Signs of the Times - August 2012 - (Page 18)

VINYL APPS By Steve Aust “We looked around at other food trucks and noticed they had more complex designs. We thought this would create greater attention, and generate more customers.” Bipartisan Appeal Candidate and issue-related wraps provide growth potential. Graphics-laden vehicles have longWhethera they were been standard component of political advertising. banners mounted beneath a wagon or horse saddle, or rigid placards hung over a convertible’s doors, signage (usually with patriotic colors) has maintained an integral role in creating a positive impression with voters. As with other signage facets, political advertising has modernized with the times. The advent of vinyl-graphic fabrication provides more durable, professional-looking graphics. And, correspondingly, the evolution of printers, inks and air-release wrap media now allows a long-term, promotional solution that racks up thousands of impressions for a fraction of the cost of a TV ad or radio spot. However, despite all of the potential benefits, political wraps remain a largely untapped market. Consider how many local, district, state and national candidates run for office, and how many ballot issues arise during an election. Contrast that with how few politically oriented vehicle wraps you see cruising the streets. Here are three examples of political- and issue-oriented wraps that shops have recently fabricated. The window may still be open for you to wrap for local candidates. Stop by a candidate’s headquarters and ask to speak with the campaign manager. Or, go to a county’s political-party headquarters. Perhaps they’ll have a whole slate of candidates or issues they’ll wish to publicize. If your candidate wins, you’ll likely be remembered when it’s time to run for re-election – or a higher office. One caveat with political wraps – be sure to get paid early. If the candidate loses, it may be very difficult to collect any delinquent payments. Hablamos (We Speak) ACLU Whatever opinion one has of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), you have to give them credit for thick skin. The organization staunchly favors an open-immigration policy, which alienates conservatives. Conversely, the ACLU, by equating political contributions with free speech, also supports Citizens United – the 2010 Supreme Court decision that allows unlimited campaign contributions from independent, politicalaction groups – which incenses liberals because the ruling ostensibly favors well-heeled corporate, and usually Republican, interests. The organization emphasized its immigration stance by ordering a bilingual wrap that espouses its opposition to SB 1070, Arizona’s strict immigration law, which allows law-enforcement officials to check someone’s legalresident status during traffic stops and other routine procedures. (In June, after the wrap campaign, the Supreme Court struck down many elements of the law, but preserved the right to check legal-residency status during the course of performing other law-enforcement functions.) Its campaign, titled “Estamos Unidos”, entailed ACLU staffers and volunteers driving a van across the U.S. seeking support for its stance against SB 1070. In anticipation of the Supreme Court taking up the case, the ACLU enlisted Custom Vehicle (CV) Wraps (San Francisco) to execute the wrap for the Dodge Sprinter Van the group drove from San Francisco to NYC. The graphics, which feature the slogan and photos of supporters, were delivered to CV Wraps as vector art. Shop designers enlarged the images and made color adjustments using Adobe Photoshop. To produce the wrap, installers used 3M™’s Controltac™ with Comply™ v3 air-release technology, which it decorated on the shop’s Mimaki JV3-160 SP solvent-ink printer. Onyx’s ProductionHouse RIP helped the CV team proof the wrap’s production, and 3M’s 8519 luster-finish overlaminate, applied with a Royal Sovereign RSC-1650C laminator, made the graphics resilient for the cross-country trek. “Most of our wraps stay in our local area,” Kwasi Boyd, CV’s marketing director, said. “It was exciting to have a wrap that traveled across the country as part of a highprofile campaign.” 18 SIGNS OF THE TIMES / AUGUST 2012 / www.signweb.com http://www.signweb.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Signs of the Times - August 2012

Signs of the Times - August 2012
ST Update
Technology Update
Vinyl Apps
Strictly Electric
LED Update
Software Update
Technology Review
Technology Review
New Products
The Value of Signs
Casino and Gaming Signage
A Commercial-Sign Company Snapshot
Business is Blowing Up
Built to Last
Industry News
Advertising Index
Editorially Speaking

Signs of the Times - August 2012

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