Car decals have come a long way from cheesy bumper stickers and Calvin, umm...let's say defacing a Ford logo. And suddenly
mainstream America is beginning to take notice.
APE Wraps outfitted this Dodge Challenger in a new design each day of the 2008 SEMA Show.
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The aftermarket is now offering a greater range of automotive wraps, graphics, decals and designs, giving consumers near-unlimited
options in vehicle customization.
"We've raised an entire generation of people that can go to Starbucks and order a cup of coffee a million different ways,"
says Tom Stemple, founder and CEO of Lakewood, Colo.-based Original Wraps. "The automotive industry has really been slow to
acknowledge that. If you are somebody who is really into being unique and expressing yourself, it's discouraging when you
drive down the road and you see tons of the same exact thing that you already have."
Vehicle wraps allow consumers to personalize their vehicles, and give them that sense of uniqueness without the cost, expertise
and, most importantly, permanence of a custom paint job. Classic designs like flames or checkers can be applied in less than
an hour, and removed even faster. And other designs like skulls, sports, flags or animals are given a greater depth and photo-like
quality. Based on technology similar to that of the popular Fathead wall decorations, Original Wraps' designs are manufactured using
professional automotive grade peel-and-stick vinyl that is custom printed through a six-color process. The wrap is then coated
with a scratchproof finish and custom cut for the vehicle. The durable wraps will last for years under the harshest conditions
and still be removed without leaving a mark.
"We can do things with our wraps that paint can only dream of," says Troy Downey, owner of APE Wraps of Coronado, Calif.
"You can change the personality of the vehicle in the blink of an eye."
Downey mentions that eight years ago, APE may have had the only wrapped car at SEMA (the Specialty Equipment Market Association
show). This year, each day of the show they took a Dodge Challenger, and using just wraps and ground effects, changed it out
so much that people had no idea it was the same car. And that only took about 45 minutes each day.
While changing out the designs daily might be a stretch for the average driver, Stemple says that because of the price point,
ease of use and ease of install, "We think customers are going to be able to change these out quite frequently and really
be able to express themselves."
The wraps trend has progressed primarily from being used for marketing on company cars to vehicle personalization. Though
wraps are growing especially strong on the West Coast, it's not just one particular demographic that they appeal to.
"You would think it would resonate with the younger generation, but we sell just as much to 40- and 50-somethings. People
are just trying to be different," Stemple says.
Original Wraps recently signed on with Mini USA to develop http://MINIMotoringGraphics.com/, as the Mini Cooper is one of the most popular cars to customize. Through the Web site, consumers can choose between thousands
of stickers, stripes, roof decals and side decals, or can even custom design their own graphics by uploading their own photos
and images.
The influence of car wraps is growing so fast that Downey says he's seen his company's designs pop up (unlicensed) on toy
cars. A company called CarTatts is marketing their custom-designed decals as tattoos for your car, offering designs for everyday
use or just for special occasions like weddings or childbirth.
"When we started the company, I always said there was a time and a place for this kind of stuff, but we wouldn't ever be
wrapping Ferraris," says Downey. "Now, we've come so far, my guys make sure to tell me whenever we do wrap another Ferrari."
