What is wide format printing?

Large format solvent printing

If you are a representative of a large, medium, or small business, you pay great attention to the image of your company or want to present yourself or your brand to potential customers for the first time, then you will in any case have to turn your attention to the modern possibilities of large format printing.

Large-format printing today is not applying or coloring your information to a medium of unknown quality, but a high-tech production process.

Modern equipment for digital solvent printing on advertising media (banner, self-adhesive film, vinyl mesh, paper, PVC, etc.) provides high-quality large-format printing with a resolution of 180 to 1440 dpi and a print speed of more than 210 sq.m. at one o’clock.

According to the type of ink, digital large format printing can be divided into two main types – water and solvent.

So what is large format printing used for today:

• advertising design of points of sale, shop windows, exhibitions (interior advertising);
• advertising design of building facades (lightboxes, firewalls, signboards),
• advertising design of corporate vehicles;
• advertising design of construction objects (information boards, signboards, posters, streamers, pictograms, firewalls, and banners)
• advertising design of sports and cultural events (posters, streamers, firewalls, signs, signage and navigation systems, and much more)

The listed options for the use of large-format printing do not end there and are so wide that it is impossible to list them all. Interestingly, large-format printing has found its application even at home.

Printing on banner fabric

The most demanded and mass type of products are made by means of large-format printing in the manufacture of banner extensions and posters.

“What is a banner?” – you ask, a banner is a mostly white material, which is a vinyl fabric produced using casting or pressing (lamination) technology. Based on the banner manufacturing technology, there are differences in the scope of their application.

A cast banner is considered to be stronger, more durable, and more resilient due to its monolithic structure and high tensile strength. The laminated banner does not have such elasticity.

To ensure saturation and naturalness of color reproduction, banner fabric manufacturers strive to achieve optimal whiteness. The surface of the banner can be either matte or glossy.

It is convenient to use a cast banner for large-format printing of various banners, firewalls, and advertising banners used in outdoor conditions where it is subject to wind and other loads. The laminated banner is cheaper due to the production technology.

Large-format printing of signs for exhibitions, shop interiors, industrial premises, and also can be used for banners, firewalls, and advertising banners used in outdoor conditions, but not for a long time, like the cast.

The service life of a banner with large format printing is 1 – 3 years.

Printing on vinyl mesh

Vinyl mesh is a material very similar in structure to the banner fabric material. Vinyl mesh for large format printing consists of a reinforced polyester thread.

The main purpose of the mesh is to mask the facades of reconstructed and repaired buildings. Vinyl mesh is a material with very high dimensional stability and weather resistance.

The images printed by the method on the mesh are less bright and saturated compared to the banner fabric, but due to its cellular structure, the mesh experiences fewer wind loads, which allows it to be used in large sizes.

The grid is indispensable for repair and construction work when it is necessary to close the construction (repair) process from prying eyes and at the same time advertise a certain product, service, or company.

Printing on paper

Moving along the roads or highways of megacities and beyond, it is impossible not to notice that the main advertising media are free-standing advertising structures of various sizes (3×6, 5×15, 3×18, 6×18, etc.), otherwise called billboards.

For boards 3x6m in size. there is a name – “City-format”. It is the 3×6 m billboards that are the most common, it is the 3×6 billboards that the advertising companies of large brands rely on.

As we understand there are a lot of billboards, and information changes very often (usually once a month), which means that for the production of posters for these billboards, you need to use inexpensive material that meets technical requirements.

Typically, a vinyl banner and paper are used to make posters. In the case of long-term placement and small runs – vinyl. The main advantage of paper in comparison with a banner is the price, the banner’s durability, and the possibility of re-assembly and dismantling.

For large format printing, we use poster paper and Blue Back (with a blue backing).

Printing on self-adhesive film

The ability to print on self-adhesive film has ensured the development of the outdoor and indoor advertising market for many years to come.

Advertising materials printed on self-adhesive film have found their application in the interior design of sales offices, shop windows, advertising on vehicles, in the manufacture of pavement signs, signs, signs, posters, stickers, pictograms, and just stickers.

Depending on the place of operation, self-adhesive films have a service life of 0.3 to 15 years.

What is company signage used for?

Currently, signage has become an essential communication tool for companies. It is found everywhere: in front of a store, on a window, in the street, in offices… But what is it? How many forms of signage are there? And what exactly is it for?

Signage: what is it exactly?

Company signage is the set of all the elements used to indicate the location of an establishment to customers and to guide them.

It is an advertising medium that is of great importance in the communication of a company. In addition, it does not require a large investment, unlike other forms of advertising. There are two main forms of signage, namely:

• Interior signage: these are all media that are intended to guide and orient visitors, customers, employees, etc. to easily find the location of the store, outlet, warehouse, office, etc. This category includes billboards, plans, shelf-stops, point-of-sale advertising, etc.
• And the exterior signage: it is used to inform passers-by and visitors of the existence of a box. The most common are signs, totems, advertising flags, placards, etc.

Why business signage?

The main role of company signage is to guide customers and visitors so that they can easily access the premises, but also to inform them about the services and products offered by the firm.

Then, it conveys the brand image. This is why quality and attractive signage can seduce customers and prospects and encourage them to buy. This can therefore increase turnover and at the same time improve the reputation of the company.

Moreover, it is also a formidable way to differentiate yourself from your competitors and to acquire a new market share. The ground rules? Signage must be striking and original to be effective! As for the illuminated panel, its use is often requested by companies wishing to be visible even at night and night businesses!

What is a brand for?

A brand shines when it is a source of trust for the consumer when it creates value for customers. It is insurance for the customer because it provides a guarantee on the origin of the product but also on the performance. A guarantee of quality, the brand justifies higher prices.

For the manufacturer, it has many advantages:

• Develop loyalty and incentive to purchase and repurchase
• Generate bigger profits
• Communicate directly with the consumer, building a brand communication focused on the target audience of consumers, communication centered on the receptivity of a specific and targeted community.
• Segment the market
• Generate economies of scale

A brand is a contract that must generate trust, a contract that universally guarantees the origin of products and their performance. It is all the more important when the purchase is involved and the perceived risk is high. The brand makes an exclusive promise

Brand strategies

The construction of a brand strategy varies according to several parameters:

• Market segments in size and sector: a segment becomes strong when its turnover is high.
• Types of products.
• The global brand phenomenon.

The different types of brand

The brand produces:

Each product is marketed under a specific brand, and supported by personalized communication, offering a unique benefit to the consumer. The product brand only signs a product and conveys a positioning specific to it.

It can be separated easily, the product brand allows well-differentiated positioning with specialized products, the multi-channel distribution of product brands depends on each channel. Example: Ariel, Badoit

Brand – range:

The company sells products on the same market. This strategy consists in associating under the same name and the same promise, a set of homogeneous products.

The same nature of products ensures consistency in the brand strategy. The brand range sometimes results from a brand product on which, once well established on the market, we practiced range extensions.

The umbrella brand:

The umbrella brand signs several categories of very different products. The positioning of the umbrella brand is broader than that of the product brand.

• The umbrella brand benefits from a guarantee provided by the strong reputation of the parent brand
• Its development cost is lower
• The international vocation of umbrella brands has been demonstrated on several occasions.

The global brand, what are the advantages?

A real advantage of the global brand is to bring more potential, added value, and service to the consumer. An added value will be felt in the profit generated by the company.

The performances linked to it must have solid roots. The brand must have a leading position in market share to register as a global brand and must benefit from strong notoriety.

As a leading brand, it has a large market share in the market and sets the market codes in price and negotiation. To assert itself, the brand must devote a high advertising budget to maintain a hard-won image.

A dominant position forces it to develop its demand to contain competitors. Its function may be to challenge the market if it wishes to change its codes to take a leading position. In a niche segment or in a huge market, it has a volume market share concentrated in one segment.

Brand values ​​represent a set of beliefs specific to the brand, guiding behaviors and concerning particular personality traits. This is why trademarks have commercial and financial value.

Signage. But what is that for?

Signage plays a very important role in the comfort felt by visitors to a site, a clinic, a college or even a public building.

Signs are fundamental elements to facilitate access to the products that we are looking for, so to speak. A distinction is made between interior signage and exterior signage.

Guide visitors to the premises

The exterior signage of a building or site designates all the elements used to guide the visitor to the site. This is essentially the signage present on car parks and store access roads.

Parking signs and traffic signs or even site reception signs constitute the exterior signage of a site or a public building.

Exterior signage therefore includes all the communication media that indicate the presence of a public building, a college, a clinic or even a company. These communication media can be signs, advertising flags, pharmacy crosses, direction signs, etc.

Inside premises

In its capacity as door signage, interior signage consists of communication media that help guide people in an establishment or site and thus facilitate the visit.

Many interior signage supports exist, such as: billboards, billboards, kakemonos, adhesive on the floor, plans, shelves, etc.

Digital billboards, as indoor signage, use the latest technology like LED to deliver a message, allowing the display to be changed remotely with a click using a computer.

As you will have understood, it is a very useful interior signage element that offers several advantages. Among other things, it allows the original display of visuals, which constitutes a real visual cue to guide the visitor.

It is lightweight, easy to install and comes in many sizes. Quite rightly, it has its place inside a clinic, for example.

Some tips

Nothing is more hostile than an activity area where the visitor is looking for his way. Interior signage is used today by everyone, professionals and individuals.

For businesses or other public buildings, signage has the same purpose: to make themselves known to the surrounding area and direct their visitors to the site.

Exterior signage should be designed to attract and project the most favorable image of the site. Also, it must catch the eye and inform without attacking, directing the pace quite naturally.

As far as internal signage is concerned, it is essential to mark out a place and highlight useful information to visitors. Your internal signage must however adapt to your brand image.

Who has never turned for long minutes on the floor of a building in search of an indication of the place sought? Orienting visitors is essential, so as not to turn their heels.

Source of the article:  MR Enterprise

What are the different signs?

To inform and guide customers within the commercial space, there is a multitude of communication tools, each of which has a role to play.

adhesives

Vinyl stickers are important in visual communication and there is a wide choice of models. The window sticker will be favored to adorn storefronts and all kinds of glass or windows.

For adhesives, it is possible to use adhesive letters, printed logos to highlight your image, lettering with or without cutting, etc. to create custom stickers.

To set up adhesive signage, it is also possible to opt for the floor sticker, very useful for marking out a space.

Les kakemonos

The kakemono is a banner suspended vertically or on a stand. It is an ideal visual aid for attracting the consumer’s eye, signaling a direction, marking a route, highlighting promotional offers, etc.

There is a wide range of materials, sizes, and types of printing to meet the constraints and needs of the sign. It is a very powerful marketing tool for customer visibility.

Billboards

The wall display panel is useful for informing the consumer, giving him details about the store: changes in schedules, work in progress, job offers within the company… It is one of the first communication tools. between the distributor and the consumer and it is generally located at the different entrances to the sign.

Directional signs

Essential for directing visitors, directional signs must be precise, well located and visible. There are of course the plans, present in different places to be easily accessible, but also the label holder, the wall visual holder, the totem, the door plate, and the signaling plates, also called signaling panels. Directional signage makes the place more pleasant for the visitor and saves him time.

billboards

Point-of-sale advertisements are an integral part of signage products, as they catch the consumer’s eye and inform them about current promotions.

The billboard structures and arranges the point of sale to improve its visibility. It also encourages the act of purchase of the customer and thus increases the sales of the distribution network.

Safety signage

Compulsory in all French establishments open to the public, in Paris as elsewhere, safety signage comes in the form of pictograms, signal easels, or wall panels.

It must indicate the safety instructions, in the event of a fire, in particular, the contact details of the emergency services, and the prohibitions to be observed inside the sign, such as the ban on smoking. The signal easel warns the visitor of potential danger when the ground is slippery for example.

Improving in-store signage is an essential asset for the company because it allows it to differentiate itself, work on its brand image and make customers want to come back.

It helps the consumer in his shopping experience so that he finds the products he is looking for more easily, therefore it serves to boost sales.

The informational signage is supplemented by different types of POS, in order to strengthen the brand’s communication and build customer loyalty.

Contact us to talk about your projects and get a free quote. All our products are made in South Africa.