A good truck wrap design makes your company name easy to read, shows what you do, and gives people something to remember.
That starts with making clear choices about what belongs on the vehicle. Someone passing your truck may only get a quick look. Give them a clear name and a strong design instead of a long list to read.
In my video walkthrough, I use Kongify’s own wrap to explain those choices. Here’s what I look for when designing a wrap for a home service business.
Start with what you leave off
The first thing I look at is how much we can remove.
You don’t need to list every service your company offers. Keep your main services in the short line that tells people what you do. That line is called your service descriptor, and it should work as part of your logo.
On our logo, that line says “Home Service Branding.” It tells you what we do without listing every design we create.
For your company, I’d aim to cover one to three core services in that descriptor. The full service list belongs somewhere people have time to read it, like your website.
I also leave these off the wrap:
- “24-hour emergency service” messages.
- “Commercial and residential” wording.
- Social media icons.
- Award seals and accreditation badges.
- QR codes.
- Manufacturer and other outside-brand logos.
Those details all compete for space. I want that space working for your company name and the design around it.
Take manufacturer logos. I understand why an HVAC owner might accept help paying for a wrap. But I want you to think about what you’re giving up when another company’s name becomes a big part of your vehicle.
My approach is to keep the wrap focused on your brand.
The same goes for QR codes. I leave them off. I’m designing for someone to notice and read the truck, not scan it while driving. Save the code for print materials people can stop and read.
Why I leave phone numbers off
My recommendation is to leave the phone number off, too.
I’d rather use that space for a company name people can read and a short website address they can remember. That’s the choice I make when laying out a wrap.
If you plan to grow into new areas, also consider how much emphasis you want to give one local area code. Think about where the company is headed before making it a large part of the design.
Give three main elements room to work
For the main design, I focus on three elements: the logo, the tagline, and the website.
Each one has a job. They shouldn’t all fight for the same amount of attention.
Make the logo the main focus
Your logo lockup is the way your company name and mascot or icon fit together. The service descriptor belongs with that arrangement, too.
That should be the strongest part of the wrap.
I usually prefer a horizontal layout for the name and mascot. But which one gets your attention first depends on the brand.
Sometimes the company name should lead. Other times, the mascot makes the first connection and brings your eye to the name. Either can work. Make that choice on purpose.
Give the tagline a clear job
A tagline should say something useful about your company. It might express your promise, the problem you solve, or what you stand for.
Keep it short enough to work with the logo. Then give it enough contrast to read against the background.
Keep the website short and clear
Use a website address that’s easy to read and remember.
Keep it easy to find when someone takes a second look at the truck. A row of icons and extra messages can crowd it out.
Design the logo with the actual vehicle in mind
This needs to happen before you get too far into the wrap.
A logo can look good on a blank page and run into problems on a van. The sliding-door rail may cut through the company name. It may cover the line that explains what you do.
Look at both sides of the actual vehicle layout while working on the logo.
On the Kongify wrap, we planned the logo placement around that rail. In other layouts, the rail can sit between the company name and the service descriptor.
The point is to keep the words clear. Don’t finish the logo and hope it fits the truck later.
Check the contrast behind every element
Contrast is the difference between an element and the background behind it. Without enough of it, parts of the design can blend together.
Check each part on its own:
- Does the company name stand out?
- Can you clearly see the mascot or icon?
- Is the service descriptor easy to read?
- Do the tagline and website stand out from their backgrounds?
Our gorilla mascot has dark legs. Putting those legs against a dark background would make them hard to see.
For this wrap, we used the mascot from the waist up. That let us make him larger while keeping the visible parts clear against the background.
We also placed the background colors around the logo with care. Each part needed enough contrast, including the company name, tagline, and website.
A small detail in the artwork shouldn’t make the main message harder to read from a distance.
Choose colors that give your brand its own look
Look at the other service trucks in your market before choosing your colors.
If your design uses the same colors in the same way as everyone around you, ask what will make yours stand out. I want the color choices to give your company its own look.
That doesn’t mean every wrap needs to be brighter or louder. The colors need to work with your brand and help separate the main parts of the design.
Place the lightest color with purpose
When a wrap has one color toward the front and another toward the rear, I generally like the lighter color toward the front. When the split runs across the top and bottom, I often prefer the lighter area at the top.
But the contrast still has to work.
Sometimes a dark front is the better choice because the logo needs a lighter area behind it farther back. Look at the whole layout before deciding where each color belongs.
Design the front, rear, and both sides
Work through every view of the vehicle.
When the design allows it, I like a background shape that carries from the side around to the rear. That helps the artwork feel connected as you move around the truck.
The front also needs its own layout. A full mascot may look awkward there. On our wrap, we used the gorilla’s head and placed the company name where it could be seen clearly.
At the rear, check the same things again: the size of the name, the mascot, the contrast, and the website.
Give each view the attention it needs.
Use gradients and textures where they fit the brand
Gradients can add depth and a glossy look. For a retro direction, flatter or more muted colors may fit better.
Textures can add detail, too. In the video, I point out the halftone pattern in our wrap. Those details can be hard to see in a small proof, so take a closer look at them during review.
One way to build a texture is to use part of your own mascot or icon. You can make it faint, repeat it as a pattern, or enlarge and crop it into the background.
That keeps the extra detail tied to your brand.
Keep it subtle enough that your name and logo still lead the design.
Review your truck wrap design before approving it
Before you sign off, look at the design from a distance and ask:
- Can I quickly read the company name?
- Is it clear what the company does?
- Have we removed messages that compete with the logo?
- Do the name, mascot, tagline, and website stand out?
- Have we checked the sliding-door rail and both sides?
- Do the front and rear work as well as the side view?
- Are the background details helping the main design stay clear?
Use those questions to guide the review. The goal is a clear wrap that gives your brand room to be seen and remembered.
Make the wrap part of the complete brand
At Kongify, truck wrap design is part of our complete Home Service Branding work. Your name, logo, tagline, and vehicle design need to work together.
You can see examples in our home service truck wrap portfolio.
If you’re ready to talk about your company’s brand, book a free discovery call with Kongify.