Bumper Stickers Around the World

Bumper stickers are a common sight all over the world, from the streets of London to the roads of Brazil. The term bumper sticker is used to describe any kind of adhesive label or sticker that has a message or illustration, attached to the bumper of rear of a vehicle. People stick on bumper stickers (Autoaufkleber) for all sorts of reasons, all of them associated with the notion of identification in one way or another.

For example, some bumper stickers are used to show support for a sporting team or a political movement, while others may illustrate particular identity with a type of humour or a particular brand. Bumper stickers have been with us since just after World War II, and continue to be used in numerous varieties all around the world.

There are a considerable variety of bumper stickers in use around the world, as well as a lot of variation in the context and purpose of how stickers are used. Drivers in some countries are also well known for having lots of different stickers all over their cars, while in other locations their use on windows is entirely prohibited. For example, in Sweden, bumper stickers are actually known as bakrutedekal, which has a literal translation meaning rear window decal. Religious and political messages and motifs are used in bumper stickers all over the world, including the Christian fish symbol and numerous new age and Buddhist inspired messages.

In Israel, one of the most popular songs of all time is inspired by bumper stickers, with all of the lyrics coming directly from bumper sticker slogans. If you want to track it down, this song is called “The Sticker Song” by Shirat Hasticker. Bumper stickers are used throughout the world, for commercial, political, social, religious, and funny reasons. While everyone has their own reasons for putting a bumper sticker on the rear end of their automobile, everyone is looking to identify themselves and their car with a particular message or motif, and create a more personal and unique vehicle as a result.