No Windows? No Problem with Big Wall Graphics

Atlas Distributing Wall Graphics

In a previous post we discussed how big, bold graphics on the exterior of a retail location set the stage for interior point-of-sale graphics that reinforce the message and drive consumers to the brands inside. In that particular case, rows of big windows provided the perfect branding palette.

If you don’t have any windows to work with, walls will work just as well, as this recent project by Atlas Distributing illustrates. It’s a 48-foot long and four-foot high super graphic promoting Coors Light that ties in with the local favorite and Stanley Cup contending Boston Bruins.

Located on the outside of a local bar-and-games establishment, graphic design manager for Atlas Distributing, Brent Lee, says, “The side of the building faces a high-traffic area and a parking lot, so customers and others driving by can’t help but see it. They see Coors Light outside and then we reinforce it inside. They might have gone there just to play a couple of games, but they see the sign and it plants the seed that maybe they’ll have a beer with their friends.”

Lee adds that Atlas Distributing’s solid point of sale work on the inside helped secure the space on the outside. Lee took graphic elements provided by MillerCoors corporate, rearranged and stretched them out for a pleasing and appropriate super graphic, and brought a proof of the design to the account.

Needless to say, the client loved the concept, approved it and Lee got to work printing out the graphics in panels on LexJet TOUGHcoat Water-Resistant Self Adhesive Polypropylene with a Canon iPF9400. Lee applied to polypropylene to six sheets of Coroplast. “I just line up the edge of the print with the edge of the Coroplast. There really is no trick other than making sure you’re slow and steady when you apply it,” says Lee.

Meanwhile Atlas Distributing merchandisers drilled anchors into the wall to which the decorated Coroplast panels would be applied. This method will allow Atlas Distributing to quickly replace the graphics when the time comes.

Canon Mail-in Rebates at LexJet in June

Canon iPF9400 Wide Format Inkjet PrinterPlace your order for a new Canon large format inkjet printer this month to take advantage of the current lineup of mail-in rebates, as well as special bundle deals from LexJet.

The mail-in rebates that end June 30 include…

For more information about Canon’s mail-in rebates, special bundle deals from LexJet, and anything you need help with, contact a LexJet customer specialist at 800-453-9538.

You can submit your rebate claim at http://www.acbpromotions.com/imageprografrebate/submit.asp and enter your rebate information. Claims must be submitted within 30 days from the date of purchase to qualify.

Reaching the Finish Line with Inkjet Printed Graphics

Special Event Graphics

Revolution3 Triathlon (REV3) is a growing, dynamic series of 12 triathlons and adventure races held across the United States. REV3 started about five years ago in Connecticut and continues to add new races every year from Florida to Portland, Ore.

Triathlon GraphicsMost of the races are Olympic-REV half-REV triathlons, with one full-REV (2.4-mile swim, 26-mile run, 100-mile bike) and an adventure race. More styles of events are on tap for 2013 and beyond, such as family fun runs and glow runs before the big events. The events also support various charities, including Run Across America, Ulman Cancer Fund, Team RWB and Multisport Ministries.

REV3 collaborated with KRT Architectural Signage, Warrenton, Va., to build a superstructure at the finish line for all of its events. REV3 art director Jay Bussiere created the concept and KRT built the structure, including a built-in LED timer.

Bussiere also worked with his LexJet customer specialist, Jaimie Mask, to bring not only the finish line structure graphics to life, but the banners and other signage as well.

A Frame Graphics
The A-Frames along the route are printed on LexJet TOUGHcoat AquaVinyl PSA.

“We recently purchased a new Canon iPF9400 wide-format inkjet printer. I did a search for vendors online and found LexJet’s website,” says Bussiere. “It was impressive the way I could narrow down my search and find what I needed easily. LexJet’s site is intuitive, and I appreciate that, being a web designer as well as an online customer. Then, Jaimie gave me some recommendations on inkjet materials for use outdoors.”

Given the type of printer Bussiere purchased, Mask recommended LexJet Extreme AquaVinyl w/ PSA and LexJet TOUGHcoat AquaVinyl PSA for the structure. Bussiere protected the graphics with LexJet Performance Gloss Vinyl Laminate (3 Mil).

He also used LexJet TOUGHcoat Blockout Scrim Banner, LexJet TOUGHcoat ThriftyBanner, LexJet 11 Mil Blockout PolyGloss and LexJet TOUGHcoat Water-Resistant Polypropylene for various event signage.

The structure and the signs will travel from event to event. The photo here shows the finish line from a triathlon in Knoxville, Tenn. “The finish line structure is quite massive; you really can’t miss it,” says Bussiere. “And, with quality materials from LexJet, matched with custom REV3 graphics, the finish line and expo area become a beacon for athletes and passersby alike.”

For more about REV3 and upcoming events, go to rev3tri.com. And, check out the video recaps of the Knoxville event in the videos embedded below:

REV3 GLOW RUN – Knoxville, TN from REVOLUTION3 Triathlon on Vimeo.

REV3 Triathlon KNOXVILLE Pro Recap 2013 from REVOLUTION3 Triathlon on Vimeo.

Canon Mail-in Rebates at LexJet

Canon Inkjet Printer RebatesPlace your order for a new Canon large format inkjet printer this month to take advantage of the current lineup of mail-in rebates, as well as special bundle deals from LexJet.

The mail-in rebates that end May 31 include…

For more information about Canon’s mail-in rebates, special bundle deals from LexJet, and anything you need help with, contact a LexJet customer specialist at 800-453-9538.

You can submit your rebate claim at http://www.acbpromotions.com/imageprografrebate/submit.asp and enter your rebate information. Claims must be submitted within 30 days from the date of purchase to qualify.

On Target with Inkjet Canvas Reproductions Benefitting Wounded Veterans

Canvas Gallery Wraps
Gallery wrap reproductions by PostNet Norfolk for the UNTIL It Hurts project benefitting Wounded Wear.

Amanda Crow, who owns a PostNet store in Norfolk, Va., knows the value of teamwork. She’s part of a team dedicated to honoring the 74 Naval Special Warfare members who have fallen in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as another team helping out Purple Heart recipients called Wounded Wear.

Wounded Wear provides free clothing and modifications for combat-wounded warriors while raising awareness about their sacrifice. PostNet Norfolk does Wounded Wear’s printing and graphic design and brought the print shop’s expertise to a joint fundraising program featuring art reproductions on canvas and archival paper.

The artwork was created by Dave Hall, a retired Navy SEAL sniper and Ellwood T. Risk, an artist based in Los Angeles. Hall set up a target 911 yards away on 9/11 2012 and fired a shot to the target for each fallen SEAL teammate. Risk took that target and combined it with newspaper clippings to create a 50″ x 73″ piece of artwork.

That artwork was then auctioned off at a benefit for the Navy SEAL Foundation and Wounded Wear called Toast to the Heroes. The artwork was sold to local philanthropist and business owner Todd Grubbs for $18,000.

Printing Canvas
The canvas reproductions of UNTIL It Hurts were printed on LexJet Sunset Reserve Bright Matte Canvas on PostNet’s new Canon iPF9400 inkjet printer from LexJet.

As if that wasn’t enough, Grubbs began looking for ways to provide a steady income stream to Wounded Wear through the artwork. Enter Amanda Crow, who would provide printed art reproductions that would be sold through the Wounded Wear website.

“We wanted to reproduce the artwork, and because it’s art we wanted it done right; it’s not just a poster,” says Crow.

In order to get the printing just right, Crow starting doing research on the most effective and efficient way to do it.

She spoke with Chris Shigley, her customer specialist at LexJet, who provided a plethora of resources and advice on materials, print settings and workflow.

The first order of business was a new printer that could handle the 50-inch width she required. Shigley was able to tie in all the available rebates, promotions and bundle packages for a Canon iPF9400 60-inch inkjet printer that fit Crow’s budget.

“Chris got me an amazing deal on the Canon printer. I never could have done this project without Chris. Or, if I could have done it, it would have taken a lot more time. Chris was great about getting me the information I needed,” says Crow. “In addition to videos on how to use the Sunset Stretcher Bars for our canvas prints and setting up our printer, Chris even sent us videos on how to use the Photoshop driver to print at a higher resolution.”

Coating and Wrapping Canvas
After printing, PostNet’s Amanda Crow applied Sunset Satin Coating and then wrapped the canvas onto Sunset Stretcher Bars.

Crow would reproduce the artwork, entitled UNTIL It HURTS, on LexJet Sunset Reserve Bright Matte Canvas wrapped onto LexJet Sunset Pro Stretcher Bars and finished with LexJet Sunset Satin Coating. Framed reproductions are printed on LexJet Sunset Hot Press Rag 310g.

“The stretcher bars are similar to what we were using before, but you couldn’t get custom sizes like you can with the Sunset Stretcher Bars, and I can get them right away from LexJet,” says Crow. “Plus, the bars that go in the sides that keep the canvas taught are actually screwed in; the other ones we were using before don’t have those. We would see problems where the canvas started to sag and I had to beat the bars back in; the Sunset Stretcher Bars alleviate that issue.”

Crow adds that she had a laptop by her side to watch the how-to videos while she wrapped the canvas onto the Sunset Stretcher Bars. “I’m glad we had the videos and that such a valuable resource is available from LexJet. If I can find the information, rather than calling someone to walk me through it, I would rather have that video or blog resource. I think the videos are amazing. They’re very professional, and I know that making a good video is difficult,” she adds.

Now that Crow has an efficient production process in place, the orders are taken directly from the Wounded Wear website, they wrap the canvas, finish it with Sunset Satin Coating and ship them out. Crow says the print quality “has been amazing;” so good, in fact, that you can see where the names of each fallen Navy SEAL were penciled in, even though they’re faint on the original.

“As soon as we made the prints live, people started purchasing them. The Facebook page has been up for three or four weeks; we have 1,800 likes and we’ve sold 22 prints,” says Crow. “We also sent some prints out to the artist to sign and those will be auctioned off as signed limited edition prints.”

For more information and to help the cause:

UNTIL It Hurts Facebook Page

Wounded Wear

Navy SEAL Foundation

Sunset Stretcher Bars Demonstration on YouTube

LexJet’s YouTube Site

Canvas Wrap Guide

Bold, Bright Suite Graphics Light up an Arena

Wall Graphics for Branding and Advertising

Competing for the consumer’s attention is especially intense at public venues like sports arenas and stadiums. Inundated with advertising messages, not to mention the game or event at hand, it can be difficult to stand out and grab someone’s attention.

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. High Country in Rapid City, S.D., found a solution to this vexing challenge at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in Rapid City: a full wrap of its corporate suite in bold Coca-Cola red.

Inkjet Printed Wall Murals“When we got the suite in January of 2012 we wanted to do something dynamic that would stand out and make it obvious we were in there,” explains Holly LaGrande, marketing manager for Coca-Cola Bottling Co. High Country. “Because we were the first to wrap the inside of one of the suites it was very visible, not only because it was the first one, but because it was so bright and so red. It’s very vibrant, and I was even worried that we overdid it. However, the people at the arena like it and were looking forward to someone doing it because no one had to that point, and the beer companies followed up with their own wraps.”

LaGrande used Photo Tex PSA Fabric – Aqueous Printers from LexJet and printed the wrap in 60″ x 144″ panels. The panels were installed in the suite in two four-hour sessions, which LaGrande did by herself. She says it would have been nearly impossible to apply the graphics by herself with an adhesive-backed vinyl since Photo Tex is repositionable and thus extremely easy to apply and re-apply if necessary.

Adding Graphics to Walls
Before: What a difference a wall mural makes, as you can see in the “after” pictures above.

“First, I had to take out all the light fixtures, door stops and electrical outlets and strip everything out. Then, I started at the top on the far left and applied each panel across. I was able to pull it apart and get it re-applied easily when it bunched up,” says LaGrande.

LaGrande plans to update the graphics for the 2013-2014 hockey season in late summer or early fall and says she’s looking forward to printing the project on the new Canon iPF9400 she picked up from LexJet earlier this year.