By George L. Nitti
Company branding is a critical component to starting and managing any business, and includes such elements as a strong logo, consistent colors that blend nicely, and fonts that are applied across the business. Strong branding leaves a lasting impression, helping a company stand out to customers who associate its product or service with the brand while attracting new customers with the clarity of that image.
At Chaz Towing in Watsonville, Cal., established in 1987, the company has developed a strong brand with a “less is more” identity that exudes a professional image in its simplicity.
According to Kevin Chavez, operating manager and son of owner Eduardo Chavez, “We wanted something subtle that would stand out. Something that was not overstated but with some complexity.”
Fine tow truck graphics, like mid-coast California wines, harbor intensity wrapped in subtlety as illustrated on their 2014 Peterbilt389 with a 35-ton Vulcan.
“This unit is a perfect for our company and the perfect application for any fleet. It’s easy to use and maneuver,” Chavez said. “The capabilities of the winches and its pulling power are incredible.”
At the heart of the design is the company name which is the primary element that stands out because of its large size, scripted/elegant lettering and contrasting colors that blend subtlety against its yellow and white background.
Adding further distinction, the company name is applied in several key locations, including the side doors, the hood, and the large real estate across the wrecker body. Going the extra yard, however, lies in the fact that even their customized mud flaps restate the company name, not the wrecker company or dealership, a fine point that is often overlooked in branding.
The company name is easy to remember as well. “Chaz.” Chavez said, “We wanted to be unique. Many tow companies go with their last name but we wanted a more memorable marking.”
Which includes their colors of yellow and white. Chavez said, “Yellow grabs everybody’s attention. It represents emergency personnel and catches your attention, making it hard to miss.” Reflective lettering and an array of lights give further enhancement.
Their brand, like their family heritage, was forged over time and proliferates on other company memorabilia, such as pens, backpacks, customized coffee cups, vests and rain gear.
“My father, who started the company with his brothers, immigrated to the states in 1978, first living in Minnesota before moving to the Monterrey Bay area. He came with empty pockets with a dream to succeed,” said Chavez. “He saw the need and demand for towing.”
Now with 11 trucks and family members entwined in the business, with a single-minded focus, company professionalism has become a prevailing theme wrapped in precise branding that strikes notes of simple tastes.
By George L. Nitti
Over the years, Cecil Burrowes has showcased his fine airbrushing talents on a slew of award-winning tow trucks with themes as diverse as the Godfather, Batman, Clowns, Tribal Art, the Spirit Ride and much more. His realistic depictions and eye-popping colors vividly bring to life a host of characters and a variety of designs. This year Burrowes is back with yet another thematic, colorful play – a menagerie of dragons that convey intensity, determination and passion.
“For 3 months or so I stayed in Sarasota, Fla., taking a room at Fastway Towing, as I worked on this project,” said Burrowes. “The owner John wanted me to do the Transformers, but I told him it was going to take too long. There were too many intricate parts.”
After careful research consulting online sources and magazines, Burrowes came up with a dragon theme. He said, “At first it was going to be several small dragons. But things change as you go along.”
Visually sizing up the Ford 2020 F550 with a light-duty Chevron, Burrowes said that he “visually placed the artwork on the truck,” asking himself a question like “How much of the door do I want to take up?”
Fortunately for Burrowes, due to his stellar reputation, he often has carte blanche in executing his designs. He said, “Most people I do work for trust my judgement. Very rarely do I have to do a drawing to show people.”
One picture of a dragon he used was sitting on a rock, which Burrowes transformed into a jade green, fiery dragon sitting on a bed of skulls. “It was just what the owner wanted.”
Keeping the truck colorful, Burrowes painted several other dragons on the unit having shades of green, gold and red, each intricately constructed, compositionally balanced against a sky background. Burrowes said, “It was very time consuming.”
The dragon on the hood is a seething bundle of intensity, sure to scare off any evil thoughts a person might have to thwart a repossession of their vehicle.
At the American Towman Exposition November of 2021, Burrowes intensity, determination and passion helped him clear several obstacles along the way to make it to the Tow Pageant, a 15-hour ride from Sarasota to Baltimore.
Sometimes it takes a little dragon breath to get where you are going. Unfortunately, dragons sometimes have their share of misfortune. The outcome of this journey didn’t turn out as intended but there is always next year.
Brag @ TIW!
Should your truck be featured here? Send a few pics and your contact information to the editor at georgenitti@gmail.com. You might even be selected to go in print, too, in American Towman magazine!
By George L. Nitti
“In America you have the ability to have a dream, to chase that dream and to realize it. And there is nothing that stops you from doing that.” Mike Phillips, All-American Towing & Recovery
Blessed with freedoms and opportunities, tow companies across America share deep patriotic feelings.
Mike Phillips, owner of All-American Towing and Recovery, which is located in Justin, Rhome and Denton, Texas, credits his ability to have built his business because of these liberties.
He said, “I don’t believe that there are too many countries in the world to give you the opportunity to do what we’ve done.”
Phillips established All-American in 2013 with one heavy duty tow truck and has broadened his business to include servicing law enforcement, light duty, hazmat and storage.
He said, “The first few years for us were hard. Nothing was given to us, but because of the country we live in and the freedoms that we have, through hard work and dedication, we have exceeded to a point that were happy with.”
The pride Phillips has in America stems from being part of a large family, many of whom have served in our military. He said, “We have always had an extreme amount of patriotism. It runs deep.”
All of that has cascaded into All-American’s branding, with 19 units in their fleet, all patriotic themed, including their 2021 Kenworth 900 with a 9055XL Century.
On the wrecker’s side, the All-American logo stands strong in red against a white background. The lettering, written large, has a retro/mechanical feel that Phillips says was inspired by a dilapidated tow truck across the street from a Rock City tourist attraction.
With his wife’s creative flair, they designed a waving tattered flag, which flows along the front side of the unit and includes a host of stars.
“No matter what breaks this country down, that flag will still wave regardless of the condition,” Phillips said.
On the side, a slogan states, “Reinventing the Standard,” which taps into the company ethic of ensuring their drivers are trained, formally.
“We want our operators to treat this as a career,” he said. “We want to break the stigma of a tower as a ‘tow truck guy.’ We want to maintain the same professional standard of police officers or fire department employees. We hire and strive to have professionalism at all times.”
With blue and red lights and plenty of chrome to add to the mix, it's no wonder this unit gets so many heads turning.
Phillips said, “We get compliment after compliment on our trucks. I didn’t want our graphics to be so busy that it took away from the trucks or the company name. I think they have just enough flash, just enough chrome to make them recognizable, memorable and easily read.”
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Should your truck be featured here? Send a few pics and your contact information to the editor at georgenitti@gmail.com. You might even be selected to go in print, too, in American Towman magazine!
