“We’re absolutely seeing an upswing in floor graphics being used across the marketplace, especially in the world of event graphics,” says Keoni Dennison with Cranky Creative Group. “They’re a great way to utilize space that wasn’t previously being used, and they’re a great way to extend the branding of the event, the show, etc. – and to do so in a way that’s highly visible, while also being a relatively easy extension of what a print shop is already doing.”
Case in point: Cranky going “all in” for the third year it produced work for the Aruba Poker Classic Championships via client Ultimate Bet. The job comprised not only interior and exterior floor graphics, but also graphics for windows, tables, banners, and column wraps, all installed at the Radisson Hotel on the Caribbean island of Aruba.
Key here was that the floor graphics were of both the interior and exterior variety – the first time that Cranky had executed the latter type for this particular event.
“The interior graphics were applied to carpet, while the exterior graphics went poolside as well as on sidewalks leading to key locations, such as the cabana bar, breakfast restaurant, and the tournament room itself,” says Cranky’s Keoni Dennison.
“The poolside graphic was our suggestion,” he continues. “We figured that the pool was a key location – because that’s where the tournament kicked off – and suggested it to the staff during the previous year.”
The production of the graphics was somewhat uneventful: The client supplied the tournament’s logo to Cranky, which executed color-matching, sizing, and prepping for the final print and cut work. After sample prints were produced, the Cranky team relied on its Mimaki JV3 with Mimaki SS1 inks for final output, printing onto a combination of Oracal, Flexcon, and 3M media. Finishing comprised contour cutting and laminating, plus hemming and grommeting the banners. The exterior poolside floor graphic, measuring 3 x 7 feet, was output onto Oracal media mated with an anti-slip laminate from 3M.
What was a challenge, however, was getting the completed work through Customs, says Dennison: “This was a serious pain. Even though we had sent the graphics three weeks early, it took until the night before the tournament was supposed to begin for them to pull through Customs. And it ended up being an all-night install with two installers for the majority of graphics here.”
Print time was three days, with another four days for finishing; total time on the install was 12 to 14 hours. The floor graphics, as well as the rest of Cranky’s work, remained on display ‘til the last hand was won at the end of the two-week tournament.
Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, the Cranky Creative Group has been in business since 2005. Also comprising Capital Wraps in Washington DC, the company produces graphics work “for mid-sized companies who are ready to step up with their brand and take advantage of branding and marketing in today's world,” executing design and output work for tradeshows, vehicle wraps, retail spaces, and more.
CRANKY CREATIVE GROUP
www.crankycreative.com