Hip hop has been one of the most popular forms of music to play on radio and music television channels for decades. The biggest stars of rap like Lil’ Wayne, Jay-Z, and Nicki Minaj, receive daily coverage from many major media outlets. However, the rappers themselves always seek to promote themselves and their music in as many creative ways as possible.
Owning an expensive, or customized car, is a sign of status in the United States, particularly in the rap community. And when a hip hop artist breaks down how to promote their music, street promotion is always a major part of their campaign. Whether it’s distributing flyers, mix-tapes, or driving in the streets with a wrapped vehicle, they leave no stone unturned in their bid to reach their audience.
What Is A Vehicle Wrap Exactly?
A vehicle wrap is a design that is then printed on vinyl. Then the wrap is applied, “wrapped” to a vehicle. This particular printing and wrapping process creates a remarkably finished look that appears professional and polished. A properly wrapped vehicle will look so great, that people will have a hard time telling if the vehicle is wrapped or painted.
The vehicle wraps also will not damage the original finish of the vehicle, which some people may be concerned about. Professional vehicle wrapping companies meticulously train their employees on the wrapping process, so that the customer receives the best results possible.
The Benefits Of Vehicle Wraps
Hip hop artists, in particular, have been able to tap into the unique marketing power that car wraps provide. Some of the benefits of using car wraps for marketing include:
- Reaching thousands of people per day
- Utilizing a non-traditional form of effective marketing
- Affordable pricing
- 24/7 Advertising
Combine these reasons with the hundreds of miles many people generally drive in a week, stuck in traffic, and it’s easy to see why hip hop artists utilize car wraps for their album promotions. Bow Wow, Nelly, Nas, and Three Six Mafia are just some of the few prominent rappers who have used vehicle wraps to promote their music.
Grassroots Marketing
Grassroots marketing is defined as targeting a niche group of people who may be particularly interested in the product you’re promoting. The hardest part of grassroots marketing is finding ways to reach the group of people that are part of that niche. As a result, grassroots marketing often uses unconventional and non-traditional means of marketing.
Vehicle wraps are a perfect solution for grassroots marketing, because they are able to go directly to the audience they are targeting. And they are also cost-effective, costing less than advertising on a billboard. Hip hop artists are using vehicle wraps to spread branding and awareness about their music.
Rappers Taking Their Vehicles To The Next Level
In this day and age, rappers taking their vehicles to the next level is a part of the culture, and almost a requirement for successful rappers. In fact, vehicles are so important, there was even a popular show on MTV called “Pimp My Ride,” where rapper Xzibit would completely overhaul and make over someone’s beat up car. Personalized vehicles are a status symbol and reportedly puts rappers who do so on another level when it comes to their grassroots efforts.
Hip hop artists have become masters at the grassroots level of marketing, partially because they know their audience, how to reach their audience, and the value of generating street buzz. Hip hop artists have stated that when they have tried to sell their albums out of a vehicle, their success rate is higher when they do so out of a wrapped vehicle. In cities like Baltimore and Memphis wrapping cars has become popular and trendy.