The automotive industry can often be split into two parties. Those who invest heavily in design, understanding its relevance and importance, and those who don’t. Those who don’t could be missing out on their share of the market, not to mention a brand identity which could get them noticed by prestigious peers. There are so many areas in which design is crucial in this sector – from print materials and marketing collateral to showrooms, workshops and exterior signage.
As a design agency who specialise in offering graphic design and web design for a range of companies in the motoring industry, in this article we explore the key elements of automotive design – and why getting it right has never been more important.
Vehicle Vinyl Wrap Designs
The car you drive says a lot about you. It’s the motivation behind purchases of flashy supercars with eye-watering price-tags, ergonomically streamlined bodywork and vibrant glossy colours or mysterious mattes. So naturally it follows that if you choose to use your vehicle to represent your company, the impression you give counts.
When considering a van wrap design it’s crucial to ensure that you are both demanding attention and making a positive impression simultaneously. This is especially important when scoping a commercial van wrap, as there are various aspects to consider. How will it appear when stationary and when in transit? Will it convey the nature and calibre of the business effectively? What colours will work well with the brand and the existing paint on the vehicle itself? A few stuck-on letters in a generic font simply won’t do if you want someone to see your van and pick up the phone or click on your website.
Done well a commercial van wrap or vehicle vinyl wrap design can keep you subliminally front of mind for customers when they need your product or service. When each carefully considered aspect comes together perfectly, the results are hard to ignore – as you can see from these examples of our vehicle wraps for Davanti Tyres and Landsail Tyres above.
Automotive Web Design
Most businesses now appreciate the importance of a website. But simply sticking a site up and hoping for the best isn’t enough to help you stand out from the crowd. It can be difficult to differentiate in a market in which businesses often rely on similar colour ways and design techniques to make a statement. This is where specialists in the field like Awesome Creative come in – assessing your brand and understanding your objectives and audience before creating a site which effectively markets and promotes your business.
Design must also be complemented by functionality. This means a responsive, fast-loading site which is easy to navigate and provides every piece of essential information buyers need to interact with your company – rather than heading off and exploring a competitor site instead. In our recent web designs for tyre depots, we took into account company objectives and target markets to create something which has helped clients to substantially grow their business.
Web design for aftermarket ecommerce is also something to be considered. Recent studies have indicated that consumers will be increasingly spoilt for choice in a market swamped with similar-looking competitors. They also predict a dramatic shift online for the industry as a whole, with key players engaging in direct selling and merging their B2B offering with B2C streams. Combine this with a fickle, easily distracted consumer culture and reduced brand loyalty, and those with tired-looking websites and dated brands face being left behind. We also specialise in web design for aftermarket ecommerce in the automotive industry, ensuring that all demographics are perfectly targeted with outstanding design.
Automotive Graphic Design & Branding
Logo is everything – for all businesses. Yet in the automotive industry it’s crucial to stand out and make your mark. There are only so many times a business can rely on a tired-looking brand incorporating a tyre, spanner or wheel trim; consumers need to connect with something different, something with encompasses brand ethos.
At the Gumball 3000, keeping up appearances is everything. Team affiliation and calibre are identified by the colours and designs splashed on each vehicle. Without this association participation (and spectatorship) would be impossible – as each vehicle would be identical and therefore indeterminable from the next. The same applies not only for commercial vehicles but for brands in general out in the automotive marketplace – as without a solid, eye-catching logo and design scheme you can easily find yourself left in the dust behind a competitor with better branding. We work on a range of branding requirements for automotive businesses – from logos for aftermarket products and logos for garages and customisation shops to vinyl art and vehicle wraps. This branding can then be spread across products, premises and promotional materials.
This recent design for Castrol Nexcel demonstrates the power of automotive graphic design and branding perfectly. In essence it’s oil, but the branding cultivates a slick, streamlined impression which subliminally indicates a superior product and higher-grade performance. Timeless design and a subtle nod to the Castrol brand through a familiar colour scheme combine with contemporary, stylistic lettering and artistic fluidity with the oil-slick inspired ‘X’ to create branding that is unique and eye-catching.
Auto Exhibition Design
Trade exhibitions are often vast – filled with competitors with products, services (and sometimes brands) which are almost identical to yours. So how do you stand out? Innovatively designed promotional materials such as shell scheme graphics, pop up banners and bespoke exhibition stands are your only hope if you want to attract the right sort of attention without fading into a backdrop of similar design schemes and brands.
