Posts Tagged ‘bumper sticker’

What Makes a Good Bumper Sticker?

// June 24th, 2010 // Comments Off // Bumper Stickers

Bumper stickers
Image via Wikipedia

We can say a particular bumper sticker has a great tag line, something funny which makes us smile; there may be a great design which catches the eye; it can be promoting something emotive, such as a political or religious viewpoint, or it may be something completely unconnected with any of these factors.  Answering a question like this is very similar to giving a precise answer to “how long is a piece of string” – we don’t really know, but what is reasonable is that a good bumper sticker touches us in some way on a human level.

The majority of bumper stickers are of the humorous variety, and what makes people smirk, smile or laugh has never been defined or quantified, certainly with no more success as anyone may have with herding cats!  Typically, what qualifies as a good, funny bumper sticker is that they are short and punchy, usually very personal (as in the words, “I”, “my” or “your” being used a lot) and they have popular appeal.  It’s a rarity to find a high brow joke on a bumper sticker, but there again is something of the characteristic of a good bumper sticker – you have a highly visible sticker on one of your most valuable possessions, so you’re certainly making a statement and probably you want it to be a popular one.

There is another characteristic which we commonly see with bumper stickers – they are highly personal.  How many times do you see a sticker proclaiming, “My daughter is an honor roll student” or “My son is a US Marine”?  If we have something to say, especially if we are proud of it, there is little better than a bumper sticker to tell the whole, wide world.  Well, perhaps there is the internet with Facebook, but bumper stickers have been around for a lot longer than the internet!

Sticking with the personal theme, another characteristic of a good bumper sticker is that it appeals to our emotions.  Bumper sticker themes are rarely unemotional, usually they are the complete reverse and little else is guaranteed to raise an emotional reaction than politics or religion.  No surprise then that many bumper stickers promote political candidates and parties, or take a stance on religious views in both a positive and negative fashion.

It is wrong to think that bumper stickers are “throw away” philosophy and the product of junk or pop culture.  Many bumper stickers are thought provoking – they need to be because their brevity requires the reader to make some leap with their imagination to get the point.  While the standard, “I Love NY” leaves little to the imagination, many bumper stickers do represent a brain teasing experience as in, “If You Can Read This – I Can Slam on My Brakes and Sue You”.

We can summarize the key features of a good bumper sticker in three words – personal, emotive and short.  There cannot be any such thing as a “long” bumper sticker because the car bumper is too small or the lettering will be unreadable.  The challenge is how to make your bumper sticker demonstrate your personal attributes in an emotional fashion, and how good a sticker is really comes down to how well it provokes that emotional response with a punch.

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Bumper Sticker Collectibles

// May 19th, 2010 // Comments Off // Bumper Stickers

If you are looking for a fun investment for the future, then a bumper sticker is probably one of the few collectibles you can focus on and which will cost you less than five bucks.  If you want a good example just try to find the all-time classic, “Honk if You Believe in Jesus!” – an original sticker was sold at a New York auction house for a cool, $1 million!  There is a rumor that the fortunate seller immediately bought a new bumper sticker -  “Laughing All the Way to the Bank”.asset labels

Sticking with the Christian theme – another bumper sticker fetched an even higher $1.2 million, the 1968 “Have You Prayed Today?”.  Bumper stickers started life as mobile advertizing gimmicks and rapidly gained traction in the political sphere, and like today, religion and politics are very much entwined despite separation of Church and State.  Many of the political bumper stickers of the Fifties were produced by religious supporters who also hopped on the popularity of the bumper sticker with their own religious message.

One aspect of collecting bumper stickers is that frequently, buying the sticker actually involves buying the car upon which it was stuck.  It’s not unusual for bumper sticker aficionados to be paying way over the odds for a classic automobile, not because the car has the value but because it is the bumper sticker!  A slight twist on this, is that some cars actually carry several bumper stickers and it is their combined value which makes buying the car worthwhile.  One vehicle fetched just over $700,000 at auction – the value being in the bumper stickers fixed to it and no the wheels. Next time you are buying a car, make sure you check out the bumper stickers on it and see if you are going to bag a nest egg!

Falling down from the dizzy heights of these numbers, the majority of bumper stickers coming to auction or market are fetching sums between $10,000 and $25,000.  This is still a very hefty increase on anyone’s investment when bumper stickers may have cost a few cents.  The market is actually quite active, though recently it has suffered a drop in both activity and average prices achieved because of the economic downturn.

One question is if you are buying a bumper sticker today, which one is most likely to be valuable in the future?

Good question, and the honest answer is we don’t know, but there are some tips which if you follow them, are likely to improve your chances of hitting the jackpot. Go for popular bumper stickers which are likely to be used, i.e. people are buying them and sticking them on their cars.  Though popular, most of these stickers will ultimately end up in a breaker’s yard.  Keep your collection in safe and protected conditions.  Don’t use them so they are in mint condition – sure, some collectors will buy the car if they are stuck on a fender, but a mint bumper sticker will be valued more highly and you will find that keeping a sticker on a car will cause you a headache when you want to get rid of the car!

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Bumper Stickers as Marketing Tools

// March 18th, 2010 // Comments Off // Bumper Stickers

Bumper sticker car parked in Santa Cruz, Calif...
Image via Wikipedia

Bumper stickers have been around almost as long as the automobile – it seems that people just can’t resist adorning their car with something humorous or a personal statement.  It seems that when Henry Ford said customers can have the Model T Ford in any color, as long as it was black, that customers took it upon themselves to take matters into their own hands – after all, the customer is always right!

Bumper stickers started life as an identifier – usually telling other motorists where the car was from – but rapidly was adopted by marketing men in the 1950’s and shortly thereafter, by the hopeful candidates in political elections.  As the 1960’s came and went, bumper stickers have become ever more humorous, more visible and much more popular as a sign of individuality, demeanor and driver personality.

Forget the internet with Facebook and MySpace which lure advertisers with the prospect of millions of eyeballs looking at their web pages – just think of how many more eyeballs are focused on the bumpers of cars every single day!

“Your message here” is very true when you consider how popular bumper stickers are, but just as with social media and internet marketing, there is one attribute you should be looking to emulate – the viral campaign.

Viral marketing seeks to get individuals to take part in a campaign but at the same time, the campaign is designed to encourage or require that other members of their circle of contacts (family, friends, work colleagues) are introduced and in turn, they participate too – one person introduces 5 more, they all introduce 5 more and so and so on.

Bumper stickers can also be used in this way, but they have to be engaging and it also helps if there is something unique about the bumper sticker which makes it a sought after item.  In turn, this allows you as the marketer, to leverage the desirability of the bumper sticker to engage potential customers directly in return for which, they get the opportunity to market your company or product on their car bumper!

Designing a bumper sticker for marketing purposes requires good design skills and a good insight into the minds of potential customers; marketing appeal must be subliminal as you are looking to latch onto an existing social trend and are in effect, gatecrashing someone’s private party.   An example would be where you design a bumper sticker providing a rendition of the flag or name of the state or town you are operating in; this forms the center focus of the bumper sticker but within the design your company and product are incorporated.  Use words such as “Limited Edition” to enhance the impression of exclusivity, and use the sticking backer to provide instructions on how a consumer can get more, e.g. by visiting a website and completing a survey.

Bumper stickers are long lasting pieces of marketing collateral, usually lasting as long as the car itself is on the road.  Bumper stickers are a small, moving billboard which you don’t have to pay for and over the life of the bumper sticker, it will be seen and read by hundreds of thousands of people, and even better, read repeatedly by a significant minority.

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How to Remove a Bumper Sticker

// February 15th, 2010 // Comments Off // Bumper Stickers

While many bumper stickers are magnetic and all you need to do to remove them is lift them off the bodywork, most bumper stickers sold today have an adhesive backing which is very strong and resistant to pretty much anything.  Sooner or later, you come across a car you really like but how sure are you that the bumper sticker proclaiming “Vote Satan” will go down well with the local church on Sundays or ever!

There are several things you can do to remove an adhesive backed bumper sticker, so follow this step-by-step guide to getting those irritating and enraging maxims of your car.

Step One

Use a lubricant to try to weaken the adhesion of the bumper sticker to the bodywork.  WD40 is ideal for this because it does not affect the color of the bodywork, provided you clean it off shortly after application.  Be careful if you use a solvent to dissolve the adhesive on the bumper sticker as they are very likely to discolor the paint job or eat right the way through it to the underlying metal body work.

Once you have applied the lubricant, try to peel the sticker off – repeat application of the lubricant to the underside of the bumper sticker so it gains maximum exposure to the adhesive – you may need to apply and reapply the lubricant in multiple stages to achieve removal of the bumper sticker.

If this does not work, move on to Step Two below.

Step Two

Apply hot water to the bumper sticker, ideally using a rag soaked in boiling water – be careful and always wear PROTECTIVE GLOVES!

This is hot work and has every capacity to hurt the user when applying the hot water so be careful to take precautions.  Make sure there are no children or family pets nearby to get in the way when you are transporting and applying the hot water.

Once applied, hold the rag for 30 seconds against the bumper sticker and attempt to peel back the sticker.  Again, you may need to apply and reapply the hot water as you peel some of the sticker away so it gets to work directly on the adhesive involved.  One tip is to work around the edge of the sticker and keep peeling it back until completely removed.

If this does not work, proceed to Step Three.

Step Three

Use a hair dryer to apply heat directly to the bumper sticker.  Heat will soften the adhesive and make it less sticky – unpeel a corner and continue to apply heat to the exposed underside as you peel away the sticker.  You can use a wooden or rubber spatula to help lift the sticker from the body work but under no circumstances should you use a sharp knife or a razor, which will simply scratch the paint job or bumper.

Step Four

Using a soft rag, apply rubbing alcohol to the remains of the bumper sticker on the car, which by now should simply be adhesive with perhaps some remnants of the sticker itself.  Use the alcohol soaked rag to remove the rest of the sticker adhesive and debris.

Step Five

Polish and wax the area where the bumper sticker was attached and buff to finish.

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The Lighter Side of Politics: The Political Bumper Sticker

// January 21st, 2010 // Comments Off // Bumper Stickers

Politics brings out the best and the worst in people, whether it is the candidates grasping for votes or the electorate themselves, but in any event, there is a great deal of fun to be had from watching the great democratic process in action.

One of the funniest aspects of the political arena is the number of political bumper stickers which make their appearance, not just at election time but whenever a “popular” politician is in office.

We should all be grateful for free speech!

So here is a selection of vehicular commentary on the political scene for your enjoyment:

George “W” Bush

Love him or hate him, George gave us more fun than any president since the last one.  Bushism’s litter the modern lexicon and here are just a few to cause a smrik or two:

  • Bush – End of an Error
  • Bush – Like a Rock, Only Dumber
  • If You Can Read This You Ain’t Our President
  • We Need a President Who Is Fluent In At Least One Language

There are so many more, but it’s just not fair to concentrate on Ole’ George, so let’s take a look at someone else.

Hilary Clinton

run-hill

We could have take a look at her husband, Bill Clinton and “W’s” predecessor, but Hilary provokes the kind of right-wing ire that liberals feel with Bush;

  • “Run Hilary Run!” – this was the best-selling political bumper sticker in New York because Republicans adopted it too – the difference was, they put the sticker on the front fender;
  • Monica’s X-Boyfriend’s Wife for President

Now we could go on for quite some time yet, but in the interests of political balance, it is only fair we make sure every political figure get’s the same exposure.

President Obama

President Obama is suffering from what many president’s before him have experienced – a turn in public acceptance and approval after they get elected.  President Obama is in the midst of major legislative efforts with the financial crisis and getting a healthcare system established, and both these areas are fertile ground for bumper sticker aficionados:

  • Obamacare – 9 out of 10 Illegal Immigrants Prefer It;
  • Nobama (the ubiquitous play on words);
  • HONK! If I’m Paying Your Mortgage
  • So, How’s That Hope and Change Working Out for You?

Not to worry, President Obama still has another three years of office to run, so there is plenty of time to iron out the kinks in any humor argument.  At the next election who do you think will be running against him – Sarah Palin perhaps?

Ex-Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin

Going rogue seems to be what Sarah is all about these days, after quitting as the Governor of Alaska, ostensibly to spend more time with her family (or plotting on the takeover of the free world by becoming the first female US President).

No stranger to controversy, Sarah provokes the best and worst in people:

  • I Can See Russia from My House (no she couldn’t);
  • Coldest State, Hottest Governor;
  • I Wanna be Sarah’s Intern!;
  • Pregnant Unwed High School Dropouts for Palin!

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The Evolution of the Bumper Sticker

// November 24th, 2009 // Comments Off // Bumper Stickers

1912-ford-model-t-2-lg

Model T - No Bumpers

The bumper sticker could not predate the invention of the motor car but, if you know that the Model T Ford was the first car to be mass manufactured and therefore it must have been the first car to have had bumper stickers slapped on it, you’d be wrong!

The Model T Ford had no bumpers!

Model A - Bumpers

Model A - With Bumpers

The first car to be adorned with bumper stickers was a Ford, the Model A which was introduced in 1927 and sometime between that date and the onset of the Second World War, someone cooked up the idea of the “bumper sticker”. Who this someone was is the subject of speculation and urban legend, though many ascribe the invention to a Kansas City entrepreneur, Forest Gill.

Gill was a printer and had formed his print company using his basement back in 1934. As the clouds of war started to loom, patriotic fever took hold and Forest came up with Gill-line, whereby bumper stickers, usually of the flag or a patriotic slogan, were held to the car bumper by means of wire. You simply twisted the wire to hold the slogan in place and untwisted to remove it when needed. Gill realized that a printed slogan with adhesive backing would do the job much more conveniently and switched to what we would recognize as a modern day bumper sticker.

After the war, with millions of people returning to normal civilian life, there was a spate of elections and political activity. Politicians soon grasped the marketing potential of the bumper sticker to get their campaign message across or simply their name, usually with a ballot box tick next to their name.

None of us would have any difficulty in recognizing these types of bumper stickers and for once, politicians had stolen a march on private companies looking to promote their own products. This quickly followed with a wide range of goods and brands being advertised on bumper stickers and the concept of a “viral” marketing campaign became established as a consequence. The idea behind a viral marketing campaign is to give something away which helps you to promote your brand but which not only the consumer who has the item, i.e. the bumper sticker, but also encourages and motivates their friends, family and connections to do the same – in fact anyone that sees one!

This brings us neatly to the Sixties and the free-love generation with hippies, anti-war protests and a time of civil and social turmoil in the country. The bumper sticker enjoyed a resurgence and renaissance in terms of use and the art and humor which went into their creation. Bumper stickers also became a whole lot more daring and risqué in terms of both imagery and language used, but it was both sides of the political, social and cultural divide which stretched the boundaries.

There is something to be sad about with the state of the bumper sticker today; there is something refreshing about reading “Better 2 Feet in NATO than a Cold Ass in Siberia” compared to “My Kid is an Honor Roll Student” . Not saying you have to agree with what a bumper sticker says, but there is no reason not to enjoy a smile at their expense!

Mark Trumper

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Bumper Stickers Offer a Boost to the Oak Hill Grammar School Fall School Play

// November 10th, 2009 // Comments Off // Bumper Stickers

Have you seen The Wizard of Oz? Right now you are probably thinking about that wonderful 1930’s Technicolor movie featuring Dorothy Garland. But we’d like you to think about an even more special production of The Wizard of Oz that just can’t be missed: The Oak Hill Grammar School Fall School Play.

Our school play isn’t just a fun activity for the kids and families, it is also a fund-raiser for the school. Many prospective parents attend our school plays to get a sense of what Oak Hill Grammar School is like. This is an ideal time to socialize with other parents and children and see what Oak Hill Grammar School is at it’s finest.

We decided to do something different this year to help get the word out about our school play. We made bumper stickers! Our custom bumper stickers came out great and had the school crest and the website url and telephone number. They also included “Come See The Wizard of Oz” and the dates for the play.

The PTA knows the bumper stickers were successful because as people bought tickets we asked them how they heard about the play. Quite a few people mentioned they saw a bumper sticker. Every school family was given several bumper stickers. Many families today are two-car families and sometimes children are driven by a grandparent some of the time. We wanted every family member that was excited about the play to have access to a bumper sticker.

And it worked! A number of Grandmas mentioned they were stopped after bridge games or exercise class to be asked about The Wizard of Oz. Moms and Dads were asked about the play at work or in town running errands. So many people had the bumper stickers that the local newspaper actually ran a story ABOUT our bumper stickers! They thought it was a unique way to tell the community about The Wizard of Oz play.

If we had to share our secrets to success they would be simple:

Get your bumper stickers out early. The more time you have available to you, the better for your school activity or event.

Choose complimentary colors. Bumper stickers not only should be attractive, but easy to read as someone is driving or walking past a car or truck.

Keep the font choices simple and clear. Again we wanted to be sure our bumper sticker was very legible. We got many compliments on our bumper sticker and know that people could read it easily.

Our bumper stickers were available in the school office and every teacher was also given some bumper stickers. The bumper stickers were distributed to children six weeks before the school play – so we had excellent timing on our side. Some parents and families requested more bumper stickers saying they had family businesses or additional relatives who wanted them. We know of one instance where a family business of more than a dozen vehicles added our bumper stickers to their vans as they made deliveries in our town and surrounding areas.

Bumper stickers were a unique choice but very ideal to communicate with the community about our school play. Especially as our school play is a fundraiser and often helps to attract new students, we wanted to be sure as many townspeople knew about it as possible.

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