Spectacular outdoor media estate unveiled at Heathrow’s Terminal 2

Posted on JuneJune

JCDecaux Airport and Heathrow unveiled a spectacular range of airport advertising opportunities at Terminal 2: The Queen’s Terminal on 4th June 2014, as the doors officially opened to the public for the first time.

As part of Heathrow’s on-going transformation, JCDecaux Airport and Heathrow have worked alongside architects to develop state-of-the –art media opportunities integrated into the building’s structure. With iconic poster sites, experiential zones and over 100 digital screens, Terminal 2 delivers an array of flexible, creative and immersive opportunities for brands to engage with the terminal’s affluent passenger audience. High-profile opportunities included: the Couture Portals, Couture Towers, Baggage Hall Domination and T2 Motion (see images below).

Nick Webb, Head of Category at Heathrow, said: “Heathrow has long been a sought after site for advertisers and the opening of Terminal 2 is no exception. With 16 million passengers passing through the terminal each year from 26 airlines, brands have a unique opportunity to communicate with customers from over 50 destinations.”

Terminal 2 is the home of Star Alliance Network and has a prestigious retail offering including world-leading names such as: the first ever John Lewis in an airport and The Perfectionists’ Café by Heston Blumenthal.

Guidelines for Choosing an Effective Campaign Slogan

Posted on MarchMarch

A slogan can have a surprisingly big effect on marketing campaigns of all varieties. They are used online, printed on brochures, banners, stickers, postcards, building wraps and more, and when you live in a city as busy as London, they are seen by millions of people every day. To make sure that your slogan is worth all of that trouble, here are some guidelines to help you choose a memorable and effective slogan.

1. Identification

A good slogan must stay consistent with the brand name either obviously stated or strongly implied. It’s better to include the name of your business to it.

2. Memorable

Some of the best taglines or slogans are still being used today, even though they were launched several years ago.

3. Beneficial

Reveal your purpose and benefits of the product by conveying the message in consumer language. Turn bad into good. Suggest the risk of not using the product. Create a positive feeling for the consumers.

4. Differentiation

In an overcrowded market, companies on the same industry need to set themselves apart through their creative and original tagline or slogan.

5. Keep it simple

Use proven words and short keywords. One word is usually not enough.

What is FSC Certified Material?

Posted on MarchMarch

Choosing the appropriate material for any printing job is vital. Not only can material be a costly expenditure, especially when incorrectly selected, but also, the quality of a final printed product directly reflects the quality of material used. Due to material options being seemingly limitless, selecting the correct type can be a tricky and confusing process. Our team of experienced and trusted professionals help lessen your burden and will make your decision seem much less daunting. As users of FSC certified materials, one of the most common questions asked by clients is, “What does FSC ® Certified mean?”

The Forest Stewardship Council ™ (FSC), based in Germany, is an international organization focused on developing global Forest Management and Chain-of-Custody standards in forestry. They also accredit independent certification bodies who implement FSC certification evaluations, and issue FSC certificates to companies in compliance with the stringent standards they have set. The goal of the FSC is to promote sustainable ecosystems in any forest where logging is prevalent and to enhance the long term social and economic standing of the local communities, at the same time.

To achieve their goal of promoting sustainable forests and ecosystems in logging areas, the FSC monitors such operations in order to make sure whatever is cut down, is being replanted. In order for a forest to obtain FSC certification, the company responsible for logging operations must prove they meet ALL Chain-of-Custody and Forest Management standards set forth by the FSC. Only once all of the necessary documentation is collected, reviewed and approved, will a forest be rewarded an FSC certification.

The reason FSC paper has become popular recently is because of the burdening of green practices. Purchasing FSC certified paper guarantees you, the consumer, that whichever forest in which the trees used to make the paper you bought, were harvested with the utmost care. By replanting areas depleted by previous logging, the FSC is ensuring that the proper steps have been taken to guarantee the forests’ ecosystem continues to thrive. The trend in the industry shows FSC certified paper is preferred amongst companies with heavy printing loads, because it shows that despite the large quantity of paper used, they are still both, environmentally and socially conscious

See the infographic below to find out more

5 Reasons Your Company Should Use A Green Printer

Posted on FebruaryFebruary

Green printing is often overlooked by companies as a necessary element in going green. Sometimes this is due to the misconception that once a company has chosen to print on recycled paper, there is nothing else to be done to keep collaterally green. However, it is now becoming industry standard for paper to have at least a partially recycled content, and even if your company has printed recycled stationary, envelopes or business cards, it really does not end there.

1. Being eco-friendly

Printers can use inks or processes which make the use of recycled paper have almost zero ecological value. Some of the things that can make your recycled printing not green are coatings and film laminations which are at the top of the list, including using petroleum and solvent based inks. Why use recycled media if it is just going to be slathered with oil?

2. Be responsible

The benefits of using a green printer go beyond making a standing commitment to being green and leaving a smaller carbon footprint behind. Of course going green makes your company become more responsible and feel better about it’s choices, but often times “feeling good” comes at a price. Not with Green Printing. Water based inks and UV curable ink is comparable in price and sometimes a little less expensive than regular products which are more vendible.

3. The local environmental

Printing using water-based and UV curable inks means prints come out odourless and dry, so no nasty smells in your area, and no special ventilation required. Prints can be used straight away, and have a long life span without the need for laminating – lowering both material and transportation (weight) costs.

4. The wider community

Additionally, using a printer more concerned with their carbon foot print comes with the benefit of having a printer who is more involved with the process and who cares deeply about their product and environment. Green Printers who are Forest Stewardship Council ™ certified have taken the extra step to adhere to a chain of custody from forest to print. This proves that the fibre in the printable media comes from well-managed forests and other controlled sources. The FSC balances environmental, economic and social aspects of forestry. FSC is supported by many of the world’s leading campaigning organisations.

5. Establish good PR

Choosing a green printer shows consumers your company is corporately responsible – not only for commercial value. Showing your commitment to the environment is a highly rewarding way to connecting with the local and wider community.

An Introduction to Banners: The Best Advertisement

Posted on FebruaryFebruary

These days, when somebody talks about Banner Advertisements, one of the first things to pop into young peoples minds are banner adverts on the internet. They are those rectangular advertisements that show up on the top of web pages. Older folks may think of vinyl banners, such as the type that may be displayed by in a parade or those that are put up outdoors to announce a grand opening. This evolution of speech and definition goes to show the proliferation of the banner as the ultimate advertising tool in the public mind. If it’s time to step your advertising up to printed banners, there are a few things you need to know first.

Banners don’t only come printed on PVC. You can have banners printed on a variety of substrates depending on your needs. Often, a printed banner is called a banner based on nothing more than being rectangular in shape or because it is suspended from a wall or off of a ceiling. However, there are traditional banner options to think about when placing your order or deciding what you need.

More often than not Banners are made from PVC (this can also be referred to as skrim, or skrim vinyl). They can range in weights; the heavier the material, the longer it will last against the elements. Vinyl can also come in different finishes, such as gloss or matt. Matt is usually preferred for outdoors so it wont be as reflective and potential viewers won’t be blinded by the sun reflecting off of the banner. There are also reasons to use a matt finish vinyl banner indoors, such as when using flash photography. You will want to use a matt finish vinyl banner if it will be used as a back drop for pictures such as with a step and repeat (press banner) like the image below.

Vinyl banners can also be made of a mesh material. These are great for outdoor use when the banner is to be put up against a wind passing fence or gate, putting it at less risk of being torn down. Additionally the mesh will not block out as much light so you can put it up without causing a dark shade spot, which, depending on the season, is preferable. However, this media slightly decreases the print visibility from certain angles.

Of course, there are times when you don’t want your banner to let light through, such as when your banner is double sided (like street pole banners). So make sure to ask for block out vinyl. Otherwise, the banner has to be printed twice and sewn together. This technique, is not only time consuming, but will not always ensure one side is not visible in high light through the opposite side.

There are plenty of other options to consider when ordering a banner, such as the finishing. You could have the edges, cut, taped, or hemmed and eyeletted. You may need grommets to hang it, or you may decide to use it on a tensioning system, such as an X-Stand, have it portable on a roller-banner cartridge, or even decide to suspend it off a wall or ceiling. It’s always best to discuss with us so we can help you make the right choice for your need.

Creating a Great Vehicle Wrap

Posted on FebruaryJanuary

The key points to designing a vehicle wrap are quite simple. Vehicles with a unique shape or design really stand out, for example, fuel trucks or any trailer that carries liquids; the oval shape is great for branding and a real eye catcher. Mini Coopers, VW Bugs, Smart cars and Fiat 500’s are also very popular for their shapes. The more unusual the better! Hybrid cars are also great for conveying that your brand is concerned with the environment

Leave your mark

Come up with a creative idea, and kept it simple yet eye catching. The whole point of a vehicle wrap is to catch the viewer’s attention while they are in motion. Regardless of the overall message, be sure that the company brand or logo is easily visible against the background imagery. After all, the entire point of a vehicle wrap is to advertise the brand or product. Make sure people know what it is! It is not recommended to place logos between panels or half on a window and a quarter panel, because the different materials will often print irregularly, and the logo will end up looking incorrect.

If you are designing for a local business, keep the website and the telephone number visible and big. Beware of having any essential information, including logos and text, wrap around corners and edges. Instead, keep messaging in easily readable areas and be sure to put logos and tag-lines on all sides of the vehicle.

Don’t forget the nitty-gritty

It is illegal in the UK to cover the driver’s window and the front passenger’s window, so don’t plan to wrap those two areas. We use Contra Vision film when wrapping rear windows and back windscreens. Contra Vision is a one-way vision vinyl, which visually shows print on one side, and appears translucent on the other side. It’s a great way of utilising the flat surfaces and completing the vehicle wrap, whilst also allowing the driver to see through the windows.

At Sel Trade, we have vehicle templates for nearly every vehicle available in the UK, including cars, light commercial vehicles, taxis, buses, coaches, HGV tractors and trailers, recycling vehicles and more. We regularly update our library to coincide with the release of new vehicles onto the market, so your brand can have an amazing wrapped fleet even with recently face-lifted cars. Contact us today and see what we can do for you.

The Anatomy of an Advertisement

Posted on JanuaryJanuary

In a £19m research study conducted by Ipsos MediaCT and MGE Data in Feb 2013, it was revealed that the average Londoner will make eye contact with 27 roadside posters and 14 bus ads per day, and every time London commuters make a tube journey they will encounter an average of 74 ads. While people in rural areas avoid being exposed to as many banners and tube posters, city-dwellers skew towards the higher range of ad exposure. With the innovation of smart phones and a whole host of other gadgets, it is becoming easier and easier for advertisers to reach their target audiences with stunning accuracy.

In the midst of all this advertising noise, some people would think that the general masses are becoming more immune to ads and product placement. However, researchers have continually shown that children as young as 5 begin to retain information they see in advertisements and allow it to affect their decision making. As marketers, we understand that advertisements have become ingrained into everyday life, and they certainly are not leaving anytime soon.

In order to create an effective advertisement, it only makes sense to look a little deeper into what makes them work. Here are the basic tenants that comprise any ad.

The Tease

Otherwise known as the headline, this line of text is the largest in the ad and sets the tone of the messaging. From “Just Do It” to “Got Milk?”, the best advertising teases often become embedded in to popular culture and stick around for much longer than the actual ad campaigns. Teases may or may not have anything to do with the actual product or service being offered, but instead they are designed to somehow intrigue you as a viewer.

The Eye-Candy

Traditionally, imagery in advertisements followed the “Say dog, see dog” adage, Ads for shoe polish would feature a picture of wingtips while Coca-Cola promos showed a glass full of bubbly liquid. Today, however, rule-bending advertisers will put a seemingly innocuous headline with a controversial image to maximise shock value. Possibly best known for this tactic if the international clothing maverick United Colors of Benetton, whose shocking ads in the 80s and 90s pushed boundaries in race and sexuality

The Tagline

After dragging your eye away from the main imagery and text, you’ll notice a second line of text, essentially a subhead in the ad. This text’s purpose is to really bring home the message of the ad, that consumers will have stuck in their minds the next time they are in the consumer decision making process. Quite frequently, the tagline is where advertisers insert a “call to action”, a simple, fool-proof line that tells viewers what they are supposed to do with this new information. “Call us today” or “Make your next car a Ford” are all forms of a call to action.

The Details

If you’ve taken in the initial ad text and are still looking at the advertisement (assuming you haven’t already passed the billboard on a highway or turned the page in your magazine) you’ll see an otherwise unassuming paragraph sitting somewhere towards the bottom of the image. This is usually where advertisers dump all of the information about themselves and the product that they hope viewers will take the time to read, but assume they won’t. If the headline and image have done their job, a viewer has already formed an opinion about the product or service long before they wade through minute details.

The Sponsor

Tucked away somewhere on the ad you are almost guaranteed to find the advertiser’s logo. Even ads that are engaging and controversial and well-executed don’t drive brand awareness if there is no brand indicated on the page. When consumers imagine Michael Jordan, advertisers want to ensure they imagine him wearing Nikes and Hanes, not Adidas and Fruit of the Loom. Adding a logo or some kind of corporate branding to the ad helps ensure that, at least subliminally, consumers will recall the company associated with a given image or catch-phrase.

Radiant Orchid – PANTONE® Colour of the Year 2014

Posted on JanuaryJanuary

“Radiant Orchid blooms with confidence and magical warmth that intrigues the eye and sparks the imagination. It is an expressive, creative and embracing purple—one that draws you in with its beguiling charm. A captivating harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones, Radiant Orchid emanates great joy, love and health.”

PANTONE®, the global colour authority and provider of professional colour standards for design & print industries, has recently revealed Radiant Orchid 18-3224 as the colour of the year 2014, making this delicate flower’s colour the new trend for fashion and home décor this year.

Home Décor – PANTONE Color of the Year 2014 Radiant Orchid 18-3224 for home and interior design.

Fashion – PANTONE Color of the Year 2014 Radiant Orchid 18-3224 for the fashionista.

Whether it’s in beauty, fashion, interiors or events, get ready to see a lot more purple this year.

Choosing the Right Vinyl

Posted on JanuaryJanuary

Choosing the right materials is always important when it comes to printed marketing. By selecting the best possible materials for the job, you can be sure on quality, enhance productivity and minimise wastage. There are hundreds of different applications for vinyl due to the physical nature of this versatile plastic. Vinyl can be flexible, weather or heat resistant, transparent, translucent or opaque, impact resistant, matt, gloss or textured, front or back lit, thick or thin, and any colour of the rainbow. As well as these options, there are also different grades and levels of vinyl to choose from, and it can be hard to distinguish which vinyl is best for your type of application. We’ve put together this informational guide to help you choose the right material for the job and get the flawless finish you require.

The Basics

At face value, there is little to distinguish between the three types of vinyl available today: cast, polymeric calendered and monomeric calendered. However, the difference between them is obvious after they have been applied to a vehicle for any length of time. The vinyl that looks as good as the day it was applied is manufactured using a process known as casting and is described as cast vinyl.

cast

Cast vinyl is a premium grade vinyl that starts life as a liquid, which is them allowed to spread out to an extremely thin layer. Cast vinyls have no memory and are stable, so shrinkage is barely perceptible. Because cast vinyls are thinner and softer, they are easier to cut, weed and apply. Cast films conform over substrate irregularities such as rivets and textures, making them the preferred option for the most extreme exterior applications – especially vehicle wraps. Cast films are also often used for interior or less challenging applications when special or PANTONE® colours are required. Cast has an enduring quality and a long life.

Long term solution
Highly conformable
More dimensionally stable and resistant to shrinkage
Highly resistant to fading
Highly resistant to chemicals

Calendered vinyl starts life as a lump of plastic that is then flattened by being passed through two pressure rollers. Though not as high quality as cast films in demanding applications, film produced by this process can nevertheless be adequate in less demanding conditions. Calendered films come in two types: polymeric and monomeric.

• Polymeric calendered vinyl

Polymeric calendered vinyl has added polymers to reduce shrinkage. However, although they have developed significantly over the years, they still fall short of the stability and durability of cast films. Polymeric films fare much better in exterior applications than monomeric films but are not suitable for application over surface irregularities such as rivets and corrugations. For less demanding exterior work, polymeric films offer a workable alternative to cast.

• Monomeric calendered vinyl

The least expensive vinyl film is monomeric calendered. These films are not suitable for demanding exterior applications such as vehicle liveries or fascia signs. The face film of monomeric film is not stabilised so it will almost certainly shrink to reveal the adhesive beneath. Dirt will adhere to this revealed adhesive and will be clearly visible as a sticky, black outline around the lettering and other elements. The sticky black outline is usually only the start of more severe degradation to come. Eventually, the vinyl face film will begin to curl up and flake off like peeling paint. Monomeric films, therefore, are best suited to short-term exterior applications and interior work.

Other films

In addition to the three basic types of vinyl film described above, the following films are also available.

Polyester films usually have a very high gloss. They do not stretch so are suitable only for application to flat surfaces.
PVF films are chemically inert to the solvents found in stains and paint and are typically used as a protective measure where graffiti is likely.
Scrimmed PVC films are used for banners and stretched sign faces because of their enhanced strength. The scrim can be black to prevent “show-through” on double-sided banners.
Brittle cast films, as the name suggests, are brittle in make up and very difficult to remove. This makes them ideal for security labelling.
Hybrid films are typically a combination or construction of two or more materials. Introducing the characteristics of two material types makes it possible, for example, to print on a material with an otherwise non-receptive print surface.

Direct-to-substrate Technology: The Power of Large Format

Posted on JanuaryJanuary

Large Format Flatbed’s ability to print on virtually anything opens up an exciting world of opportunities.

Since print has been around, it always used to be about paper-based substrates; of course, you could do interesting things with paper-based substrates. but it was still paper all the same. Not so much now. Developments in large format print have meant that a whole new world of potential has opened up to marketers, with the capacity to print directly onto everything from boards, to aluminium, glass, wood, plastics – the sheer breadth of printable materials really is mind-blowing.

Having been one of the earlier investors in to Large Format UV Flatbed technology back in 2010, we faced ourselves with the question – how is best to use this stunning new capability?

We purchased our first UV flatbed printer in 2010, and we were absolutely ecstatic about our decision. Immediately we started to push the technology as far as it could go, and to do as much of it as possible. We were printing onto clocks, counter tops, doors, floors – you name it, we were printing it.

The main attraction that brought us towards printing directly onto multiple materials, rather than printing onto a substrate that is then stuck onto other materials, were cost and quality. Until this generation of presses came along, printers looking to impose an image on a non-paper surface would typically have to print the image on to an adhesive substrate (such as self adhesive vinyl) and that would then have to be applied to the intended finished article. This took a lot of time and energy and also required a huge amount of space – to mount a two metre board you might typically need mounting tables that could take up as much as four metres of previous floor space. Using direct-to-substrate devices also significantly cuts down the amount of processes required to finish a large format print job, thus reducing the likelihood of mistakes being made. For instance, if an error is made during the mounting stage – such as a ripple or a crease in the material – you have to start the whole printing process all over again, and that can potentially double the time and the cost.

“With marketing budgets typically smaller than in yesteryear, marketers are faced with the need to deliver far more with much less, so they can use it to maximise the attention-grabbing potential of their campaigns. Since Large Format Digital Printing allows for short-run samples and one-off pieces to be produced quickly and cost-effectively as test projects, marketers can also experiment with different substrates and techniques without incurring huge outlay.” – van der Camp, HP

Since the purchase of our first UV flat bed printer, we have purchased two new UV flat bed printers in order to keep up with the high demand of print directly onto rigid substrates. With marketers very keen to employ the technology, printing direct to multiple substrates has been growing and growing. The new capacity to print onto pretty much anything has been bringing us closer to marketers in the pursuit of effective and innovative marketing collateral. To see what you can achieve with large format print direct-to-substrate, contact us now and see how we can give your marketing campaigns a boost.