Recently, Barrett Industries was looking to give their signature ambassador van a new look with the help of a custom vehicle wrap. We had previously worked with Barrett on creating branded stationery, an email signature and a robust employee website. Our work culminated in the production of the Barrett Industries 40th anniversary book, for which we both designed the book’s layout and produced its content (based on client-supplied information) while carefully managing the project’s production on an expedited timeline. After the “40 Weeks of Barrett” event came to a close, the client asked us to refresh their ambassador van with a new wrap based on the visual identity we had previously developed for the Barrett brand.
Barrett’s message hits the road
The vehicle wrap was designed with consideration to the established Barrett Industries visual brand, namely, the four brand colors, brand fonts, and the selection and treatment of images used on the body of the vehicle. The vehicle is an important touchpoint that represents the Barrett brand anywhere it goes, building brand equity by sharing the core values of the company with everyone who encounters it.
The front and left sides of the Barrett van show off the companies brand using their tagline, “We build the roads you travel.”
How 2D designs translate to a large 3D object
When designing a vehicle wrap it’s important to consider how the 2D designs will look once applied to the van’s body. The design takes into account for the placement of doors, wheels, panels, windows and other structural features. Designing for a 3D object requires consideration of how the art works as a whole from every side, and what information is best suited to various positions. For example, the value statement on the back of the van was designated the best suited spot for its length of text, giving people an opportunity to read when they are stopped behind the ambassador van at a light.
As it is usually on the road, the van must make a quick impression while moving (similar to interpreting a billboard) — we used bold shapes and colors in our design to draw the eye and create contrast that can track at a glance. Due to the size of the vehicle, scaling of the images and graphics needed careful consideration to preserve the details and quality of the images as the art is enlarged to full size.
Keep your eye out for the Barrett van next time you’re on the road!
The back of the van highlights the company’s values. The text is designed to be large and easily read at a glance.
