MISSAUSAUGA, Ont. – The art of vehicle decals has come a long way in the past few decades, since the graphic industry first introduced stock designs like racing stripes, body accents, and hood and windshield decals. The industry now relies on digital imaging printing, a convenient process that allows the marketing team to design an exclusive graphic on a computer, then send that initial design to the customer for approval or tweaking and finally, have the product reproduced on a wide-format graphics printer, before installation on a vehicle.

According to Esther Morissette, the vice-president of marketing and public relations for Turbo Images, digitally printed graphics are gaining popularity due to the fact that this process provides vibrant, high-resolution, realistic images that are essential to effectively promote the name and the brand identity of companies, onto moving vehicles such as semi-trailers and trucks, turning them into mobile billboards.

“In today’s world, consumers and clients have a wider range of media options, making it extremely difficult for many companies’ advertisements to reach the targeted markets,”she says. “Mobile advertising is the perfect way to get the message out, on the streets, and to the consumers/clients.”

Aside from digital imaging, adds Morisssette, the Neon Graphik Concept, which is exclusive to Turbo Images, provides a safety feature with its highly reflective characteristics, as well as an added value for advertising, since the graphics are visible at night.

Toronto Digital Imaging (TDI) has also enjoyed the growth in digital imaging, as a result of the advancement in technology, which has allowed the design process to become more creative, with design options that are available on a more competitive platform, according to TDI account executive, Eddie Weiss.

“As technology grew, so did the image quality improve, the durability, and the pricing,” he says.

About 20 years ago, the price for full-wrap or even vinyl decal prints, was considered prohibitive for smaller fleets. But like cell phones and other electronics, those prices have dropped in recent years.

“With the advent of digital technology, it has allowed smaller fleets to take advantage of advertising options,” says Weiss.

When he’s driving down the highway, Weiss can’t avoid viewing various truck and trailer combinations. Whenever he sees a blank trailer, without a printed display promoting the company or fleet’s product, he wonders about the lost opportunity and the lack of advertising potential, such as a full wrap, or a smaller vinyl decal. Weiss also admires the trailer graphics that stand out above the pack. He is particularly fond of one oversized design: a brilliant image of a husked corn cob, an image so realistic that whets his appetite.

“You really want to have a corn roast.”