Use this buyer’s guide to help you navigate the fridge marketing options available on the market. This will help you turn a cooling solution into a permanent brand ambassador allowing your customers to easily identify your brand and products.
The world of fridge marketing is a key component to maximising your brand identity and offers the benefit of an additional continued advertising point.
Whether you are operating a fleet of fridges or have a single customer facing fridge, effective fridge branding can help your product standout from others in a competing space. This allows for customers to connect with your brand and products which can lead to increased sales.
Before we dive into fridge branding, let us talk about what you should keep in mind when selecting the right fridge for your needs.
The number of products you want to display will determine the size of the fridge. If you require multiple units, it is good practice to measure the size of the space you occupy and allow for at least 150mm on each side of the unit for ease of installation and to provide adequate airflow. For more guidance on this, refer to the product’s user manual.
A fridge is a piece of equipment that will last a long time, so it is important to choose a fridge that matches your customer purchasing habits and your distribution plan.
Having a fridge that is too small will increase your delivery costs, while a fridge that is too large will increase your operational costs with higher energy consumption. It may also appear empty which could negatively impact the customers’ perception of your brand. An example includes if you use a countertop fridge that only holds 20 drinks, but you sell 100 drinks per day! In this scenario, consider having a backup storage fridge or cool room to restock the countertop fridge as it requires some time to cool drinks that are not pre-chilled. This way, you will always have cold drinks ready to serve your customers.
For storing food with a short shelf life, consider how frequently you move products to determine the fridge size required. You’ll want to stock only as much as you can sell before the use-by dates. This is particularly important for products such as ready-made meals and fresh drinks.
Now that we’ve addressed fridge selection, let’s delve into the various types available for decaling to best suit your brand’s specific needs.
As fridges come in all different shapes and sizes, the approach to decaling your fridge varies. Most fridges will be suited to decaling. Popular options include upright display fridges and freezers, bar fridges, countertop fridges, supermarket fridges and chest freezers.
Vinyl wrapping is the most common method to decal a fridge. Flat surfaced fridges are well suited for vinyl wrapping. For curved surfaces, the printer may need a specific cast laminate, such as a 3M films. Many companies offer decals with various finishes such as gloss, satin and matte. For a more unique finish, you can request stone, timber of etched glass background.
The first step to effective fridge marketing through decals is to ask yourself what do you want to achieve? If brand awareness is the goal, consider using elements that are easy for the customer to quickly recognise such as your logo, brand colours or possibly a slogan.
These elements can be very effective even on small surfaces such as drink fridges as simple designs can leave a big impact on the customers association with your brand. Think less is more!
If you are a fleet business owner with multiple fridges at multiple sites, you may want to take a uniform approach with a consistent design spanning across the range of fridges to have the same brand connection in every location. Employing a consistent design across multiple units significantly reinforces their brand presence in the store.
See how Central Seafoods branded their fleet chest freezers below.
In addition to the design of the fridge decal, thought should be given to the fridge’s location. Many fridges are often placed in high traffic areas which offers a great opportunity to catch the customers eye and is worth consideration when designing your decal.
Decals let your refrigerator function as a direct communication platform to convey messages about your business to customers. Decals can be created for short term use such as promoting new flavours or limited-edition products or long-term use to promote general brand awareness. Consider this carefully, as this will dictate the type of material and decal application method. We’ll talk more on this later in the article.
When you have completed your design, it’s time to set up your artwork for print.
You will want to refer to your fridge’s decal area to get the measurements of how big your artwork will be and the shape of your artwork. If this is not available, measure the sides of the fridge that you want decaled.
When you are designing your decal, you will need to use high-quality vector files (ai/svg/eps) for both images and logos to avoid blurriness or pixilation. Make sure these files are in the highest possible resolution, preferably 300dpi or greater.
It is always a good idea to look at the artwork in the actual size that will be used on the fridge to ensure the quality matches your expectation. If you are unsure, print a copy of the artwork to scale and this will show if there is any pixilation.
Once you are in the final file stage, make sure that all the images are in the CYMK colour mode. This will ensure the colours in the design will print as intended. If you are unsure, check with your decal partner or reach out to a graphic designer to assist you with setting up the file.
If that sounds like too much, you can always reach out to a signage printer for their in-house graphic design services. This will make the process much easier as they can help with concepts, designs, and correct file setup!
This brings us to the next important point – how to find the partner that you’ll be able to trust.
When searching for a printer, we highly recommend seeking a professional company that specialises in decaling. They will be able to provide advice and walk you through the process, so you achieve the best results for your needs. Look for a portfolio of previous decal projects and check if they have inhouse design capabilities if you require assistance with setting up your artwork.
At Bromic, we recommend Signs SA, a trusted partner in the printing industry. Signs SA operate nationally across Australia as a signage and decal supplier to some of the largest brands in Australia such as Mitre 10, Mitsubishi, and Subway to name a few. Whether you need a single fridge decal or thousands, from Sydney to Kangaroo Island, Signs SA can bring your fridge marketing ideas to life!
As satisfying as DIY projects can be, we highly recommend engaging with a printer or Bromic to assist you with the decaling process due to the difficulty of self-application and type of application required. This can be a professional signage printer or, alternatively, contact Bromic for personalised assistance.
There are two types of applications: dry and wet.
Dry application
Dry application is typically used for more premium finishes that have thicker vinyl and use a stronger glue which results in less bubbles and a smoother finish.
Wet application
Wet application is more cost effective however, requires the person to squeegee the decal on with detergent and water to prevent bubbles from forming. It is a more involved process & tends to offer less adhesion due to the breakdown of the adhesive on account of the vinyl being thinner, hence why we recommend a professional apply this for you offsite to prevent mess and potential headaches!
Depending on whether you want to decal an existing fridge or a new fridge, there are two options we recommend bringing your decal to life:
Signs SA offers a fantastic service catered towards your needs. Having a national installation network, they can install centrally at a Bromic distribution facility, onsite or you can bring the fridges to one of their 31 accredited installers across all states in Australia & most of New Zealand.
When you purchase a new fridge from Bromic Refrigeration, you can arrange your printer to send the decal to us and we can apply and ship your new fridge ready to go for a small fee. Contact our customer service team for more information and a quote.
We are also proud to offer discounted rates for decal application with the purchase of large quantities. For large quantities, once the order is placed and your artwork is sent, we can apply the decal and ship it to you directly. Contact us today for a quote!
To wrap things up, effective fridge branding is an investment into your business that goes beyond the image itself. It serves as a powerful component for brand recognition, increased customer engagement, and ultimately, can increase sales. Whether you are aiming for brand awareness or promoting specific products, thoughtful design considerations and strategic placement can turn fridges into dynamic brand ambassadors.
With Bromic’s decal-friendly range, you can transform your businesses cooling solutions into lasting brand statements, fostering a connection with customers, and enhancing your market presence.
We offer a range of decal friendly fridges and can provide advice and guidance on the process. Check out our range of products to bring your fridge branding ideas to life here.
