If you’re planning to brand a commercial fleet, one of the first questions is likely to be: how much is it going to cost?
There isn’t a single price for fleet branding. The cost depends on the number and type of vehicles involved, the amount of branding required, the complexity of the design and how the installation is managed.
But for businesses operating larger fleets, there’s another important consideration.
The price of applying the graphics isn’t necessarily the true cost of branding your fleet.
Vehicle downtime, repairs, replacement vehicles, branding updates and eventual removal can all add to the cost over the life of the fleet.
Understanding those factors can help you compare your options properly.
What affects the cost of fleet branding?
Several factors will determine how much a fleet branding project costs.
Number of vehicles
Unsurprisingly, fleet size has a significant impact.
Branding five vehicles is a very different project to rolling out a new identity across 500. Larger projects can also require additional planning around production, installation schedules, locations and keeping enough vehicles operational throughout the rollout.
Vehicle types
A fleet made up entirely of one model of van is relatively straightforward.
Many commercial fleets are much more varied, incorporating different makes and models of vans, HGVs, plant and machinery, material handling equipment and specialist assets.
The size, shape and complexity of each vehicle affects the amount of material, design work and installation required.
How much of the vehicle is being branded?
A simple logo and contact details will generally cost less than extensive graphics covering large areas of the vehicle.
The amount of coverage required will therefore have a significant impact on the initial cost.
However, more coverage isn't always necessary to create a strong visual impact. A well-designed branding system can use the vehicle's existing paintwork as part of the finished design.
Design and artwork
If your business already has established fleet artwork, the design requirements may be relatively straightforward.
A complete fleet rebrand can require considerably more work, particularly where a new identity needs adapting across multiple vehicle shapes and sizes while remaining visually consistent.
Installation
The method used to apply the branding affects both the direct installation cost and the amount of time each vehicle needs to be taken out of operation.
And for a working fleet, that second cost can be just as important as the first.
Don't forget the cost of vehicle downtime
If a vehicle has to be taken off the road for branding, the cost to the business doesn't stop at the fitting invoice.
That vehicle may normally be generating revenue, delivering products, transporting equipment or supporting employees in the field.
The longer it is unavailable, the greater the potential operational cost.
Multiply that across a large fleet and downtime can become a significant part of the overall cost of a branding rollout.
This was one of the problems Brandfixx set out to solve when we pioneered modular vehicle branding in 2020.
Our modular system is designed for faster installation than conventional wrapping, helping businesses reduce the amount of time vehicles spend away from normal operations.
Brandfixx customers have already saved more than 5,000 fitting days using the system.
Discover how modular vehicle branding works
What happens when the branding gets damaged?
Initial installation is only the beginning of the cost of fleet branding.
Commercial vehicles work in the real world.
They get scratched, scraped and damaged. This is particularly common for vehicles and equipment operating in construction, civil engineering, plant hire and other demanding environments.
With conventional wrapping, damage to one area can mean removing and replacing a larger section of vinyl.
A modular branding system allows individual branded sections to be reproduced and replaced independently.
Instead of automatically replacing branding that remains perfectly serviceable, you replace the part that actually needs replacing.
Across the lifetime of a large fleet, that can make a significant difference to ongoing maintenance costs. Read our article comparing traditional vehicle wraps to modular vehicle branding.
What about new and replacement vehicles?
Fleets rarely remain static.
Vehicles reach the end of leases. New models are introduced. Additional vehicles are purchased as the business grows. Assets move between locations.
Each change creates another branding requirement.
Brandfixx has 3D scanned thousands of vehicles and pieces of equipment, creating an extensive and continually growing library of precision vehicle templates.
Where the relevant vehicle has already been scanned, the existing data can be used to produce an accurately fitted Brandfixx kit for additional vehicles joining the fleet.
This makes maintaining a consistent identity across an evolving fleet easier to manage.
Find out more about fleet branding solutions
What happens when your branding changes?
Another cost that's easy to overlook is future change.
Your business might update a telephone number, website or service message. A division may change name. A company acquisition could introduce new branding. Or the entire business may go through a rebrand.
With a conventional full wrap, even a relatively small branding change can create a much larger job.
A modular system provides greater flexibility because individual branding elements can be updated without necessarily starting again with the entire vehicle.
Again, the initial price isn't the only consideration.
How easily and cost-effectively can the branding be changed later?
The environmental cost matters too
For many businesses, cost is no longer measured purely in pounds.
Large-scale vehicle branding also has a material and carbon impact.
Traditional wraps can use significant quantities of vinyl, with additional waste created when graphics are damaged, removed or replaced.
Brandfixx uses a more targeted approach, with modular sections designed around the areas of the vehicle that need branding.
Individual sections can also be replaced following damage rather than automatically removing perfectly serviceable material.
The environmental impact of the Brandfixx system has been assessed to understand and quantify the difference this approach can make.
Explore the carbon impact of modular vehicle branding
Initial price vs whole-life fleet branding cost
When comparing quotes for fleet branding, it can be tempting to look at one number:
How much will it cost per vehicle?
It's an important number, but it doesn't tell the whole story.
A more useful comparison considers:
- Initial design, production and installation
- Vehicle downtime during fitting
- Damage and repair costs
- Branding additional and replacement vehicles
- Future artwork and branding changes
- Removal at the end of the vehicle's time with the business
- Material use and waste
For a small number of vehicles, some of those differences may appear relatively minor.
Across tens, hundreds or thousands of vehicles, they can become significant.
Brandfixx customers have already saved more than £1.8 million using the modular vehicle branding system.
So, how much will it cost to brand your fleet?
The answer depends on your fleet.
The number of vehicles, vehicle types, artwork, coverage, locations and rollout requirements all need to be considered before an accurate cost can be provided.
That's why we'd rather understand what you're trying to achieve than give you a generic price that may bear little relation to your project.
We can look at your fleet, how your vehicles operate and how your branding needs to be managed over time before recommending the most appropriate approach.
Because when you're comparing fleet branding costs, the question isn't simply:
“How much will it cost to brand each vehicle?”
It's also:
“What will it cost us to manage that branding for the life of the fleet?”
