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Advertising has accompanied us for centuries – from the shouts of market criers, through the first printed leaflets, to today’s era of television, social media, and mobile advertising. Choosing the right way to reach customers is not always easy. Graphic designers, copywriters, marketers, and even psychologists are involved in the process to ensure that advertising works exactly as intended.

The Železiarne Podbrezová Group uses multiple channels to build brand visibility. One of them is mobile advertising on trucks – tarpaulin covers that travel thousands of kilometers every day along European highways. And in this segment, our trading company Slovrur has been leading the way for years.

It started with a cowboy and a tube

The story began about 20 years ago. The founder and owner of the transport company Lugras, Mr. Lucjan Igras, approached our Polish subsidiary with an unconventional proposal: we would help him acquire high-quality tarpaulins for his trucks, and in return, the vehicles would carry Slovrur advertising.

The very first design was bold – a cowboy holding a shotgun whose long barrel was in fact a steel tube, accompanied by the slogan “Tubes for you.” At a time when most trucks on Polish roads were grey and carried at most a small logo, this design truly stood out. The reactions were immediately positive. The cowboy motif soon appeared on promotional items as well – T-shirts, pens, calendars – creating a strong and consistent presentation synergy.

An interesting fact: Mr. Igras himself wore a cowboy hat, boots, and thick moustache. Some drivers even thought the figure on the tarpaulin was actually him.

cowboy and tube

Pirates of the Caribbean on the highway

The real hit was the pirate truck. Lugras purchased a tractor unit already decorated with a Pirates of the Caribbean–inspired design (even the cab interior followed this theme). All that was missing was the trailer tarpaulin.

It featured a sailing ship and a pirate looking through a spyglass – which, of course, was a steel tube. The ship bore the Slovrur name, and the slogan cleverly played with words: “Tubes, as you can see” (a great wordplay in Polish). The truck and trailer became a sensation at trade fairs, exhibitions, and on regular roads alike. Unfortunately, after a traffic accident, it no longer travels European highways today.

The golfer and peace of mind on the course

Advertising should not sell just a product. It should sell an experience, an emotion, a sense of prestige, safety, or peace of mind. This was exactly the direction of the “Golfer” tarpaulin design, created by our colleague from the Slovrur sales department, Andrzej Wolak.

The slogan “Our tubes – your peace of mind,” combined with an elegant female golfer and golf elements, subconsciously promises that when you do business with Slovrur, you can afford quality time on the course, far from stress and everyday hustle.

Daenerys and tubes born in fire

The newest addition to the fleet is inspired by the cult TV series Game of Thrones. Once again, the design was created by Andrzej Wolak.

The original idea featured Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) and one of her dragons breathing fire onto hot-rolled tubes – a clear reference to “born in fire.” The slogan “Tubes born in fire” connected an iconic phrase from the series with the reality of our production – the glowing rotary hearth furnace in the rolling mill.

Why does it still work?

Henry Ford once said: “If I had my last dollar, I would spend it on advertising.”

Truck tarpaulin branding is a form of mobile advertising. It reaches drivers on highways, passers-by at rest areas, and people in parking lots. If it is original, witty, and visually striking, it stays in people’s minds.

And that is exactly what Slovrur’s tarpaulins have been doing for 20 years – building the brand not only in Poland, but across Europe.

Article written by:  Podbrezovan