If you are always on the road around KL or Selangor, you probably have seen advertisements on buses before. Sometimes the ad is only at the side or back of the bus. But there are also buses where almost the whole outside is covered with one advertisement.
This is what we call bus wrap advertising. The difference is that it doesn’t just stay at one place like the billboards we normally see beside the road. Since the ad is on a bus, it goes wherever the bus goes.
The good thing about this is that the bus doesn’t stay around the same area all day. It can pass offices, shops, housing areas and many other places depending on its route. So, different people may come across the same advertisement during the day.
What is Bus Wrap Advertising?
Basically, bus wrap advertising means putting an advertisement on the outside of a bus. It can be just at the back, on the side, or sometimes almost the whole bus is used for the advertisement.
Businesses can put their logo, product, promotion or other important information on the bus. Since a bus is quite big, there is also more space for businesses to be creative with their advertisement.
However, the design should not have too much information. But we also have to think about how people actually see the bus. Most of the time they are walking past it, sitting in another car or waiting somewhere nearby. They probably won’t look at it for very long. Because of this, putting too many things in one design might make it harder to read.
How Does Bus Wrap Advertising Work?
Before putting the advertisement on the bus, the design needs to fit the space that is available. This depends on whether the business wants to advertise on one part of the bus or use a bigger area. Once it is ready and placed on the bus, there isn’t really any special route just for the advertisement. The bus continues with its usual journey.
While doing its normal trip, the bus can end up in many different places. In the morning it could be around a housing area, then later it might pass offices, shops or a busy main road. So the people who see the advertisement will not always be from the same place.
There is also a chance someone will come across that bus again. For example, a person who uses the same road to work every day might see it a few times during the week.
They might not remember the business after seeing it once. But after seeing the same logo or name a few times, it may become more familiar to them.
Benefits of Bus Wrap Advertising
1. Can Be Seen in Different Areas
One benefit of bus wrap advertising is that the advertisement can move from one place to another.
With a normal billboard, people have to pass that particular location to see it. A bus is different because it is already travelling around as part of its normal day.
2. People May See It More Than Once
A lot of people take a similar road every day, especially when going to work or class. Because buses have routes that they normally follow too, it is possible to come across the same bus again. This can make the business name, logo or product easier to recognise after some time.
3. More Space for the Advertisement
Another benefit is the amount of space available on a bus.
There is quite a lot that can be done with the outside of a bus. A business could use a large product picture, its logo or a short message. It also depends on which part of the bus they are using.
Having more space doesn’t mean every part needs to be filled. If there are too many words, someone seeing the bus while it is moving probably won’t have enough time to read all of them.
4. Suitable for Different Businesses
Bus wrap advertising is not only for one type of business. You might see one bus advertising a new product and another one promoting a completely different type of business.
For example, a restaurant could advertise a new menu, while a college might use the space for information about its courses. A shop could also use it when there is a new promotion or product coming out.
It can also be used by property companies, events, services and other businesses that want more people to notice their brand.
Why Bus Wrap Advertising Can Be Useful in Malaysia
Roads around KL and Selangor can get really busy, especially during the morning and evening. There are people going to work, students going to class and others just travelling around for their daily activities.
When people are on the road, they are surrounded by cars, buses, shops, signs and all kinds of advertisements. A bus with a noticeable design is simply one of the things they might come across.
The route matters as well. If the bus normally goes around office areas, then an advertisement aimed at working people would make sense there. So businesses should know where the bus usually goes before choosing it.
The design is also important. A bus can pass someone quite fast, especially when both of them are moving. There isn’t much time to read everything. Something simple that shows the business name and main message would be easier to catch.
Conclusion
Bus wrap advertising is quite different from the usual billboard we see beside the road. Since it is on a bus, the advertisement will be moving around while the bus is doing its normal trip.
Of course, the bus itself is only one part of it. Where the bus normally goes matters, and so does the design that people will see.
For businesses in Malaysia that are considering this type of advertising, it is better to keep the message easy to understand. At the end of the day, someone might only see the bus for a few seconds before it is gone.
If you are ready to mobilize your next outdoor campaign across key Klang Valley transit routes, get in touch with our team to check bus route availability and pricing.