and visual properties of your building wrap to reflect what makes your brand unique.
- Create buzz online around your brand. According to a 2017 Nielsen survey, out-of-home (OOH) advertising like building wraps delivers more online activity per dollar spent than any other offline medium, including television, radio, newspapers, and magazines.
Some Design Tips
Building wraps are so effective that it’s almost impossible to go wrong when you use them. However, there are some strategies you can use to boost their impact.
- Use human figures. There’s something about large-scale human figures that immediately captures our attention. Take advantage of this effect to make your building wrap even more memorable.
- Be playful. Grabbing the attention of your customers is one thing. Maintaining it is another. If it fits your brand, being playful and incorporating humor into your message is a good strategy to enhance your building wrap.
- Be bold. Boldness is the name of the game when you are designing a building wrap. Remember that large format printing offers almost endless possibilities, so make the most of it. Whether is a giant dragon climbing a building, or a donut of colossal proportions, if you can dream it, it can happen!
- In some cases, less is more. While complex designs may seem the natural choice for building wraps, sometimes simplicity makes a greater impact. Imagine, for example, an imposing building wrap that displays only a few words: you can rest assured that your potential customers will notice (and remember) that message.
- Keep color in mind. Generally speaking, a colorful building wrap is usually the best choice because it’s more eye-catching. However, a black-and-white wrap is a good alternative if you want to create a dramatic and elegant effect.
Other Frequently Asked Questions About Building Wraps
Being a relatively new form of advertising, there are many questions surrounding building wraps. Here you will find answers to some of the most common.
- Will a building wrap damage my building? 3M vinyl and other commercial-grade films are made with easy removal in mind. An experienced team should be able to remove your building wrap without damaging your building.
- How much do building wraps cost? There’s no single answer to this question because the cost of a building wrap may vary depending on many factors. If you are interested in using building wraps to advertise your business, fill out this online form to get a free quote from CR&A Custom.
- Are building wraps an effective form of advertising? While there are no studies or surveys focused specifically on building wraps, we believe that the answer is a resounding “Yes,” based on the Nielsen survey we mentioned earlier and the fact that most global brands seem to love building wraps.
- Are building wraps durable? When we talk about advances in large format printing, this includes printing technology itself, but also materials. 3M vinyl and other specialized substrates are weather-resistant and UV-resistant, ensuring the longevity of your graphics.
We know that there are more questions about building wraps out there. If you want to learn more about these supergraphics, free to contact us.
Building Wraps: Wrapping It Up
Building wraps are a high-impact visual solution that consists in covering the exterior of a building with panels of vinyl that have been digitally printed to display an advertising message.
These supergraphics offer some unique benefits that make them an extremely useful medium. They are customizable and stand out immediately, allowing you to reach a large audience at a reasonable cost.
The guidelines to make your building wraps even more effective include using human figures, incorporating humor, having a bold vision, and using color to emphasize your message. Keep in mind that these are only general considerations. A knowledgeable designer can help you decide which are the best strategies to convey your message.
As for some of the most common questions about building wraps, it’s worth remembering that a building wrap won’t damage your building. Also, some specialized surveys have revealed that out-of-home advertising is really effective as a way to drive online activity around a brand.
As you can see, these supergraphics are a complex visual solution that requires the combined work of creative designers, experienced technicians, and skilled and installers. Teaming up with an established and trusted large format printing company is the best way to ensure the success of your building wraps.
CR&A Custom: Building Your Success With High-Quality Wraps
We are a large format printing company located in Los Angeles, California, and working with clients from all over the U.S. and around the world.
When you choose CR&A Custom you are choosing deep expertise, fast turnaround times, and a proven track record of more than 25 years creating outstanding visual solutions.
Whether it’s, building wraps, fleet wraps, signage, flags, or banners, we have the products you need to drive brand awareness and take your business to new heights.
Contact us today by email (info@cracustom.com), telephone (213-749-4440), or social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) for a free quote or to learn more about our full range of products
