Bumper stickers became widespread in the early 1940’s after cars started becoming more common. However, in the beginning, they were mostly used to advertise for geographical locations like the flags of certain countries. Bumpers are parts of automobiles that typically stick out the furthest in the back or the front of the car to absorb impact in an accident with another car or stationary object. Over the years, bumpers became prime real estate for promoting businesses, philosophies, political views, humor, and religions.
On average, bumper stickers are about 12 inches long and 3 inches wide. Originally, bumper stickers had a residue on the back of them that allowed them to stick onto the bumpers. Unfortunately, they left behind a mess when you removed them. Over the last few years, manufacturers created removable bumper stickers that use static electricity or a magnetic field to stick to the bumpers. These made it easier for people to remove. This also made it so that people could place the bumper stickers on other parts of their cars without causing damage like the rear window.
Bumper stickers became a popular form of expression for drivers as they showed their support for politicians or specific political views. Politicians began using bumper stickers as a way to spread their word to get more voters.
Religion was another popular form of expression for bumper stickers. Many Christians began putting bumper stickers that had scripture or messages about Jesus on their cars. In fact, religious companies began marketing their beliefs exclusively through bumper stickers. The fish, a Christian symbol, is one of the most recognizable bumper stickers in the world.
In addition to politics and religion, companies began creating bumper stickers with various messages designed to be humorous. Consumers began purchasing these types of bumper stickers to add some personality to their cars.