In Focus Vol. 2 No. 5
Promotions with Pizzazz
More great ways to use your printer in profitable and interesting ways. Success stories from the field using 6.5 Mil Opaque Display Film, TOUGHcoat Blockout Scrim Banner, and Express Heavy Banner, plus bonus material.
On This Page
Banners & Displays that POP
Sierra Studio, based in East Dundee, Ill., near Chicago, recently completed the perfect project. A client came in looking for trade show graphics to take to an exhibit in the UK (or “stand” as they say there), so Sierra Studio developed the concept, product photography, design, print graphics, and provided the booth as well (the Coyote display from LexJet).
Then, people walking through the trade show asked about the studio that produced the graphics, so the perfect project went full circle.
Sierra Studio printed the booth on LexJet 6.5 Mil Opaque Display Film, laminated with 5 Mil PreLume DisplayFlex. Sierra Studio used their Epson 9600 and Seal laminator purchased from LexJet with which they apply the laminate.
"We love the combination of Display Film with the DisplayFlex laminate. The DisplayFlex has a crystal texture that everyone loves. Add some Velcro to the back, and you've got something that's durable and wonderful for rollable graphics. Plus the Coyote display system was a breeze for shipping and assembly," says Jason Hall, print manager for Sierra Studio. "Every time I've called LexJet, it's all about how they can help and offer new solutions with the latest materials. Every time I order something, my account specialist will educate me on something new, and it's really cool to be the first studio to offer it to the client."
The final booth was a huge hit at the trade show, driving further inquiry into Sierra Studio's capabilities. |
Hall says Sierra Studio has also had great success with LexJet TOUGHcoat Blockout Scrim Banner for applications like art shows, the local college, trade shows, and other promotions and special events.
"It just pops, it images perfectly, and it lasts. We fold the ends over and use double-sided, foam tape to make pole pockets. Plus we'll put in grommets for hanging purposes, if that's what the customer wants," says Hall. "We're using the ImagePrint RIP with it. I can't compliment the RIP enough; it's just too easy. As long as you've properly inserted the ICC profiles provided by LexJet, and the proper media is selected, the results are always excellent. LexJet has given us the tools, which we just have to download from the website."
Advertising that Conceals
Axelle Fine Arts has an impressive fine art gallery clientele that requires picture perfect printing. Axelle delivers on all fronts, and takes this standard beyond its fine-art reproductions.
Axelle has been using LexJet Express Heavy Banner as a promotional piece for galleries, and recently used it to help make some scaffolding more appealing as well.
"It's nice and soft, and we put quite a bit of imagery on it. It served a dual purpose: advertising and aesthetic. It's nice because it's soft, lightweight, and durable. It was easily installed and removed, so it wasn't like a heavier vinyl. It has more of a canvas look," says Luther Davis of Axelle Fine Arts.
Axelle combines wide-format digital printing and screen printing on most of its work. Its multi-media approach creates a unique look and feel.
Another recent project saw Axelle printing stickers on LexJet Extreme AquaVinyl that were then screen printed with a gloss-and-glitter layer. Axelle has also used Sunset Hot Press Rag for a digital print that was then screen printed with an enamel then flocked with glass beads.
Another Marten Masterpiece: A Gigantic Promo Charity Banner
Last month, Clark Marten and his crew at award-winning Clark Marten Photography shared some of their awesome promotional ideas on LexJet Water Resistant Satin Cloth and Polyvoile, in addition to Marten's outstanding portrait, landscape, and architectural photography.
This month, Marten sent in a 44 in. x 24 ft. promotional banner the studio usually prints on a less expensive photo paper, such as LexJet Premium Archival Matte that serves three very worthy purposes: it benefits Ronald McDonald charities, provides photo session special pricing to those who participate, and reinforces the Clark Marten brand.
According to Rachel Marten, Clark's wife and the studio's marketing guru, over the seven or so years of producing this project they have been able to raise thousands of dollars for Ronald McDonald charities.
Basically, they offer a portrait session for $50 to anyone interested. Then they print the photos Clark has selected from each portrait session, the portraits are judged by walk-in customers, and by a professional panel of Marten's photographer friends. Each voter pays a dollar per ballot, so if grandma wants to stuff the ballot, she's perfectly welcome to do so. In fact, it's hoped that grandma buys a thousand ballots! The winners get prizes and the overall winner gets a 20x24 portrait print.
For such a huge banner, the studio's print specialist, Jamie Walters, recommends the ImagePrint RIP and a small test run to ensure the printer can run unattended overnight.
"You absolutely need a RIP because it's too long to go out of Photoshop. Plus, you get a better image, because ImagePrint utilizes the information in the profile more accurately and consistently. You just don't have all the inkset and other imaging controls in Photoshop that you do in ImagePrint," explains Walters. "The other challenge with a banner this size is the time it takes to go through the printer. We run it overnight so it's absolutely essential that the heads are clean to start with, and that we've taken the precaution of running a test strip beforehand. Also, make sure you're working with a flattened image. I've seen situations with other RIPs where a level or layer in the image or text would create a white stripe through the image. We haven't seen this with ImagePrint, but we still make sure the image is flattened just the same." |
Order History
Top