Vehicle branding means putting your name, logo and message on a car, van, tempo or auto using printed or cut vinyl stuck onto the body panels. A branded vehicle is seen all day long on Pune roads, parked outside clients’ buildings and stuck in traffic at Chandni Chowk. 3 Red Media prints vehicle graphics at its own unit and can arrange application.
How much of the vehicle to cover
Most businesses do not need a full wrap. The right level depends on your budget, how long you will keep the vehicle and what it must say.
| Level | What it covers | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Lettering | Cut vinyl name, phone number, website on doors or rear | Small businesses, service vans, a first step |
| Partial graphics | Printed panels on doors, sides or rear, with the vehicle’s paint around them | Delivery vans, company cars, sales vehicles |
| Full-side graphics | Large printed graphics covering most of each side | Promotion vehicles, food trucks, brand campaigns |
| Full wrap | The whole body covered | Long-term brand vehicles; see the RTO note below |
Vinyl that suits vehicles
Vehicle bodies are curved, ridged and exposed to sun, rain, dust and car washes. Ordinary flat-surface vinyl is fine for flat van sides and doors. Deep curves, bumpers and recessed areas need a more conformable vehicle-grade vinyl that stretches without lifting. In the trade, cast vinyl is known for handling curves best, and calendered vinyl for flatter surfaces. A laminate on top protects the print from scratches and fading. When you send photos of your vehicle, the material is suggested to match its shape and how long you need the graphics.
Measuring and photographing your vehicle
Vehicle graphics are laid out on the actual body, so the best brief is:
- Make, model and year (for example, a specific van or tempo model).
- Straight-on photos of the left side, right side, back and front, taken from far enough to see the whole side.
- Measurements of the flat areas you want covered: door panels, the side between wheel arches, the rear door.
- Notes on what must stay clear: windows, handles, fuel cap, lights, number plates, any company or RTO markings.
Remember that left and right sides are mirror images. A design that reads left to right on one side must be laid out separately for the other so the logo faces forward on both.
Designing for a moving vehicle
People see a vehicle for a few seconds, often while it moves. The business name and what you do should be readable from a car length or two away. Keep it to the name, one line about the service, and a phone number or website in large type. Put the phone number on the rear too, since that is what people stare at in traffic. Avoid placing text across door gaps and body lines, where it gets cut or distorted.
RTO and the law: what to keep in mind
A full wrap that changes the visible colour of a vehicle generally has to be reported to the RTO so the registration certificate matches, under the Motor Vehicles Act. Logos and lettering that leave the vehicle’s colour as registered are a different matter, but check with your RTO before a full-colour change. Never cover number plates, lights or reflectors, and keep windscreens and front side windows clear; tinted or covered car glass is not permitted in India. Commercial vehicles may have their own marking requirements, so leave space for those.
Who uses vehicle branding in Pune
- Delivery and logistics vans running across Pune and PCMC.
- Service businesses: pest control, AC repair, plumbing, interiors, cleaning.
- Schools and coaching classes branding their vans; see school banners and branding.
- Real estate and sales teams using a branded car for site visits; see real estate branding.
- Food trucks and mobile stalls, where the vehicle is the shop front.
- Election and campaign vehicles, within the rules covered on the election banner page.
Before application: prepare the vehicle
Vinyl sticks only as well as the surface allows. Wash the vehicle a day before and do not apply wax or polish. The paint should be in good condition: vinyl over rust, chipped paint or fresh repaint can lift, and may pull loose paint off when removed later. Application is best done in shade, out of the dust and wind, which matters on a hot Pune afternoon.
Care and removal
Hand washing is kindest to vehicle vinyl. Avoid pointing a pressure washer at edges, and do not use strong solvents on the graphics. Graphics facing the sun on parked vehicles fade faster, so parking in shade helps. When you sell the vehicle or rebrand, vinyl can be removed with gentle heat; on good factory paint it usually comes off cleanly.
Autos and two-wheelers
Smaller vehicles can carry branding too. The back of an auto rickshaw hood and the panels behind the seat are common spots for printed graphics, and delivery bikes often carry a logo on the storage box. Space is tight, so keep the message to a name and a number in big type.
How ordering works
WhatsApp the vehicle details and photos, the areas you want branded and your logo and text. A design layout on your vehicle’s photos and a rate come back for approval. Printing happens only once you agree, and the timing for printing and application is confirmed on chat. Application can be arranged in Pune, or you can collect the printed vinyl from Chandni Chowk. You can also request a price on the quote page.