Static Cling's Staying Power

Static cling labels continue to stick as a promotional necessity.

They hold fast, reposition with ease and leave no sticky residues. They are static cling labels, and they can be placed on almost any smooth, clean surface—including glass, plastic and some metals.

Such traits create an attractive option for customers seeking just the right adherence for just the right application. And, according to many manufacturers, ad specialties and product promotions are just those applications. As a result, clingy labels can be found on high-exposure areas including storefronts, drive-through windows and car windshields.

The latter is one of the top reasons New Albany, Indiana-based Discount Labels gets static cling label requests.

"The bulk of our business comes by way of parking permits and oil change service reminders,"

said Mike Vejar, vice president of sales and marketing. "But a recent boom in the business is due to people's desire to move away from bumper stickers and toward window signage instead."

Having produced static clings for the past 10 years, Vejar said that it has only been in more recent years that customers have begun to realize the label's potential and, as a result, have found more reasons to use them. After all, he added, static cling labels are not only easy to adhere and remove, but they tend to last a long time.

"I just took an old static cling parking permit off my windshield that was there for eight years," said Vejar. "It would have kept sticking, but I received a new permit to replace it with."

John Shanley, president of Labels West, Woodinville, Wash., has also experienced a growth in static cling label requests. "We've been producing these labels for about 10 years and they are definitely more popular today," he said. "With the vast majority of them being produced for promotional reasons, the demand keeps increasing."

Shanley described that a typical application for static clings involves retail items such as beverages. "A lot of vendors will use these labels to promote contests or special prices offered through soda companies," he said, explaining that the labels are often placed on refrigerator doors at local mini-marts. Shanley added that store owners appreciate the ease of repositioning or discarding the labels without having to scrape off excess adhesive. The labels are also less susceptible to moisture and temperature.

And while Shanley pointed out that there are regular labels with removable adhesives that cost less, "They are not nearly as easy to reposition as static cling labels."

Vejar agreed, stating that because static cling labels are so easy to work with, buyers see them as a non-committal product perfect for specialized applications and, therefore, are willing to invest in them.

Terry Pennington, sales manager, Lancer Label, Omaha, Neb., is yet another manufacturer with ad specialty demand for static cling labels. "We sell to anyone trying to promote anything," he said. "Auto dealers and retail stores are typical buyers. In fact, the big labels on Blockbluster video storefronts are perfect examples of static cling use."

There are alternative applications for these catchy labels, however, and one of them is through the electronic industry

"Warning and instruction labels found on VCRs, computers and other electronic equipment are typically static cling," said Shanley. "Manufacturers need labels that will peel off easily without damaging the product." According to Shanley, this is one of the few applications for static clings that is not promotional in nature and brings good business.

"The benefit of producing labels for this market is that distributors are almost guaranteed repeat orders," Shanley said. Although Shanley doesn't see much repeat business from other markets, Vejar said that in more recent years, he has experienced reorders from buyers using the labels for promotional reasons.

"Today end-users are more sophisticated and they can get very creative with their designs," said Vejar. "And they have a tendency to change that design year after year."

When it comes to designing static clings, there are no bounds. With advancements in ink technologies, said Shanley, end-users can create any design they want. In retail stores and at fast-food restaurants, static clings tend to be four-color process while oil change service reminders are generally clear with white areas where mileage and dates can be written.

Vejar further explained that two types of static cling labels exist—transparent and white static vinyl. "Depending on what application the label is used for, the design is unlimited," he said.

"But, when designing a transparent label, the end-user and manufacturer have to remember to back it with a white layer so the design won't lose its effect," advised Vejar. Using ultra-violet ink is another recommended design technique.

And while it's true that static cling labels cost more than other labels, special applications call for special products.

According to Vejar, static cling labels consist of a polyester-type stock which is more expensive than paper stock. However, he added that the promotional benefits are worth the cost.

Distributors gain by selling static clings as well. "Anything that is promotional in nature tends to be profitable," explained Shanley. "And, static cling labels are a big profit maker for distributors."

Since not all suppliers manufacture the popular labels, a high-demand-with-little-supply scenario is created. In turn, margins are higher on static clings which makes the labels a valuable commodity.

Pennington agreed, adding that the sale of static cling labels gives distributors the opportunity to talk to other individuals within a client's company. "Static cling labels can be sold to many other departments in addition to marketing, purchasing and sales," he said.

So how can distributors better promote static cling labels? To begin with, Vejar suggested they focus on the reason a buyer wants an adhesive type label.

"Maybe a customer isn't aware of static cling labels as an option," he said. "If the customer wants to put a paper product on a window, that is the perfect opportunity for distributors to zero in on the benefits of static clings."

The key, added Vejar, is to find out what the customer is putting the label on and how permanent they want it to be.

Creating unique uses for static cling labels is another way to gain sales. Labels West did just that when it developed its own patented product, a piggyback static cling.

"A piece we did for an insurance company included the phone number for a tow truck company," said Shanley. "It was sent out as a promotion in a fold-up mailer."

A similar piece was created for oil change service companies, he added. The company's label was affixed to a form that was used as a receipt for service. When the form was run through the printer, the mileage and date was printed onto the label.