Branding Is a Moving Target (Literally)

What a Dentist Visit, a Highway, and Four Branded Trucks Taught Me About Marketing

The other day I was headed to the dentist—probably already regretting saying “yes” to the deep cleaning—when I noticed something much more painful than gum scraping:

Bad branding.

Well, not all bad. But let’s just say it was a branding rollercoaster during my 12-minute drive on I-95.

I saw four trucks.
Four very different industries.
Four very different approaches to mobile branding.
And very different results.

Exhibit A: Acuative

Logo: Mountain peak with sun
Slogan: “Be ready”
Contact: Website + phone number
Industry: IT Services (I had to Google it)

At first glance, I thought Acuative was a travel agency. Or maybe a meditation retreat? A bottled water company?

Nope. They’re an IT services firm.

The name gave me nothing.
The slogan gave me less.
The mountain logo? Gorgeous. Also irrelevant.

If your name isn’t household-famous (and let’s be honest, it isn’t), you can’t rely on vague branding and hope people just know who you are.

Missed opportunity:
Nothing about this van told me what problem they solve or why I should care. Pretty wrap. Zero recall.

Exhibit B: Florida Tree Trimmers

Logo: Tiny, barely there
Slogan: None
Contact: Big green phone number
Services listed: Trimming, Pruning, Shaping, Stump Removal

Now this I understood in two seconds.

They didn’t win any design awards, but they nailed the assignment.
I saw their truck and thought: “Tree guys. Got it.”

Simple. Informational. Not fancy.
But effective.

Lesson here:
When you have a literal service business—like landscaping or repairs—clarity beats creativity. You don’t need brand poetry. You need “Here’s what we do.”

Exhibit C: World Tool & Supply

Logo: Non-existent
Design: 3 color stripes, lots of words
Headline: “Helping contractors since 1977”
Slogan: “If we can’t get it, you don’t need it.”
Subhead: “Florida’s most reliable source for tools, fasteners, sealants, building supplies”

This one felt like a Craigslist ad wrapped around a delivery truck—and I say that as a compliment.

It wasn’t beautiful. But it was brilliant in its copy.

They understood their audience (contractors).
They used their headline to build trust (since 1977).
Their slogan made me chuckle.
Their subhead was an SEO headline in the wild.

Only downside? Not pretty.

And that matters. Because if your wrap is hard to read or unappealing to look at, you’re losing eyeballs—even if your copy slaps.

Takeaway:
Good messaging without design = missed opportunity.
Good design without messaging = marketing wallpaper.

Exhibit D: Totally Hooked Plumbing

Logo: A cartoon fish holding a wrench
Wrap: Full-vehicle comic-style illustration
Slogan: “Plumbing & Drains”
Contact: Website only (no phone number)

I loved this one.

The design was fun, colorful, and totally brandable.
The name? Catchy. (Pun intended.)
The illustration? Memorable.
The service? Immediately clear.

But… no phone number?

Come on, Totally Hooked. You’re 90% of the way to legendary mobile branding, and you forgot to give people the easiest way to contact you? Some people don’t want to visit a website while driving. (Hopefully.)

Great design + clear message – contact info = marketing facepalm.

🧠 The Bigger Lesson: Branding Isn’t Just a Logo.

It’s what people remember when you’re gone.

Your brand lives in:

• The words you choose
• The story you tell
• The emotion you evoke
• The clarity of your message
• The speed at which I “get” what you do

Mobile branding is one of the most powerful yet most overlooked opportunities.

People see your vehicle at stoplights, in parking lots, on highways.
It’s a moving billboard—you’re paying for the gas anyway—why not make it work harder?

But remember:

• If your logo looks like a sunset but you sell servers… you’ve got a problem.
• If your slogan could work for literally any industry, it’s not helping.
• If your contact info is missing, you’re invisible.

Great branding is a cocktail of design, language, clarity, and intent.
Too much of one and not enough of the other? You’re just noise.

🎯 Need to Tune Up Your Branding?

If you’re rebranding, launching a new company, or simply wondering if your wrapped truck is pulling its weight—let’s talk.

We offer practical, no-BS brand audits that look at your:

• Logo, slogan, and naming strategy
• Brand story and messaging
• Real-world visibility (like signage, wraps, and merch)
• Website, ads, and funnel alignment

📞 Book a free 15-minute consultation and let’s make sure your brand is working for you, not just sitting there looking pretty.
Schedule a time here.