Driving home brand recognition is being taken literally by a growing number of Perth companies.
From lending institutions to coffee vendors, more and more businesses are investing in new cars with state-of-the-art paint jobs. It’s a process that turns the humble company car into the ultimate brand vehicle.
Leasing Elite ordered three Smart cars before the mini Mercedes became available in Perth earlier this year.
According to Leasing Elite director Joe Oxley the cars reinforce its premium branding and create brand awareness by turning heads.
“I saw these cars six or seven years ago in Italy and last year I was thinking of bringing them in myself, then I heard Diesel Motors were bringing them out and I put in an order, I wanted the first three,” Mr Oxley said.
“We had a successful year last year and this was a way to reward our staff to some extent. Secondly it gets us recognition of the brand name. The cars themselves are eye catching and lots of people take a look at them.”
Spending about $25,000 for each car was a decision that matched the company’s premium leasing position in the marketplace.
“If I just wanted a car I could have bought a cheap one and painted it, but we are a boutique company,” Mr Oxley told WA Business News.
“We want our presentation of both people and vehicle to be representative of our company. When we come to your property worth $3 million to $5 million we want to look like we can manage that.”
Response Graphics proprietor Patrick Woods said more people were realising the cost benefits of vehicle branding.
“It’s a vinyl wrap and it lasts up to five years,” he said.
Mr Woods said costs ranged between $2,000 and $10,000, making it a better value for money than billboard advertising.
And business has never been busier, he said.
“I’m wrapping cars every day until the end of September,” Mr Woods said.
Sign-A-Rama West Perth owner Mike Harrold said more companies were booking their cars in for a graphic makeover.
“More people are realising that the vehicle can be a mobile ad for the business,” he said.
Mr Harrold said the vinyl film could be removed at anytime and would not ruin the underlying paint job.
“Some people, like Aussie Home Loans, pay their staff to have their cars kitted out,” he said. “They get the graphics on the car and get paid for it.”
Mobile coffee vendor Kiss Café has two decal painted Hilux vehicles which cost about $1,500 each to paint (see story below).
Kiss Café proprietor Rosal Mullins said choosing the Hilux vehicle for its mobile coffee production was a matter of practicality.
The coffee is served from machines housed in the ute component of the vehicle.
Jason’s Pallets has a fleet of Commodores and two semi-trailers, all with striking paint jobs.
Proprietor Jason Wilson said the “flash paint job” helped reinforce the company’s name in the market.
“It’s the best way to get your name out there and for people to remember it,” he said.
“Everyone is copying it, but next month I’m doing something special, I’m going to do up a Porche.”
Home Building Society bought 10 Mini Coopers for its mobile mortgage managers last year as part of a corporate rebranding exercise.
The mini has become an icon for the reinvigorated brand and features widely in television and press advertising.
Home Building Society marketing manger Terry Jones said the Mini Coopers suited the company’s brand attributes of innovative thinking, flexibility, and a cheeky attitude.