Hot Trucks

Bell Ford, one of Arizona’s largest Ford-dealership networks, hired Arizona Color Promotions (Phoenix) to wrap six Ford F-150 trucks with promotional, racecar-style graphics. According to Jim McClure, Arizona Color Promotions’ general manager, Bell’s management admired work the shop had done for a local Chevrolet dealership.

The client specified the graphics should mix American-flag imagery, prominent brand placement (which included Ford’s racing division and Autocraft, its parts-manufacturing subsidiary) and numerals reminiscent of NASCAR stock cars. The company’s design team composed the program using Adobe Photoshop CS3.

Because the client’s office was only 10 minutes away, McClure decided to deliver the proofs personally. McClure said, “I wanted to see their reaction for myself. Their marketing officer promptly left his office to brag to their GM that the wraps were money well spent. They only required a few, minor changes.”

The project began auspiciously – unlike most customers, McClure was happy when the dealership sent clean trucks which only required a quick spraying of isopropyl alcohol and Primer 94 application to promote adhesion. Because pickup trucks feature fewer curves and contours than other vehicles, he said they offer the simplest “canvas” among vehicle types.

The company’s fabricators used Onyx Graphics Inc.’s ProductionHouse™ RIP to convert the image files to its printer, a Mimaki USA JV3, and output the project using 3M Graphics Market Center’s 60-in. Controltac film with Comply v2 air-egress adhesive with a gloss-finish overlaminate. McClure said wider film requires fewer seams and enables more efficient installations.

Advertisement