Custom Billboard on Wheels with Ford Transit Connect

Ford is taking the “wraps” off an innovative new program designed to help business owners customize the vinyl graphics on their Ford Transit Connects.

Since its launch last summer, the Transit Connect has been praised by business owners who describe the attention-getting vehicle as a virtual “billboard on wheels.” Now Ford is offering current and future commercial customers an online program at http://www.fordtransitconnectgraphics.com/ that they can use to create their own custom graphic “wraps” using an online library of shapes, lettering and colors that can be manipulated in a number of ways. They also can upload their own images to the site and incorporate them into the design.

“There may be no bigger investment a business owner makes than a first impression,” said Len Deluca, director, Ford Commercial Vehicles. “This Web site provides a great way for a business owner to try out a ‘look’ before making that investment.” Designed to accommodate a variety of designs and budgets, the Web site offers nine different graphic sizes – all made of vinyl and installed by the customer’s dealer or a specially trained installation company obtained through the dealer. Cost ranges from approximately $100 for a small panel logo to $3,500 for a full vehicle wrap.

Toni Mannino, owner of Original Romano’s Pizza & Catering in Orchard Lake, created a custom wrap for her Transit Connect prior to the development of the new Web site. She says the mobile advertising has been great for business.

“Everywhere we go, people stop us and ask about the van,” she said. “It gives us great exposure.”

Bob Maxey, owner of Bob Maxey Ford in Detroit, sold Mannino her Transit Connect. He says he believes the new Web site will be a valuable asset to customers.

“Wrapping a Transit Connect is a great way to advertise and it is a one-time cost, but a lot of people don’t know where to go to get it done,” he said. “Having a Ford Web site where people can design their own custom wrap and get it done right then and there is huge.”

The Web site is the first of its kind for commercial customers, according to Jim Abraham, Ford’s Licensed Accessories manager. It evolved from http://www.fordcustomgraphics.com/, a Web site that Ford retail customers can use to customize their personal vehicles. Approximately 9,000 customers have used that site since it launched in November 2009.

“Ford knows that customers want a vehicle to be all their own,” said Abraham. “This Web site allows them to put their personal stamp on their vehicle and have the product installed at a Ford dealer and backed by a warranty.”

The new interactive Web site was created for Ford by Original Wraps Inc., a provider of “on-demand” custom graphics to the automotive industry. The Transit Connect site is the first of many sites designed specifically for the Ford vehicle portfolio expected to launch this year.

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