Insights and inputs from our team and around the web.
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- Written by: Super User
Don’t miss an opportunity to advertise your business during the biggest sports events in North Texas! Thomas Reprographics is the best source in town for posters, banners, menu boards, window clings and just about any other large format graphic you can think of.
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- Written by: Super User
The Dallas Metroplex has always been known for having a multitude of impressive developments and landscaping in the greater areas. Every year at Topping Out, industry leaders from both Dallas and Fort Worth unite to recognize and honor excellence in the fields of development, architecture and construction that positively impact our communities. Awards are given not on the basis of individual achievement but rather in honor of the collective accomplishments of the entire team responsible for a project's success. Proceeds from Topping Out benefit The Arc of Dallas, improving the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities, and the University of Texas at Arlington School of Architecture.
Thomas Reprographics was one of several sponsors of this year's event and is proud to have a hand in supporting community-minded building projects as well as the UT Arlington School of Architecture and Arc of Dallas. It's rare to come across a charity that has such well-rounded benefits. We at Thomas love to support students and great educational programs, such as the UT Arlington School of Architecture. We are also excited to support an organization such as Arc of Dallas, which works with people of North Texas who deal with developmental disabilities. But it is an absolute delight to be able to support both of these groups in a way that also encourages local builders, developers, architects and city planners who work hard to make DFW a better place to live for everyone.
Find out more about this year's Topping Out event and see the winning designs at www.toppingout.org.
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- Written by: Super User
This coming February 6th, Super Bowl XLV will be held at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX. Everyone knows that every year the Super Bowl is a marketing field day, featuring multi-million dollar commercials, viewed by millions who sit through hours of boring football to enjoy.
While television is a fine, albeit a low-bang-per-buck medium, what many people don’t know is that the insider track for this year’s Super Bowl advertising will be the Fort Worth skyline. Seven long days before kickoff, ESPN coverage for the game begins in Sundance Square deep in the heart of Fort Worth. With the Fort Worth skyscrapers and buildings in the background, tens of thousands of fans will converge on Sundance Square as millions tune in from all over the country.
Here at Thomas Reprographics, we can’t imagine a better time to take advantage of our large-format printing abilities. Thomas is one of the few companies in the world with the ability to print the photograph-quality sheets of vinyl necessary to wrap the side of a building with your advertisement. We can take any graphic or design and turn it into a Godzilla-sized moneymaker. We can even help you design something new and amazing. This Super Bowl could be a game-changing moment for your brand and chance to communicate your message to one of the largest audiences in the world. This may not be the right move for every business owner out there – mainly because there aren’t enough buildings in Texas. But don’t be afraid to dream big for some Fort Worth Super Bowl advertising, because Thomas can definitely deliver.
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- Written by: Super User
1. Create an Atmosphere
Don't be a one-banner wonder. With the use of three trade show banners and a few small displays, this company was able to turn a boring space into one that not only looks great, but also creates a cozy, warm atmosphere. When you're at a trade show there is a lot of commotion as hundreds or even thousands of people are wandering through various exhibits. When someone arrives at your trade show booth, they need to feel like they are immersed in what you are selling. It's easy to have a trade show banner printed and set up, but by making sure that your exhibits are consistent in style, as well as adding a few small filler pieces, you can make the world of difference. Don't be a one-banner-wonder, instead create a space that represents your business.
2. Grab People's Attention
The owners of the trade show banner displayed above have used a simple image to make their banner into an optical illusion that easily captures the attention and interest of anyone that looks at it. This technique is great for drawing people in to inspect your trade show banner at which point you can introduce them to your business. This works a lot better than trying to bribe people with swag, and is more cost efficient as well. Also, it gives you something to start your conversation with rather than trying to find a way to break the ice. They key to using illusions however, is to associate the trade show banner with the core of your business so that it is a smooth transition from entertaining to pitching.
3. Use Your Space Effectively
Most trade shows that you visit will only offer businesses a very limited space to present in unless they have an extremely large budget. Since you only have a limited amount of room to place your trade show banners and other items, you must use it wisely. A few good tips are to include various pieces of furniture or media that will keep people in your booth longer. If you can include a small television that continuously plays your advertisements, it will not only draw people in, but it will also act as a quasi-sales person when you are unable to attend to visitors. Including a podium will allow for space to place a computer, and can also be used to store your belongings so that they are not in plain view. Finally, adding a product shelf or display rack will highlight your merchandise, while your trade show banners act as a backdrop. Stay tuned for more tips on effective use of trade show banners, and in the meantime, find out more about our deals.
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- Written by: Super User
Sports bars and burger joints will always be jam-packed on Super Bowl Sunday, but according to a recent survey by The Neilson Company, 9 out of 10 households will be staying home for this year’s big game. "'Staying in is the new 'night out' and we see this trend continue to play out with the Super Bowl,' said Nick Lake, vice president, group client director, Beverage Alcohol at Nielsen. 'Consumers continue to rein in spending and while this 'new normal' provides challenges for restaurant and bar owners, it presents opportunities for consumer packaged goods (CPG) retailers and manufacturers.'" Super Bowl season has traditionally been a busy time here at Thomas as well — printing window clings, building banners and freestanding cutouts for restaurants vying to become the local Super Bowl headquarters. But with consumers tightening their belts, we thought we’d offer few suggestions to help you take advantage of what may become the new normal.
1. Branded Take Home Snack Packages
If people aren’t going to come to you, you can just go to them. Consumers want convenience just as much as value. So put together a unique offering of your top appetizers and drinks packaged in an interesting way. Make special boxes and to-go cups and market this package deal as a tailgate party for the living room. Put some flyers in your menus and position your restaurant to be the one-stop shop for any watch party snacks.
2. Throw a Bigger, Better Party
The only thing better than a living room watch party is a blown out, weekend long football festival. Go big or they’ll go home. Live outdoor music, eating contests with a decent reward, flag football tournaments – anything to get people excited and talking. This could even be a great way to generate free publicity. Local TV news, radio stations and newspapers love to cover interesting events. It could easily become something people look forward to year after year.
3. Push Catering
Everybody loves to attend a great party, but it’s usually a huge pain to throw one. If you can take care of as many annoying details as possible, you’re restaurant will quickly become the go to place for party throwers all over. Even if catering isn’t normally something you offer, rent a few chaffing dishes and truck or two – it will be worth the effort. They key will be informing your customers beforehand so they have a chance to make all their plans.
4. Discounts on Appetizers and Drinks
Besides huge amazing prizes (see #5), nothing brings in a crowd better than a really good deal. Offer cheap beer or half-price appetizers during the game or for anyone who has a table of more than a certain number of people. Another favorite is to give free food based on the game itself. Customers will love the risky nature of it (Vegas makes a killing off this) and they will show up just to see what happens. A free pizza for every touchdown or a round of drinks for an interception. Again, your customers have to know about it before but if you make the deal sweet enough they’ll definitely show up.
5. Give Away Something Expensive
The only thing better than getting something for free is getting something really awesome for free. If you offer something that people definitely want, you’ll have watch out for a maximum occupancy violation. The trick here is to partner with the provider of the item to be given away. If it’s a massive flat screen, make a deal with a local electronics company and give them some free menu advertising. If it’s a free car, offer to cater the next few liquidation sales at the car lot. But the most important thing is to make it something amazing. A free dinner isn’t going to cut it; you’re going to have to come up with something people will go crazy for.
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- Written by: Super User
7. Do a Stunt Just to Get Attention
The above pictures of an art student and her graduation project got international press. The car was donated to her by a local junk yard and their name on the windshield launched them into world-wide notoriety, not to mention a huge spike in local business and sight-seer traffic. It might as well have been for a vehicle wrap installer. The hard part is coming up with an idea that will get noticed, but don't try to make it happen all by yourself. Always be ready to jump on a good idea when it comes to you. This car was already junk and not a huge loss for the junk yard, but a short-sighted owner might have only seen the profit they were losing in parts and scrap sales. Don't be guided by fear - build funding for some small, low-risk stunts into your budget and listen to people who ask for help with a project (especially hippie-looking art students).
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- Written by: Elizabeth Woods
Trade show display graphics are an excellent way to help you stand out in a crowd and appeal to an audience of people that are inherently interested in what you do. First impressions are lasting impressions, and your display booth can attract new potential customers, based simply on eye-catching trade show display graphics. Thomas Reprographics can create the type of look you need to stand out in a crowd.
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- Written by: Super User
Did you miss Part I? See it here!
4. Take Advantage of Uniquely Functional Vehicles
The tanker in the picture doesn't quite nail it, but I love the idea that this truck could be full of Pepsi on it's way to Circle K. But your product doesn't have to be a liquid to advertise on a tanker truck. How about a truck full of elbow grease so you can work harder for your customers? Or a delivery of glue because you'll stick it out till the end. Or an entire tanker of whoop-ass because a single can just isn't enough. Doing print ad on the side of a bus is fine, but isn't going to make you rich. Different is good - a dump truck wrapped to be a delivery of money to your investors, a garbage truck full of good ideas that weren't good enough for you, a cement truck with a logo that's both upside down and right side up, just the fact that you thought it through enough to do both will impress potential customers and get you some attention.
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- Written by: Super User
Have you ever seen a police car or emergency vehicle that looked outdated or not well maintained? Police cars and emergency vehicles need to stand out in a crowd for may reasons, but looking like an old school relic isn’t one of them.
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- Written by: Super User
1. Good Design Is Key
This ad for Jack Daniels on a London cab be easily seen from skyscraper windows and it looks classy and interesting from the street. A great combination of good design and creative positioning.
Another example from the UK, this wrap for a printing company is loud enough to get a lot of attention but understated and elegant enough to convert viewers into customers. This design is stark contrast to the huge-text, in-your-face, explosion-and-fire designs of most commercial wraps on the road. No one has ever been annoyed into becoming a customer. Good design in vehicle wraps is surprisingly hard to find. A clever, well-designed vehicle wrap is an easy and immediate way to set your ad campaign miles ahead of everything else out there.
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- Written by: Super User
Whether you’re hosting an event and need to direct the flow of traffic or attending an event and need to get some attention, Thomas Reprographics can help. We can make high-quality banners in pretty much any shape and size to fit whatever needs you may have — all the way up to 12 feet wide. But you can go even wider by stringing several together into a huge panoramic image. Our retractable stands make for easy transportation, plus they come with carrying cases. You can choose from single- or double-sided stands for maximum exposure. We also work with a number of excellent vendors to provide impressive expo booths. We can print any graphic on waterproof fabric and set you up with a stunning display booth. For more information on all the amazing things we can do to get you attention, give us a call at (877) 312-7347.
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- Written by: Super User
You’ve finished your design and you’re ready to send it off to the printers. You triumphantly click “file” and “save as” but momentarily falter as you scan down the endless list of three letter suffixes. Which one should go after the dot at the end of your document title? You created your amazing document in Word 2007, but your work computers are still using Word 2003, and every time you try to send that to someone they email you back saying they can’t see it. So maybe you should save it as '03 compatible, but what if the printer uses a Mac? So maybe you should export it as a PDF, but every time you do that it ends up looking blurry plus it takes forever to open.
This is a very common conundrum that Thomas Reprographics has dealt with on countless occasions. Fortunately, there is an easy solution. If your document is smaller than 11" x 17", you can save it as PostScript (.ps) file, and if it’s bigger than that, you can save it as an Encapsulated PostScript (.eps) file. The beauty of these formats are that they include all the data, including fonts, graphics, layout, images, etc., into a single file that can be translated by a printer. If a document is not saved in one of these universal formats, the printer you send it to must have the exact same program with the correct version that was used to create it. Most people have Microsoft Word, but not everyone has the most recent version. In fact, even different settings can cause a layout to get jumbled. There are even more issues if your document was created in a more professional design program like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator. Some designs can have hundreds of layers and elements working together within one document that can only be decoded by Photoshop or Illustrator.
Saving and sending your creations in a standard .ps or .eps format will guarantee that your design will be printed looking exactly the way you made it. For more information or help with saving and printing as a PostScript or Encapsulated PostScript file, check out the following resources:
- From Thomas: Digital Tips
- From Adobe: PostScript printer drivers for Windows and Adobe PostScript 3 Overview
- From Microsoft: Save your publication as a page-independent PostScript file for commercial printing and Why a commercial printer wants a PostScript or PDF file
- From Wikipedia: PostScript
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- Written by: Super User
Getting messages in front of a captive audience is one of the biggest marketing challenges faced by today’s brands. In the high-tech age we live in, messages bombard consumers constantly, and people have learned to tune out messages from sources like TV, radio, the Internet and print. That’s why so many brands choose to drive their advertising with vehicle wraps and fleet graphics. Vehicle wraps and fleet graphics have proven to be successful for several reasons. First and foremost, drivers are a captive audience – or at least we all hope they are. In all seriousness, the very act of driving requires that people pay attention to their surroundings, and to the vehicles in their proximity. The numbers regarding vehicle wraps and fleet graphics speak loud and clear:
- 97% said they remembered ads displayed on trucks**
- 29% said they would base a buying decision on these impressions*
- 96% claimed fleet graphics had more impact than billboards**
- 98% felt that the ad created a positive image for the advertiser**
When you look at those percentages, combined with the fact that fleet graphics give an average of 101 impressions for each mile traveled, it’s easy to see why brands are choosing to drive advertising with vehicle wraps and fleet graphics! Of course, deciding to utilize vehicle wraps and fleet graphics seems like an easy decision. Fortunately, so is choosing the right printer to make sure that your vehicle wraps and fleet graphics pop off your vehicle with brilliant color and clarity. Thomas Reprographics is an established industry leader in wide-format color printing. With over 50 years of experience, Thomas Reprographics helped pioneer full-color printing for vehicle wraps and fleet graphics, and provides a turnkey solution, from production all the way through installation on the vehicle.
Call 1.800.TRREPRO (877-312-7347) to speak with a Thomas Reprographics Print Expert to learn more.
* Results of study by the American Trucking Association. ** Results of study by Robinson, Yesawich & Pepperdine Inc.- Details
- Written by: Super User
Across a wide range of industries, companies are discovering the big benefits of large format color printing. Large, beautifully printed signs and banners are a proven way to deliver messages to consumers. Studies show that color messages are far more captivating and memorable than black and white. Size also matters, with bigger messages subconsciously placed in higher priority than small messages. Take advantage of large format color printing to sell your message! There are several formats that you can take advantage of, depending on your specific needs.
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