Striking New Look For Minibuses
Soon you won’t have any trouble identifying which minibus is there to pick you up at Auckland Airport – or anywhere else – thanks to a project to paint all twenty of the RNZAF’s minibuses in a unique and eye-catching design.
The RNZAF's new painted vans are designed to raise its public profile. (WN-08-0037-92).
The design, incorporating images of Air Force aircraft, its new logo (Step Up – Piki Ake), and its web and text contact addresses ‘looks awesome’ says RNZAF Vehicle Fleet Manager Jenine Burroughs who is co-ordinating the project. The minibuses (ten in Auckland; five in Ohakea; four in Woodbourne; one in Wellington) are being progressively painted over the coming months to raise the Air Force’s public profile. And with up to eight minibuses on the road every working day in Auckland alone, there is plenty of on-road time for the mobile advertising signs to be noticed. ‘The vehicles are also used on weekends for sporting and cultural events and exercises. Every time a minibus goes out the gate it’s carrying the Air Force message into the local community,’ says Mrs Burroughs.
The idea had its genesis at the 07 Aviation Refueller’s Trade Meeting and originally called for two painted minibuses per Base. It follows in the tracks of similar signs on the Recruiter’s six cars which have been painted for just over a year and have sparked a positive reaction. Through the support of GPCAPT Grant Crosland and WGCDR Vern Crabtree, the idea was extended to include the painting of all twenty minibuses.The first to be painted by contractors Henshaw Signs was the Wellington based RNZAF Central Band’s vehicle and it will soon be followed by the five minibuses at Base Ohakea.
Each vehicle takes 3 to 4 days to paint before it is rolled out ready for its new life as a high visibility sign on wheels. While Mrs Burroughs concedes that the impact of the signs is unknown at present she hopes the prominent presence of Air Force Recruiting’s web and text message addresses will eventually be reflected in their regular report on how people responded to Air Force advertising. Watch this space…