The owner of a car wash reached out to us in search of custom car wash stickers for their business. With a unique situation at hand, Label Expert Ed August was up for the challenge of providing a clever solution for their anti-theft label needs. Find out how he tackled this task!
Mandy, the savvy owner of a car wash, had the idea to offer VIP memberships with customizable package options. These memberships would be easily trackable through a barcode system, where members could simply affix a label to their car for a quick scan before each service.
Before making a purchase recommendation, our experienced Label Expert Ed, delved into the crucial details with Mandy. Firstly, the placement of the label inside the car was essential to ensure its integrity amidst multiple washes with various cleaning agents. Secondly, the label needed to be scannable from the outside of the vehicle, and strategically positioned on the windshield for efficient operation. Lastly, the label had to possess a delicate balance of semi-permanent adhesion and fragility to prevent any, ahem, unauthorized transfer of the label between vehicles, thus incorporating an anti-theft, tamper-evident feature.
Ed had encountered a similar scenario with interior car labels in the past when working with a housing authority that needed parking stickers for public housing residents’ vehicles. These labels were designed to be applied inside the vehicle’s windshield but were readable from the outside. Describing the process, Ed shared, “It’s truly ingenious! We print a mirrored image on a transparent label and then overlay it with a white one. Once affixed, it creates the illusion of the print being on the adhesive side, allowing for visibility from outside the vehicle when stuck to the windshield.”
For her car wash labels, Mandy wanted a label that was intentionally less durable. She wanted her labels to easily tear apart if anyone attempted to transfer it between vehicles. This concept, known in the labeling industry as the frangibility factor, ensures the label is instantly destroyed if tampered with.
To meet this security need, we crafted a custom blend of materials – combining a clear printable plastic with a destructible white label material. Additionally, we incorporated security slits (pre-cut perforations) which make it impossible to remove the label intact.
The solution proved to be spot on for the car wash, and worked so well Mandy placed multiple reorders for anti-theft barcode sticker labels!
Check out our line of security stickers and tamper-evident labels, and if you don’t see something that will meet your needs, The Label Experts are always happy to help you create a new custom security label!
