About this site and its Author
TKO Graphix Brandwire
Dexterity, Bruises, and Pride in Vehicle Graphics Done Well
by Micah Bowers, “The New Guy”
There’s a curious ease to ordinary tasks like opening a can of soda, tying shoelaces, or navigating a smart phone — effortless motion! A beautiful combination of dexterity and muscle memory that’s often unnoticed. Our hands and fingers are wonderfully capable. They feel, apply pressure, generate leverage, multitask, synchronize, and carry out a range of actions the most advanced robotic technology can only shake a clumsy hydraulic fist at.
I’ve always enjoyed activities and jobs that require the hands and mind to work in tandem. There’s satisfaction to the immediacy of working through a problem and seeing the results in real time. In my first post, I mentioned a lag between my understanding of the decal process and my inability to perform the required hand skills. As I’ve continued learning the ins and outs of commercial graphics installation with TKO, I’ve found that my hands are becoming less awkward and more agile.
Getting vinyl to stick to a surface in a way that will hold up to the elements and look professional takes a lot of cleaning, heating, pulling, tearing, cutting, brushing, and wiping. All of this takes a toll on the hands …well, at least my hands. Every day on the job brings a thousand tiny abuses — cuts, burns, scrapes, and gouges. My wrists crack, knuckles pop, and palms ache, but there’s an element of pride that emerges as callouses form and fingers strengthen.
I’m amazed when I think about the evolution my hands have undergone in just six weeks of work. These days, we hear a lot about the rapid progression of technology. Today’s new version is tomorrow’s outdated model! In the past 100 years, automation has driven industries to unparalleled heights, but there are still many jobs that machines stink at. Fortunately, we humans have a knack for expressing spontaneous ingenuity through our hands, making us well suited for detail-oriented work with unpredictable variables …like installing graphics!
About The Author
Micah Bowers, “The New Guy,” is training as a graphics installer for TKO after recently completing his studies in art, design, and new media at Purdue University. With an eclectic resume (stints as a teacher, carpenter, and whitewater guide), Micah is excited about the challenge of learning both his new trade and TKO’s culture. Off the clock, Micah makes time for writing, collaborating on various art projects, and working his way through the films of the Criterion Collection.
The Fluidity of Graphics Installation, Be Like Water…
by Micah Bowers, “The New Guy”
If you’re not into action movies, combat sports, or pop culture, the name Bruce Lee probably doesn’t register. Wikipedia can tell you more about the man than I, but along with being an accomplished martial artist, Mr. Lee was a Renaissance Man. His philosophies on martial arts are more than mere principles of self-defense; they pertain to the general challenges of life.
The past few weeks, as I’ve felt the growing pains of becoming a graphics installer for TKO, one of Mr. Lee’s teachings has frequently come to mind:
“Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way round or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.” — Bruce Lee
Much of what I’ve learned during my installation training is counter intuitive… more is less unless it’s more, and less is never enough! Beyond training, I’ve made an effort to gain a better understanding of TKO’s culture. For me, it’s important to know what I’m doing and to relate to the people I’m working with.
To be like water is to be without preconceived notions of how things ought to unfold. As a new employee, a readiness to learn new methods and relearn old ones goes a long way towards putting your employer at ease. Bosses are human — they can experience anxiety and confusion, especially when communicating critical job knowledge to someone they’ve just met.
Think of who you’d be more inclined to share YOUR hard earned wisdom with: Someone who stubbornly resists counsel, or someone who accepts it in earnest? No-brainer, huh?
So, if you’re new on the job (like me) and sincere about performing your duties well, allow your lack of know-how to be an advantage, and remain like water as you take the shape of a valuable employee.
About The Author
Micah Bowers, “The New Guy,” is training as a graphics installer for TKO after recently completing his studies in art, design, and new media at Purdue University. With an eclectic resume (stints as a teacher, carpenter, and whitewater guide), Micah is excited about the challenge of learning both his new trade and TKO’s culture. Off the clock, Micah makes time for writing, collaborating on various art projects, and working his way through the films of the Criterion Collection.
Loading…
The Process Of Vehicle Graphics
Good friend, Bobbie Garner, is helping the Boys & Girls Club of Wayne County wrap one of their vehicles, and Health Care Professionals Credit Union are sponsoring the vehicle graphics. Bobbie mentioned, “Their board asked several times — What is the process? It would be really great if there was a simple post about what to expect.”
Thanks Bobbie — here you go…
The process is simple, if not complicated by lack of preparation.
1. Artwork — Do you have artwork? Do you need design assistance? Keep in mind — even experienced designers sometimes struggle with taking a two-dimensional design and making it work three-dimensionally. The design process can be a submit-review-adjust process. Give yourself time to make changes and work with your provider’s design team. Don’t wait until the last minute.
2. Production — Scheduling production will depend on several factors, including type and quantity of vehicles. A complete wrap will require more time than a plotter cut decal, and the number of orders ahead of yours will make a difference. Production timeframes should be discussed at the beginning of the process.
3. Installation — Once again, this should be discussed up front. Will it be installed at the provider’s facility, or the customer’s place of business? Is there an additional charge for on-site installation? Time frames will vary by vehicle and graphic; for example, a standard van can be wrapped in a day, although TKO likes to have two days to cover contingencies. Always allot extra time, and as always, don’t wait until the last minute.
Be Prepared, Not Surprised
You’re probably not a graphics expert, so how do you avoid surprises? It’s important to ask questions in advance. Truly, the only dumb question is the one left unasked. Here are 10 Questions You Need to Ask About Fleet Graphics.
When Should You Consider Re-branding?
It seems a lot of organizations are re-branding – or at least – TKO Graphix is helping quite a few companies re-brand. It’s a big deal. From legal to letterhead, domains to signage — there’s a lot to consider — and it ain’t cheap. Considering the time and expense, when should a company re-brand?
You Might Want To Re-brand
· To unify an inconsistent brand
· To reposition the organization in the market
· To highlight new products or services
· Because the organization has merged, partnered or been acquired
· To introduce a new marketing and/or advertising campaign
· To up-to-date your company’s image for a competitive advantage
Is it time to re-brand? We can’t answer that for you, but we can help with the designing, manufacturing, and installation of your graphics. We can re-brand your office, retail space, vehicles, and more. If you’d like to discuss re-branding, give us a call, 1-888-544-8051, or email. Enjoy the video.
3 Lessons From the Dairy Industry
TKO Graphix was invited by Avery Graphics to exhibit at the 2011 QCS Leadership Conference, held April 17-19th, at the St. Louis Marriott Union Station, in St. Louis, Missouri. This was the 6th year for the QCS Leadership Conference. Attendance was over 300 people, and including TKO, there were 62 exhibitors. We made new connections and caught up with friends, but most importantly, we learned the dairy industry has a lot to share.
1. The dairy industry understands the power of combining resources; does your industry?
In 2005, SECO and Quality Chekd Dairies Inc. formed QCS Purchasing LLC. In 2008, the organization added Allied Purchasing to its ownership. The combined purchasing power of this partnership offers substantial savings to its members. Members also share an expanded package of industry services: tailored, value-based programs geared toward the dairy industry’s needs.
2. The dairy industry understands the power of leadership development; does your industry?
The QCS Leadership Conference isn’t just about prestigious industry awards; it’s also about networking and education. Peter Horvath, president of QCS said, “The leadership conference provides our members with tools to help them excel in their highly competitive environment. They are exposed to industry experts, trends, success stories, governmental issues, innovative ideas, concepts, and products, while networking with peers in a non-competitive environment.”
3. The dairy industry understands the power of fleet graphics; does your industry?
While attending the leadership conference, TKO Graphix National Sales Representatives, Glenn Burris and Jason Scheurer, learned the dairy industry understands and uses fleet graphics. Glenn noted, “We felt so appreciated and welcomed. People kept thanking us for being there to answer their questions, and they talked about how important the ‘rolling billboards’ on their haulers were.“
So why doesn’t every industry wrap their vehicles?
There are many studies showing the cost-effectiveness of vehicle graphics. Every study recognizes the cost-per-impression of vehicle graphics as being far less than traditional advertising, such as TV, radio, print, and billboards. The problem is perception. Vehicle graphics are not vehicle identification – they are advertising! If you were going to advertise, why wouldn’t you advertise through the most cost-effective media? Advertise on your vehicles. Create a rolling billboard. Learn more and view statistics on ROI with fleet graphics.
The 1 Minute & 38 Seconds Case Study
Challenge – Re-brand Work Vehicles with Zero Vehicle Downtime
A national company wanted to de-identify and re-brand over 4,000 vehicles without losing work time. The vehicles were used from 6am to 6pm daily, except Sunday. Adding to the challenge, the vehicles were in over 200 cities throughout North America.
Solution – Schedule De-ID and Installation On-Site After Hours
The company contracted TKO Graphix to manufacture, de-identify, and install new graphics. Through TKO’s online fulfillment program, the decal manufacturing, shipping, delivery, and installation to all 200 + locations was coordinated. The process was divided into four phases with five installation crews traveling North America. Individual company branch locations were able to access status information at any time. The fulfillment program integrated all phases of the process with TKO Graphix and the customer.
Result – A Fresh Message, Seen by Millions, and No Lost Time
The company now has over 4,000 re-branded work vehicles on the street. They deliver a new, fresh message, at a cost of less than $1 CPM (cost per thousand impressions). Putting the CPM in perspective — traditional media, such as TV, radio, and print, can cost upward of twenty dollars CPM. The work was all completed after work hours, with zero time lost. A potential multi-thousand dollar loss, due to interrupted work, was avoided.
Why Haven’t You Wrapped Your Company Vehicles?
So…why haven’t you wrapped your company vehicles? You know you
should every time you see a competitor’s wrapped vehicle on the road. And how often is that? I’m going to end this post with stats to get you out of your car or truck and wrap it, (skip ahead if that floats your boat). First, let’s address the most common reasons I hear companies have not wrapped their vehicles.
We are too small – we only have two cars
Digital printing has made it cost-effective for everyone to wrap vehicles. If you have any advertising budget, why wouldn’t you put your dollars where they are most effective?
It costs too much
A Yellow Page bold-line ad can run $100/month — and up to $4000/month for a full-page (I’ve bought both). Billboards can run $700 to $2500 per month. A vehicle wrap can run $1500 to $3000, and last two - seven years.
We only have small cars — they are not big enough for wraps
Digital technology has changed things. No vehicle is too small to wrap. We have effectively wrapped smart cars, boats, golf carts, and motorcycles.
We’ve used the same company lettering for years, and that’s all we need
You may have a point; however, think of how much better your message could be conveyed with a wrap? If you own ABC Plumbing, your logo on your truck becomes a whole different message with an image of a clean, uniformed all-American plumber standing at a sparkling, clean sink.
We cannot afford the time to have our vehicles off the road to get them wrapped
In most cases, you shouldn’t have any downtime. The graphics company should provide graphics installers during your off-times.
Vinyl doesn’t last, it looks shoddy, and paint is better
These statements were true at one time — and can be true today, if cheap, shoddy materials and workmanship are used. With today’s adhesive vinyl materials, provided by 3M and Avery, almost anything can be wrapped better than it can be painted.
We can’t use wraps because we frequently change our products
I wish more businesses knew they could easily change products on their wraps. By using a changeable film on the product section of the wrap, it can be changed as often as you like.
Just The Facts, Please
The benefits of a vehicle wrap hit home when you compare the Cost-Per-Thousand Impressions (CPM) of other forms of advertising (Statistics courtesy of the Outdoor Advertising Association of America):
· A 30-second primetime spot in the top 100 television markets costs $17.78 per thousand impressions.
· A 60-second drive-time ad in the top 100 radio markets costs $8.61 per thousand impressions.
· A one-third b/w page ad in the top 100 newspaper markets costs $22.95 per thousand impressions.
· A four-color one-page ad in the top 23 magazine publications costs $9.35 per thousand impressions.
· The average for all forms of billboard ads costs $2.18 per thousand impressions.
· Vehicle wraps cost $.77 per thousand impressions.
According to Driving Revenues — a vehicle advertising firm in Washington — a $20,000 advertising investment buys:
· Radio attracts 900,000 listeners in six weeks with ten to twelve 30-second spots.
· Value Pak offers reach 600,000 with 100,000 addresses per drop, and your client is just one of many advertisers included in the packet.
· Billboards receive 700,000 impressions per month.
· Direct mail reaches 20,000 names with one postcard mailer.
Let’s compare the advertising above to wraps. If you spend $3000 (high-end) on a wrap, and keep the vehicle for five years:
· A vehicle receives 30,000 – 70,000 impressions per day (pdf)
· Five years = 1825 days
· 30,000 impressions per day (low-end) = 54,750,000 views
· If you wrapped six vehicles for a cost of $18,000
· This is over 328 MILLION views over the span of five years
So…why haven’t you wrapped your company vehicles?
The 10 Questions You Need To Ask About Fleet Graphics
I was recently approached with, “What should I ask about fleet graphics?”
Great question! Below are the questions you should ask before spending your dough — and, if you know how much I talk, of course I gave you the answers, too.
1. What methods will be used to de-identify the vehicle?
Be careful — some methods use toxic chemicals and may cause damage to the vehicle.
2. For how long is the material guaranteed?
Less expensive materials may be rated for only one or two years, which is not a good thing on a three - five year vehicle lease!
3. How long is the process from start to finish?
You probably can’t have it tomorrow, but it shouldn’t take over a month to begin installation. Completion would depend on the number of vehicles involved.
4. How do I properly clean and maintain the vehicle graphics?
“I didn’t know I couldn’t use a power washer!” You should take the time to understand the limitations of the materials being used. Your graphics provider should supply the correct graphics care information.
5. When the graphics are removed, how should I prepare the vehicle for resale?
“What do you mean it needs repainted?” Using lesser-quality materials with permanent adhesives can lead to the scraping and scratching of your vehicle during the removal process.
6. For how long will my vehicle be out of service?
Nothing funny here – time is money. Look for a graphics provider that will keep your vehicles on the road by completing the work during your off-hours.
7. What are the advantages and disadvantages of decals versus wraps?
Decals are smaller graphics and cost less; wraps cover your entire vehicle, and offer more visibility and number of impressions.
8. What vehicle color should I order?
Seriously, ordering the optimal color could save you on coverage when ordering graphics. If you want the background of your vehicle wrap to be blue, order a blue vehicle.
9. What certifications do the installers possess?
“Bubba done showed ‘em how!” Don’t let just anyone install your decals or wrap. Ask the graphics provider if its installers are 3M certified, or members of the United Applications Standards Group (UASG).
10. Okay, I didn’t have a tenth question, but “10” looks so good in the headline.
Although TKO Graphix is known for excellence in fleet and vehicle graphics, we also provide graphics for retail, trade shows, events, OEM, fulfillment programs, and POP. We design and manufacture signs, banners, floor graphics, wall murals, reusable wall graphics, and in-store promotional graphics.
Are you an expert in your field? Do you have something to add? What questions should consumers be asking in your area of expertise? We welcome your comments and we want to hear from you.
Digital Print Color Calibration, or “Man, do the flames on my truck look pink in the daylight?”
Our production manager at TKO Graphix, Tom McClelland, shared a story with me about a customer who was unable to match the existing rear panel of his vehicle wrap on his monster truck. The panel of the truck had been damaged in an accident (what a surprise) and needed replacing. However, when the truck’s owner went back to the graphics company, who had manufactured the original decal, they could not match the color even though the decal was less than a year old, not significantly faded, and was a standard color.
The question is, “How could this happen?” The company’s printing equipment had not been color-calibrated, and therefore not monitored. Without controlling these processes, colors are inconsistent. The color may be a standard spot color, but if the equipment is not calibrated and monitored daily, the color could vary significantly. Color profiling allows the graphics manufacturer to match a previous print product, like the monster truck. Color calibration requires all equipment to be part of a color-managed workflow. Usually, the control is a Pantone Matching System (PMS). Scanning a control color into the software allows uniformity on all equipment and between equipment. In other words, it will not matter which piece of equipment is used, regardless of inks, materials, or when it is printed. Color profiling also allows colors to match whether it is a vinyl decal, poster, sign or banner. Monitoring color daily and throughout the day will ensure consistency.
Okay, Do You REALLY Want To Know More About Color Calibration? If So, Read On…
Delta1-E(dE) is a single number that represents the distance between two colors. The human eye can detect color differences of one dE. However, it is not that simple because Light, Chroma and Hue (LCH) affect color perception. Blues are perceived differently than reds, reds are seen differently than yellows, and people do not see colors the same. Why doesn’t the color on the computer screen always look like the printed version? Monitors use RBG (red, green, blue) pixels, while most printers use CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black). Plus, the type of material, texture and brightness will also influence perception.
In Conclusion
Before investing in graphics, do your homework. Here are some questions to ask your graphic provider.
1. What color management policies and procedures does the graphics provider use?
2. How does the provider ensure consistency between equipment, materials, applications, and date of production?
3. How often is the calibration monitored?
4. What is the company’s delta–E tolerance policy?
5. What are the provider’s approval policies in regards to color?
The Tumblrs to Follow
Follow us:
Subscribe: