Creative Color Studio Provides Its Best Wrap for the Wurst

Brent Luther is co-owner of Creative Color Studio (Burnsville, MN).

EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS
Laminator: Seal 54 EL pressure laminator, from Acco Brand LLC US (Lake Zurich, IL), (800) 257-7325; www.neschenamericas.com
Printer: DesignJet L28500 latex-ink printer, from HP (Palo Alto, CA), http://www8.hp.com/us/en/large-format-printers/
Software: Photoshop and Illustrator software, from Adobe Corp. (San Jose, CA), www.adobe.com
Vinyl: 3M Controltac IJ180-10Cv3 air-release film, from 3M Corp. (St. Paul, MN), (888) 364-3577 or www.3m.com/graphics; Scotchcal 8518 glossy-finish overlaminate, from 3M Corp.
Tools: Transfer tape, seal tape and nylon squeegees, from 3M Corp.; knifeless filament tape, from Knifeless Tech Systems (Vernon, BC, Canada), (778) 475-4068 or www.knifelesstechsystems.com; and torches, from such vendors as BernzOmatic, a division of Worthington Industries (Columbus, OH), (800) 359-9678 or www.bernzomatic.com
 

Our shop has been producing vehicle wraps since 2000, and our business has remained relatively consistent throughout the years. Granted, business tapers off somewhat in winter, and the customers who bring in vehicles to be decorated tend to request more conservative graphics. Also, winter requires that we bring vehicles we wrap inside for 24 hours to “thaw” before we start wrapping. Otherwise, the vinyl simply won’t stick. Also, the abundant salt used to keep Minnesota roads ice-free is routinely sloshed onto vehicle-paint jobs, and vehicles arrive in our shop filthy, or with marred paint. So, winter trucks require much more time to prep for wrapping.
The food-truck craze has really exploded in Minnesota. It’s been fun working on different vehicles; each one presents a fun, challenging opportunity. Thus far, we’ve wrapped approximately a dozen food trucks and concession trailers.
These jobs are great for us; they create tremendous word of mouth, and yield more projects (as I write this, we’re working on two additional food-truck wraps). Food-truck owners are usually gutsy entrepreneurs who’ve left behind full-time, steady jobs to chase a dream. Therefore, these customers have big dreams, but, often, tight budgets for graphics.
We explain that being tight-fisted now can be costly, because bargain-basement graphics create a poor image and potentially torpedo their ambitions. We’ve seen firsthand an unwrapped or poorly wrapped food truck alongside a well-designed wrap. The poorly decorated truck will have a few people in front of it, whereas the handsomely bedecked vehicle enjoys a 50-deep line throughout a food-truck gathering.
Our area is home to many microbreweries; New Bohemia Wurst + BierHaus is one of the best. Their brews and juicy wursts are a welcome addition to the community. New Bohemia’s marketing manager wanted us to embellish their food truck with a youthful image attractive to the millennials who represent the largest segment of mobile-foodservice patrons. He understands the importance of maximizing exposure in an extremely competitive market.
For a colorful wrap with sharp, high-contrast graphics, a fun logo, a bright color palette, vibrant reds and grayscale gradients all work together to deliver an effective message. Vehicle-wrap designs have evolved considerably in recent years; text-heavy messages are difficult for potential customers to read, and don’t help build business.
Our design team brainstormed several ideas that would integrate brewing tradition with a modern twist. They developed large beer vats that created a subtle background, with wheat, hops, retro-style lines and some edgy, halftone grungy elements that added a cool vibe. We created a scratchy “texture” that resembles a chalkboard for the backdrop, which works well with the graphic components we designed. Using a Dell PC workstation equipped with Windows 10, we developed the program with Adobe® Illustrator® and Photoshop® software.
We produced the program on our HP DesignJet L28500 latex-ink printer with 3M Controltac IJ180-10Cv3 air-release film. We output the program in 13, 50-in.-wide panels, which were divided between both sides. We prefer using latex inks because, although they don’t quite provide the longevity and flexibility of solvent inks, their ability to produce graphics without drying time is a tremendous advantage – and these inks don’t contain VOCs. Each ink system has its advantages; therefore, we operate both kinds of printers. We laminated the panels on our Seal 54 EL pressure laminator.
Such trucks require propane tanks to operate the gas burners and water heaters. We always require owners to remove them while at our facility because of the liability their flammability creates. A vehicle we’d wrapped years ago was destroyed by a faulty tank, so it’s important to avoid these hazards.
We begin our installations by removing mirrors, door handles, lights and other components so no edges are exposed to the elements. We call our system of decorating food trucks “painting the pig.” Other than the shiny, new interior kitchens inside them, these trucks have been well used – and often bear ancient graphics. We also have encountered vehicles where the previous owner covered up old advertising with housepaint. Applying vinyl over these types of cover-ups is, well, interesting. And, even vehicles submitted to us in great condition have included rivets, deep body recesses and contoured molding right in the middle. So, no job is a picnic.
The right tools are essential for a successful job. Our job involves 3M Gold nylon squeegees, 3M masking tape, knifeless filament tape, custom-made wrap magnets, heat guns and torches, and 3M Clear Seal tape.
Most food trucks are constructed using old Grumman trucks that once delivered bread, linens and countless other commodities. It’s fun transforming old trucks, many of which need their bodies refurbished before we start applying vinyl, into trendy crowd magnets.
New Bohemia’s truck, which has been everywhere across the Twin Cities, generates new photo ops and social-media posts almost daily. Excellent food and service will generate repeat customers, but compelling graphics are required to make the first impression. With several bricks-and-mortar locations already in operation, this customer was more established – and worked with a more substantial budget – than others.
So, if you’re ever in Minneapolis, and happen upon the New Bohemia truck, get in line for a wurst and a phenomenal giant pretzel.