Advertising in Motion

"That one truck is going around all day and that makes it seem as if you've got five out there running," says Mike Pearson, national sales manager for Hackney USA. "

There's a saying in the industry that one equals five. No, it's not fuzzy math.

People think they have a whole fleet because it's moving around so much."

To get the most bang for your truck marketing buck, follow this advice:
Consider color. "Most vehicles are stock white, which means most of your competitors will start off with stock white trucks," says Katie Rotella, senior editor at PM Magazine and writer of the publication's "Truck of the Month" feature. "Also, other trades utilize the same types of service vehicles, so they'll all have stock white, too. To break out of that sea of white service trucks you see on the road, simply using a solid color could make you stand out. Any logos or wrappings added to that are gravy."

One company Rotella featured in "Truck of the Month" wrapped its trucks in tiger print. The fleet resembled a Disney theme park ride. "You definitely can't miss trucks like those," Rotella says.

While a bright color or exciting pattern may catch the customer's eye, she cautions that there can be too much of a good thing. "Be sure your information is readable. That's paramount," she says.

According to Larry Cavalluzzi, president of Sarasota, Fla.-based Signzoo, a company that specializes in graphic wraps, contrast between truck's background and the lettering ensures that potential customers can easily read pertinent information, even in traffic.