Let's temporarily put aside the theoretical metrics surrounding the cost per thousand impressions of vehicle wraps and instead, delve into the essential factors shaping vehicle branding. Drawing insights from the utilization of existing company fleet trucks, I'll assert that the most significant factors in this domain are purpose, budget, and creativity – the three pillars that should guide any meaningful discussion on the subject.

Purpose: Advertising wields significant influence, emphasizing there is a need to clearly define its purpose for effective monitoring and evaluation. Vehicle wraps, with an average lifespan of about three years, unlock the potential for substantial brand building. They aim to establish a mental structure that propels the brand to the forefront of consumers' minds. Drawing on insights from Binet & Field's work, sustained, long-term campaigns have demonstrated a reduction in price sensitivity, increased market share, and enhanced brand loyalty. While some companies may use vehicle branding for short-term growth, the efficacy of frequent rebranding remains a subject of debate. Based on tacit knowledge, I assert that vehicle branding should primarily align with long-term marketing strategies for consumer goods brands.

Budget: Despite the profound impact that some shoestring budgets can have on select campaigns, insights from WARC rankings suggest that creative campaigns are often constrained by limited media budgets. In vehicle branding, the lion's share of the budget is typically allocated to county licensing fees-Media. Analyzing these fees in relation to potential population reach, Nakuru, Kiambu, and Nairobi emerge as top performers. I also challenge the conventional 80/20 rule of media/creative budgeting, proposing that adequate spending on creative endeavors provides the opportunity to amortize media costs over the next three years by expanding the fleet of branded trucks based on first-year results. This brings us to the last tenet: creativity.

Creativity: I am a convert of the belief unique identity work serves as one the hallmark of distinctiveness in the eyes of consumers. Unlike short-lived billboards and most other out-of-home advertising, vehicle branding represents a long-lasting creative piece that endures beyond the average CMO tenure. Once again building on Binet & Field's empirical argument, rational work suffices for the short term, but emotive masterpieces leave a lasting impression capable of causing seismic shifts in the business. Hence, there is a need to pivot from the common approach of arranging products on the side of trucks. From a creativity standpoint, the use of characters, humor and 3D graphic designs presents some of the avenues to easily differentiate your product from any other brand in the category exploring vehicle branding.

To wrap up, we are witnessing the emergence of new opportunities in the sector, such as mobile LED vehicle branding that can have a substantial impact if explored for a short-term purpose. The Wavemaker-led KFC campaign of packing mobile billboards in front of McDonald's is a case in point. Nonetheless, the horizon appears exciting but limited due to reach, duration, and cost, and it is not to be compared to own fleet branding as it's designed for short-term marketing campaigns. While acknowledging the role of technology in this space, considering the proliferation of smartphones, my chips are on the bridging of geo-fencing technology and truck wraps as the best bet on how this form of marketing can deliver effective strategies.

All in all, for now, the holy trinity in vehicle branding, is a long-term marketing purpose, strategic budget allocation, and a relentless focus on creativity.