Over on Lee Hopkins’ Better Communications Results blog there’s an interesting post about the use of images on vehicles. I really enjoy Lee’s blog and find the information that he provides to be though provoking and informative – especially if you are interested in learning about PR.
I too think that the pictures he has posted are quite cool. But there’s a difference between a cool picture and a workable concept. A few problems appear with the advertisements:
- Every single picture on the page looks surprisingly similar. The trucks are all in the same position with the same background. These aren’t photos of actual campaigns, they’re mockups. (As evidenced by the final photo that shows the truck “speeding” in the parking lane or about to run off the road – depending on whether you’re in a left-driving or right-driving country.) This doesn’t mean it can’t work – but it does imply that it isn’t actually being used.
- An advantage of using mock-ups – the colors are vivid and clear – versus two-dimensional and covered with dust. The pics would likely be less convincing when scratched, tagged, and covered in dirt. It makes me wonder how the campaign would age and how expensive it would be to maintain.
- One advantage of using the same photo is that every shot is from the same angle – from behind, below, and to the left of the truck. Most of the images “pasted” on the wall of the truck don’t work from any other position outside the truck than the position taken by the camera. So – if you’re directly behind the truck you would see a picture that makes no geometric sense – the inside of the truck as seen from the left. It doesn’t make visual sense.
On the plus side – if the trucks actually were rolling along the road they’d probably have other drivers competing for the exact right space for the perfect view. This could lead to blog mentions and press coverage. But even this has a negative. It could also lead to accidents as drivers jockey for their shots with their eyes on the camera instead of the road.
Even worse… the “sweet spot” for viewing in this instance is only a short distance behind the truck, meaning that people will sit in the danger zone appreciating the advertisement and making it hard for the truck to safely change lanes. The problem with this is that trucks typically can’t tell when their rear bumper is clear of traffic. I don’t know many truck drivers that would be interested in having people hanging out in the danger zone.
Okay, so I don’t know many truck drivers at all. Any, really. But if I did and I asked ‘em if they like people hanging out back there I bet they would say “no.” (I do hang out in Truck Stops when I drive long distances – but I’ve yet to pick up any friends.)
I’m probably over-reacting here, but
