Isn’t That Special?

With the new year in full swing, it’s time to look at some new products, applications and ideas. Do you have customers who’d like to add some pizzazz to their graphics packages? Are you tired of using the same old colors in your shop?

This month, we’ll examine how some specialty, pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) films can enhance your client’s graphics. We’ll define what makes a PSA film “special” and what specific applications benefit from adding some extra “oomph.”

Is it special or not?

“Specialty” films are graphic marking films that aren’t your normal opaque calendered or cast plotter films. Examples include metallics or metal-foil, translucent, transparent, holographic and textured films.

I also think reflective films fit in the specialty category, but they’re really a separate PSA class (see ST, July 2006, page 20).

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You’ve probably seen these films in your favorite vinyl manufacturer’s catalog, but wondered, “When will I ever use this stuff?” That time is now. The signage and graphics industry is still experiencing huge growth and shows no signs of slowing. Such films, which were novelties, are now being considered

by architects, interior designers and major corporations. This has fueled everyday business owners to look for something different from graphics providers.

Specialty films for vehicle graphics

Vehicle and fleet graphics, one of our industry’s best advertising forms, deliver a company’s message in a very cost-effective way. However, some clients may compete with several other companies

that provide the same services. So, when you advise them how they can attract more attention to their businesses, you can offer different ways to enhance their vehicles’ or fleet’s appearance.

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Specialty films that always get a second look, metallics, come in various colors and contain metal flakes in their formulations, which is what really makes the product “pop.” Consider using this film to accent a graphic, such as shad¬owing text, or even to fill in a field of color in a logo.

However, don’t use a metallic color for every aspect of the company logo or message – that’s just tacky. Most major vinyl suppliers sell their own metallic-film versions. Make sure you stick to the cast products, because metal¬lics’ durability ratings are lower than opaques’, and you want to get maximum life from the film.

Another group of films that’ll rev up those vehicle graphics, metal¬lized or metal-foil films, offer such finishes as silver and gold chrome, or brushed silver and gold. These polyester-based films will last a couple years and should only be used on the flat part of a vehicle. But, man, they’re cool! So, if you have customers who want maximum impact in their logo, steer them this way. Layer them with a dark outline or drop shadow behind them to maximize their effect.

Reach for metal-foil (goldleaf or faux goldleaf) films for that classy look. Available in gold and silver finishes, these films come in small- or large-engine turns, as well as in a Florentine pattern. Nothing looks better on the side of a vehicle than a logo in classic gold, engine turn, backed with a high-gloss black outline or drop shadow. Sorry, sometimes I get a little nostalgic.

We’ve covered some specialty films that can make a moving message get more attention. Now, for something more stationary.

Architectural graphics

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I titled this section “Architectural Graphics,” not “Architectural Signage,” because I don’t want to limit these films to the decoration of business names and hours of operation on front doors. Everyday, another city mandates the reduc¬tion of business signage. How do we combat this? Incorporate specialized films into the storefront design, which maintains the company’s identity but isn’t really an “advertising message.”

Say the local sign code allows Steve’s Hair Salon a logo and hours of operation on the storefront’s front doors, but the storefront has four, other, floor-to-ceiling windows on either side of the doors. Etched-glass films can pull one element out of the logo, and this effect can be enlarged and repeated on the other windows. This professional treatment doesn’t count as signage.

Etched-glass films, available in various finishes and colors, offer your customer a fine- or deep-etched look. They can also be layered with opaque colors to add even more interest.

Transparent films have also taken off lately in the architectural segment. Offer these films to your customers and watch their eyes light up. They simulate a stained-glass window, but they can be used as the logo’s or message’s main focus, or they can highlight a graphic. Layer them over other such PSA products as goldleaf or chrome to achieve a totally different look.

High-impact graphics

When your customers want maximum exposure, you may hav to pull out the big guns. Several films can produce the whiplash effect your clients seek. You have to wear sunglasses to look at fluo¬rescent films.

Available in neon yellows, reds, greens and oranges, fluorescents can be applied to banners, POP and short-term storefront or vehicle graphics. However, their great reac¬tion is typically short lived, because the longest you can expect them to last, before fading, is two years.

Another, eye-bugging beauty, holographic film, gets your customer on the hook like a mosquito to a bug zapper. These primarily encapsulated, polyester-based films don’t conform well, but do they ever give off a spectrum of color! They appear differently when viewed from different angles – think disco ball. You can use these films for motorsports applications, vehicle graphics and POP.

Often overlooked as a good up-sell to your clients, reflective films are no longer just white, green, orange or yellow. Now, they’re available in gold, black, brown, brilliant blues, reds and purple. These films, which can be used for long-term vehicle graphics or permanent signage, will ensure your client’s message will be seen in night and day. And, yes, removal can be a nightmare, but technology is on our side; some reflectives leave little, or no, residue.

Thinking special

Using specialty films in your shop gives your clients various options if they decide to upgrade their image. When approaching them with these films, however, always check durability ratings and recommended applications. Don’t disappoint your clients with a film that doesn’t live up to their, or your, expectations.

If your shop incorporates digital printing, specialty films can enhance these graphics as well. Think how cool a reflective or metallic overlay would be on a vehicle wrap.

I haven’t covered all the available specialty films and their applications, but that’s where you come in. Experiment! Create! But most importantly, up-sell!

Craig Campbell is the technical marketing manager for Oracal USA Inc. (Jacksonville, FL).