Building wraps are designed to be unmissable forms of advertising with only one real limit: the scale of the building.
Whether you’re covering a building site, showing people what’s coming next, creating anticipation for a new retail opening or turning an otherwise empty façade into a huge advertising opportunity, building wraps give brands space to think big.
Building wraps create a literal blank canvas for your brand to become unforgettable. From the Bullring in Birmingham, to a piece that dominates Trafalgar Square in London, or a design that can be seen from Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh, building advertising wraps can completely change how a brand is perceived at scale.
What is a Building Wrap?
A building advertising wrap is a large printed banner, mesh screen or fabric system used to cover scaffolding, hoardings or the façade of a building, creating a huge advertising and branding opportunity.
Unfinished buildings and constriction sites can be dusty, busy and not particularly pretty. When a building is being renovated or redeveloped, a building wrap can transform what people see from the outside, hiding the works while showing them what the finished project will become.
And when you’re given the chance to create an advert the size of a skyscraper, why wouldn’t you use it?
Building advertising wraps can deliver 24/7 out-of-home advertising, create anticipation around product launches, promote upcoming developments, carry sponsor messages or turn a building into a giant piece of brand communication.
The material used depends on the building, location and application. Heavy-duty PVC mesh is commonly used for large-scale scaffold wrap because the perforations allow air and light to pass through, helping reduce wind load. Other applications can use solid PVC, fabric or more specialist materials depending on the environment and the required finish.
The important thing is that the material works with the building.
Advertising Wraps that Make an Impact.
Be seen, exactly where you need to be, with building wraps that make an Impact. Tell us what you need, and where you’ll need it, and we will make it happen.
What types of Building Wraps are there?
Not all buildings are the same, nor are the adverts covering them. The structure, location, exposure, viewing distance and purpose all influence what works best.
PVC Mesh Building Wraps
Wind-permeable mesh designed for large-scale applications, particularly around scaffolding and exposed buildings. The perforated structure allows air to pass through while still providing a huge printed surface.
Scaffold Wraps
Scaffold wraps turn temporary construction structures into branded environments. They can conceal works in progress, communicate what is being built and create advertising space throughout the construction period.
Solid PVC Building Wraps
Where wind exposure and structural requirements allow, solid printed materials can provide stronger colour density and a more opaque finish, making them suitable for certain building façades and advertising applications.
Fabric Building Wraps
Large-format fabric systems can provide a premium finish for applications where the visual quality of the print is as important as the scale. They can also offer more considered material options for certain projects.
Printed Hoarding Panels
Not every project requires a wrap around the whole building. Printed hoarding can create a continuous branded perimeter around a development, keeping messaging consistent while protecting the site.
Bespoke Building Advertising Wraps
Then there are the projects that don’t fit neatly into a category. Complex buildings, unusual structures and ambitious creative concepts can require bespoke engineering, specialist materials and installation methods designed around the site.
What to Consider When Designing Building Wraps
A building wrap is an opportunity for advertising at serious scale, but that doesn’t mean you should fill every square metre with information. In fact, the opposite is usually true.
Start With the Purpose
Before thinking about colours, imagery or clever creative, decide what the building advertising wrap needs to achieve.
Are you;
- promoting a new development?
- Building anticipation for a retail opening?
- Advertising a product?
- Hiding construction works?
- Creating a landmark for a campaign?
The answer should influence everything that follows.
Think Big, Then Simplify
People might see your wrap from a passing car, from the other side of a street or from hundreds of metres away.
That means the message needs to land quickly.
Keep the copy short. Make the branding obvious. Use imagery that works at distance. If someone needs to stand in front of the building for five minutes to understand the advert, the design isn’t doing its job.
Design for the Building
A building isn’t a flat piece of paper.
Windows, doors, corners, structural features, access points and changes in surface can all affect the final design. A strong building wrap uses the architecture as part of the creative rather than treating it as an inconvenience.
Consider the Environment
Wind, rain, sunlight, temperature, access and viewing distance all need to be considered before anything goes to print.
The material needs to be appropriate for the location, the fixing system needs to work with the structure and the finished installation needs to perform throughout the campaign.
This is where an experienced large-format print partner earns their keep.
Don’t Forget Planning and Permissions
Large-scale building advertising can involve planning permission, landlord approval, structural considerations and site-specific requirements.
It’s much easier to identify those requirements before the artwork is finished than after.
Design it Yourself or Consult a Project Management Partner?
A building wrap can be a serious undertaking: artwork, material selection, structural engineering, fixing method, production, logistics, access, installation, and sometimes planning permission to consider.
Then there are the realities of working around live construction sites, tight deadlines and buildings that weren’t necessarily designed to have a giant banner attached to them. That’s where having an experienced project management partner can make a difference.
This is exactly the situation Westfield Stratford City found themselves in.
Hollywood Monster joined the project during the construction phase and remained involved for 18 months, delivering the graphics and signage programme through to launch. The scale was huge: structures reached up to 140m by 35m, while one building banner measured 3,400 square metres and weighed 1.3 tonnes.
The building’s warranties meant conventional fixing into the façade wasn’t permitted, so a bespoke counterweight system using 30 concrete blocks was engineered to provide a safe, non-invasive fixing solution.
A good partner should be able to help you understand what is possible, identify potential problems before they become expensive ones, coordinate production and installation, and make sure the finished piece looks as good on the building as it did on the screen.
Building Wraps Are Advertising at Its Biggest
The biggest advantage of building advertising wraps is obvious. Scale.
But scale only matters when the creative, material and installation are done well.
A well-designed building wrap can hide months of construction, turn an empty façade into something people care about, build anticipation for what’s coming next or put a brand directly where their audience is already walking.
From scaffold wrap and construction hoarding to retail launches and major out-of-home campaigns, building wrapping gives brands an opportunity to do something very few other advertising formats can: take a building, make it impossible to ignore.
Go Bigger With Building Advertising Wraps
Building wraps are about much more than printing a really, really big banner; you need to take the space you’ve got and make something massive out of it. Get in touch with Hollywood Monster to create a building advertising wrap that actually makes an impact.
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Building Advertising Wraps: Everything You Need to Know
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a building wrap last?
The lifespan depends on the material, location, exposure and intended duration of the campaign. The right specification will take factors such as UV exposure, wind and weather into account before production begins.
Can a building wrap be used during construction?
Yes. Scaffold wraps and other building wrapping systems are commonly used during redevelopment and construction to conceal works, maintain a professional appearance and create advertising or project messaging throughout the build.
Can building wraps be used for retail advertising?
Yes. Building advertising wraps can create anticipation around new retail openings, support major campaigns and transform large exterior surfaces into highly visible advertising space.
How is a building wrap installed?
Installation depends on the building, material and structural requirements. Large projects may require specialist access equipment, engineered fixing systems and detailed site planning to ensure the wrap is installed safely and securely.
Can a building wrap be environmentally responsible?
Material choice can make a significant difference. Depending on the application, PVC-free fabrics, recyclable materials and reusable framing systems can provide more considered alternatives while still delivering large-scale visual impact.
Do I need planning permission for a building wrap?
It depends on the location, size, duration and nature of the installation. Planning and landlord requirements should be considered early in the project rather than once artwork and production are already underway.
