With nearly 30 years of experience I can help you steer away from common, costly mistakes when it comes to colour use.
I know – you want to use “your colours”, but it might not always work in your favour and could actually cost you sales, not to mention the wasted money for the van’s branding. This is especially true if you’re unable to completely change the colour of your van. If you have a red van but your main colour is blue, pivot. Or at the very least let me find a way to use that red to your advantage.
Know what battles to pick – and how much those battles are going to cost you.
How to Choose the Right Colours for Your Work Van (Without it looking like a Smarties box)
Colour is your biggest tool if you want your business to get noticed. Just notice all the plain vans about, most of them white. Actually, notice all the vans that have some sort of branding on it, but could have just not even have bothered because the lettering is too small, too much or unreadable – or a combination of all three.
Choosing the right colour should never be about choosing your favourite colour or even sticking with your logo colours. It’s about CONTRAST and LEGIBILITY, which will ensure it stands out in traffic. Over the decades of branding commercial vehicles, I’ve seen what wins work and what does not.
If you’re planning your van graphics, here is how to choose the right colours to ensure your phone actually rings.
1. WORK WITH YOUR CANVAS (IE: The Van’s Colour).
(BTW – You can probably skip this section if you’re wrapping your van completely)
The vast majority of commercial vans on the road are white, black, or silver. Your base colour dictates a lot of your colour usage.
- White Vans: You have a blank canvas, but you need high contrast. Dark greys, bold blacks, deep blues, and rich reds look fantastic. Avoid: Light yellows, pale blues, or silver vinyl. On an overcast day light colours on a white van completely disappear from less than 10 meters away.
- Black/Dark Vans: These naturally look premium. To make the branding pop, go for bright, high-energy colours like vibrant oranges, lime greens, or even white. Avoid: Dark blue, maroon, or charcoal grey. They will just blend into the paintwork.
- Silver/Grey Vans: Silver can be tricky because it reflects light. Stick to very dark colours (matte black or navy) or very bright, aggressive colours (like bright red) to ensure the text doesn’t get lost in the metallic sheen.
- A point about silvers, golds and chrome colours. Anything with a shimmer, metallic flake, pearlescent or similar can look both class and pointless depending on how the sun hits it. So if you’re after just marking your van with no interest in it bringing in new business – go ahead. Just know that using any of these vinyl finishes is a double edged sword.
2. Contrast is King!
Remember the “3-Second Rule” lads. If a driver can’t read your phone number or website instantly as they fly past you, your branding has failed.
High contrast is the only way to achieve instant legibility. If you have a dark background, you need light text. If you have a light background, you need dark text. Never put red text on a black background, or blue text on a green background. These sorts of combinations might be legible when you’re standing right up close and in front of the van, but there’s no chance of it working out on the road, and even less useful at night.
Remember, your van is out in low light and the dark for many winter months, so you have to keep that contrast high lads.
3. “TRADE COLOURS” ?
There are unspoken rules or norms in the trades: Plumbers and HVAC lads use blue and red (hot and cold). Electricians use yellow and black (danger/lightning). Landscapers and tree surgeons use green. Water and sanitation lads go with the blues. Painters try use every colour – you get the picture, right?
- The Safe Route: Using these traditional colours instantly tells people what you do without them even having to read the text. It builds immediate recognition. BUT, it should be used with a memorable design and easy to read text.
- The Unique Route: If you want to stand out, break the rules. I’ve both seen and manufactured some proper impressive vans that broke free from the “trade colour” route. The trick here is to ensure that your branding clearly cuts through the colour barrier
4. KEEP IT SIMPLE – Aim for two colours, three at most.
The fastest way to make your van look cheap and messy is to use a half dozen or so colours. Trust me, it’s not helping you stand out at all. Now, if your logo has multiple colours in it, or it’s a full colour image, keep it. But let’s pick one or two colours from that offers both high contrast and that compliments your brand.
For the most professional, high-end look, stick to a maximum of two brand colours (plus the colour of the van itself). For example: a white van with black primary text and bright red accents for the phone number and web address. This creates a focused, minimalist hierarchy where the eye is drawn exactly where you want it to go.
Pro-Tip for Maximum Impact: If you only have the budget for a two-colour cut-vinyl setup, consider making your phone number or web address out of reflective vinyl. It acts like a high-vis jacket for your text, catching headlights during dark winter evenings on the road and keeping your business visible 24/7.