Almost two years ago, Ketchum’s Daily Ride Index released a survey result stating that the average American uses more than 10 hours and 50 minutes of their time a week behind the wheels. Breaking the statistics down, Americans spend almost 93 minutes or 1 hour and 33 minutes of their time every day driving their car. Imagine driving your vehicle without you getting anything out of it besides arriving at your destination. You even need to spend some gas money when you drive your car.
If you are one of the people who use their car every single day, by now, you are probably getting bored sitting in the driver’s seat. But let me tell you, there is one way to spice up driving: earning money.
If you think that this will be about driving someone like an Uber or delivering some cheeseburgers with Doordash, you are wrong about that (although those are solid hustles too). All you have to do is straightforward driving and have your car covered by brands or ads, which is the concept of Car Wrapping.
Also, if you’re looking for other ideas you can generate some extra income check out these articles as well.
How to Make an Extra $1,000 a Month
Car Wrapping
Car Wrapping refers to the concept that companies use to advertise their brands by coating the car with their logo or ads on it. It’s the same as having a sponsor that pays you, and you need to put their stamp on the outside of your car.
You might have seen this on some car, wherein they covered the vehicle with a vinyl coating of certain brands like Shell, or maybe even energy drink companies like Red Bull. That way, they can advertise on the road. People looking at their car will be able to see the ads, this might make them interested in the company’s products.
That is how the car wrapping in the marketing aspect works. This concept might sound new to you, but its history goes way back to the 1900s.
History of Car Wrapping
Due to the invention of vinyl during the 1920s, the use of vehicle wrapping started. However, during those times, the purpose is not for advertisement, but rather a distinction of the vehicles.
The massive production of vinyl wrapping started in 1993 in Germany when the law mandates taxi companies to change their vehicle’s color to beige so it will become recognizable. Instead of changing the color through paint, companies resorted to using vinyl wrappings. That results in the material rising to relevancy.
Not long after that, companies started to use the concept of car wrapping for advertisement purposes. Pepsi Co began the trend in which they used the vinyl wrapping on a bus to promote their Crystal Pepsi product. As long as the bus moves through the streets, people will see the advertisement they posted on the wrapping.
With its booming popularity, people called the concept of car wrapping “mobile billboards.” Since they posted the advertisement in a billboard-like manner, but the surface is moving since it is a vehicle.
Now that you know what car-wrapping is about, you should now ask, “How does this work?”
How Can You Apply To Advertise With Your Car?
In car wrapping advertisements, companies search for necessary information from their candidates to ensure that they will be able to endorse the product to the target population. The information needed includes the quality and condition of your car and your driving route routine.
Also, companies have qualifications in terms of the hours you spend behind the wheel. That means if you don’t drive much or you do not reach their requirement, companies will reject your application.
If ever your application got accepted by an advertisement company, they will input the information you provided to their catalog. That means that you will not get an ad right away.
However, if ever an ad suits the information you gave, the company will contact you and give you the project’s details. That includes the next step to take, the pay based on the contract, the part of the car that they will cover, and many more.
The parts to be covered depends on the ad and the company that you will advertise. Sometimes, the company and the ad require your car to be covered entirely, but sometimes, just partially.
How Much Can You Earn?
Your income relies on the contract that you signed. However, the price of your earnings usually depends on the quality and condition of the car you are driving. The route you take every day and how long you go per day or per week affect your salary.
The amount of surface in your car covered by the ad also helps decide how much you can earn. Typically, more surface area covered by the car wrapping can make you good money.
However, it would be best if you do not have such high hopes as car wrapping usually earns $100 to $500 a month. But if you look at it from a different perspective, advertising with your car is easy money since all you need to do is drive.
Do You Have To Use Your Car?
One of the common questions that the applicant has is, “Does it have to be my car?” Well, the answer to that question is it depends on the company that you will be promoting.
Some companies have the so-called ‘free car promotion’ or the free cars they already wrapped up and ready to be driven for the advertisement. However, you can only continuously drive that car as long as you follow an agreement given to you by the management.
Note that not all companies implement this kind of option for their employees. But if you do not want to use your car, you can ask a representative.
How Can You Qualify?
As mentioned above, advertising companies seek certain types of cars that suit the ad and the vinyl coat. Also, they look for the people who drive their vehicle for enough hours on routes for pedestrians to see the ads. That you will give since it dictates your path and how busy that place is.
Other than that, companies usually require applicants to have these:
At least 18 years old
Clean driving record
Car insurance
Car in good condition
Follows the contract
Can drive the time required per day or week
Have GPS to track the driving
Can You Get Scammed Advertising With Your Car?
Some off-putting organizations run plans where drivers buy and introduce the actual advertisements, and afterward, the organizations apparition them. Fundamentally, the con artists get free promoting and a couple of bucks from the decal or sticker buy while never paying the driver.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, there is one way to know if the project is a scam or not. If the company requires you to cover the car wrap cost, back out immediately, for that is a scam.
Legit car wrapping companies follow specific guidelines such as:
Not charging any fee to the applicant
Cover the car wrap cost
Minimum requirement
customer service lines
Remember, if you fall for the scams, make sure to report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission Complaint Assistant Department.
However, if you want to play safe and wanted to apply to the most trusted advertising company in the US, then the information below got you covered. Listed below are three trusted companies that have been operating legitimately for years now.
Legit Companies For Car Advertisement
Carvertise
Carvertise started operating in 2012, and since then, they were able to partner with brands in cities like New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia.
You choose whether you will have a full wrap with this company, which covers windows except for the windshield, or the partial wrap, which sometimes includes the bumper decal. However, as mentioned above, the size of the ads on your car affects your potential income.
Typically, you can earn around $150 per month, paid via direct deposit. That can also change depending on your routing. Moreover, contracts that Carvertise offers usually last for up to 6 months, although that depends on the company they aim to promote.
To qualify in this company, here are some of their requirements:
2008-model vehicle or newer
Driving for at least 30 miles a day
Clean driving record
Nickelytics
Nickelytics offers three wrap options: the light wrap, full wrap, and the back windshield. The rear windshield option is pretty obvious; it is just about the back windshield of the car. The full wrap coats the whole exterior of the vehicle except for the front windshield, while the light wrap only covers the door. And indeed, these different options offer different pays.
Also, the distance of your driving affects your income.
To qualify in this company, here are some of their requirements:
2010-model vehicle or newer
Driving for at least 30 miles a day
Clean driving record
Wrapify
Wrapify remains one of the most relevant car wrapping companies in the US as it boasts more than 250,000 vehicles covered as of 2020.
It offers various advertising options to its applicant, from light wrap, to partial and full. Also, add the static rideshare option to the list, similar to those you see on top of taxis. According to the management, their lowest monthly rate remained $174 and capped up to $452.
To qualify in this company, here are some of their requirements:
21 years old
2010-model vehicle or newer
Driving for at least 50 miles a day
Clean driving record
