There are several common types of car graphics that are aimed toward adding visual artwork or information to the exterior of a vehicle. For example, bumper stickers are applied to the rear bumper of a car and often serve a purpose such as espousing the viewpoints of the driver. In addition, car wraps are normally paint or vinyl film applied to partially or entirely cover the vehicle in order to display an advertisement. Finally, car decals are often used to decorate a car while avoiding the permanence and hassle of painting.
Bumper stickers, perhaps the most commonly recognized form of car graphics, are typically displayed on the rear bumper of a vehicle. These stickers are usually meant to be readable by a car behind it or passersby, and are often political or comical in nature. For example, they may imply that the car behind is following too closely or make a brief argument for the viewpoints of the driver. Though bumper stickers are normally applied to the rear bumper of a car, they are sometimes applied to other locations on the vehicle or onto an object other than a vehicle.
Car wraps are kinds of car graphics used to advertise products or services by putting media about those products or services directly onto a vehicle. This type of advertisement is also applied to other types of vehicles, like buses, trains, and large trucks. Wraps are frequently painted directly onto vehicles but may also be made from removal vinyl. Some advertising companies are known to pay people to put car wraps on their vehicles and drive around certain areas or park at certain places at specific times. Individual business owners can also be observed utilizing car wraps on their own personal vehicles in order to raise awareness of their product or service.
Other car graphics are decals, which are used to add visual accents or flavor to a vehicle. These decals are often used as a non-permanent way to decorate a vehicle and are sometimes used in favor of paint or stenciling due because they are removable. Large decals might display yellow and orange flames across the sides of a car or along the top of the hood. Less extravagant car decals might, for example, display the insignia of where the car owner went to school. Other common themes of car decals include the symbols of sports teams, symbols representative of locations, as well as brand names or sayings.