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Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Taking Marketing to the Streets

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Photo Courtesy of Avery Dennison® Graphics

The new Avery Dennison Street Graphics film is another marketing avenue for increasing store traffic at retail locations.  In this story, Jim Hingst describes the new micro-fracture film technology, application procedure and graphics removal.


By Jim Hingst

Laminated floor graphics have been used for years for in-store advertising. Now Avery Dennison® Graphics has introduced its MPI 6121 Street Graphics Film, which is an innovative floor graphics solution for short-term outdoor applications to unfinished concrete or asphalt. Applied correctly, the Avery Street Graphics film will typically withstand normal foot traffic for up to 120 days. That makes these graphics ideal for retail promotions.


Colorful graphics can attract the attention of pedestrians to the promotion. Combined with window treatments and window displays, the Street Graphics can help entice window shoppers, building store traffic. The new Avery Street Graphics material also delivers a powerful marketing message when applied to sidewalks outside of convention centers, sports arenas or entertainment halls.

“Floor graphics have grown to a $2 billion market because they are effective in stimulating impulse sales,” says Chris Charles of Think Patented in Miamisburg, OH. “The trick, though, is getting shoppers into the stores. That’s the value of street graphics. It helps drive traffic through the front door by enticing shoppers with money-saving specials or the latest and greatest new products.”
Photo Courtesy of Avery Dennison® Graphics

When specifying a material, a major consideration for Think Patented is ease of use. “Stores in a chain can be located across the country,” Charles says. “If we had to schedule installations, that could be a logistical nightmare. That’s why we select materials easy enough for a store employee to apply. It reduces installation costs for our customer and simplifies program implementation.”

As Think Patented discovered MPI 6121 Street Graphics is easy to apply, which makes it great for short term promotions. Paul Roba, Strategic Sales Technical Manager for Avery Dennison Graphics, says “if you follow the basic installation instructions, just about anyone can apply our Street Graphics film.” For those people who are all thumbs or when applying very large graphics, Roba recommends employing the services of a professional decal applicator or a skilled sign person.
Photo Courtesy of Avery Dennison® Graphics
“As easy as Street Graphics are to apply, they just as easy to remove,” says Roba. “At the end of the promotion, all you need is a pressure washer to blast it off of the pavement. The graphics remove cleanly without using any toxic chemical removers. After the surface is completely dry, it’s ready for new marketing message to be applied.”


Revolutionary Micro-Fracture Film Technology.


What’s different about Avery’s solution is their micro-fracture technology. The new Avery Street Graphics utilizes a 1.8 mil cellulose film facestock. In the application process, this unique film factures, allowing it to conform to a very rough concrete or asphalt surface. “The fracturing of the film also allows water to drain through the graphic instead of pooling on the top of the film,” Roba says. “By reducing the amount of water on the surface of the film, you limit the risk of someone slipping on your graphic.”

The new Avery Street Graphics film is intended for production of large format graphics using a UV curable inkjet printer. “If you want to achieve maximum advertising impact, the bigger the graphics the better,” says Roba. “Big graphics with bold colors attract attention, which makes it more likely that your message is read.”

Printed graphics not only do not need the protection of an overlaminate, Avery specifically admonishes fabricators from using laminates. The company also discourages designing graphics with cut letters and intricate designs. Cut graphics are difficult to weed as well as providing more exposed edges, which could potentially lift.


Preparing the Street Surface.


The key in achieving good adhesion is an application surface that is clean and dry. If the surface is wet, the film will not stick. Before beginning the application make sure that you inspect the crevices and cracks of the concrete or asphalt for any moisture. Also make sure that the application surface is in good condition and that there are no areas where the concrete or asphalt is crumbling. The Avery film will stick to a textured surface. It will not stick to rubble. To clean the surface, you will need a push broom. Brushing the surface from several different directions will sufficiently remove any dirt and loose debris. To aid the removal of loosened material, some installers use a leaf blower to blow away the dislodged particles.

Street Graphics Application Procedure.


For this application Avery Dennison recommends using the RTape ApliTape™ 4000 low tack application tape. This standard weight paper tape is excellent for protecting large format digitally printed graphics.

If you don’t have a laminator to apply application tape to printed graphics, here’s a simple technique that can make masking graphics foolproof. Unroll the tape so the adhesive side of the tape is facing up. Position the printed graphic face down onto the application tape. Squeegee the release liner side (backside) of the graphic, as shown in the picture above. Begin with a squeegee stroke down the middle of the graphic. Use firm squeegee pressure. Working from the middle stroke, squeegee the backside of the graphic to one side, always overlapping your squeegee strokes. After squeegeeing one side, return to the center and apply pressure to the other side of the graphic. In the process, slightly angle the squeegee to direct the air away from the center of the graphic. Using this technique to apply application tape will prevent wrinkles in the tape and entrapment of air bubbles between the tape and the graphic.

After you have squeegeed the release liner side of the graphic, flip it over and squeegee the application tape side. (Shown below.) Remember that application tape is a pressure sensitive material, so use some pressure in the application process.



 In selecting a spot to apply graphics, avoid locations that are subjected to water drainage and standing water. Also avoid areas with cracks in the pavement. Graphics should only be applied when the temperature of the concrete or asphalt is above 55°F (13°C).

To facilitate the application of the graphic you can use top hinge technique. After positioning the graphic where you want to apply it, apply a tape hinge along the top of the premasked graphic. For this application, I used an aggressive plastic tape to ensure that the graphic didn’t come unhinged. Cut through the tape hinge along the edge of the graphic. See the picture below. 


Flip the graphic up and peel back about 8” to 10” of the release liner, exposing the adhesive. With your thumb crease the liner. Folded under the graphic the liner will help hold the exposed adhesive away from the application surface. Using one hand, hold the bottom of the graphic at a low angle away from the application surface. Beginning at the top of the graphic, squeegee the film using good pressure and overlapping strokes. For this type of pressure, I recommend using a stiff nylon squeegee. As you apply the film, gradually remove the release liner. (See the photo below.)


After you have squeegeed the graphic securely in place, use a 3” rivet brush along with a little heat to burnish the street graphics film into the texture of the concrete or asphalt. In the burnishing process the film will fracture and conform to the rough surface. Don’t overdo it with the heat, or the film will bubble off of the surface.  (See the photo below.)

After you have squeegeed and burnished the graphic with the rivet brush, wait about five minutes before removing the application tape from the film. Carefully roll the application tape off of the applied graphic peeling it back at a 180° angle over itself.  (See the photo below.) After the tape is removed, resqueegee the entire graphic. Heating the edges of the graphic with an industrial heat gun or propane torch with help secure the film and prevent edge curl.


If you follow the techniques that I just described, application of moderate sized street graphics should be quick, easy and trouble free. Large graphics, especially those designs in which multiple panels must overlap and align with one another, could be challenging. When graphics are large and complex, it is time to hire a professional decal applicator. The pros have the training and experience to do the job right.

Street Graphics Film Removal.


As I wrote at the beginning of this article, removal can be easily accomplished using a pressure washer capable of producing 2000 psi or greater. This is not, however, child’s play. The equipment should only be operated by a responsible adult. The high pressure spray of a power washer can cause physical injury. For this reason, before you start using the equipment read the safety precautions in the owner’s manual.

In removing the graphics, position the nozzle about 3 to 5 inches from the film. Begin at the edge of the graphic and work from side to side until the film is removed. Depending on how well the graphic is adhered to the substrate, little bits and pieces of adhesive and film may remain following the removal procedure, especially if the surface is highly textured.




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NEW INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS.  Five new videos have been added to RTape’s  YouTube channel. The following is a description of the new videos:

Squeegee Technique. Nothing is more basic in vinyl application than the squeegee. But some squeegees work better than others. And there are right ways and wrong ways to use this simple tool. This video clip reviews squeegee selection, squeegee care and squeegee technique. Click here to view the Squeegee Technique video.

Wet Applications. Dry applications are typically recommended for most vinyl applications. For those exceptions to the rule, this instructional video explains the right way to perform a wet application. Click here to view the Wet Applications video.


Introducing AT65. Installing multiple color overlays with a paper application tape is not much easier than driving in the dark without your headlights. For these challenging applications, RTape developed its AT65, the universal high tack film. This video clip explains the features and benefits of this remarkable new film application tape. Click here to view the Introducing AT65 video.


Application of Window Graphics. Installing vinyl graphics on glass can be challenging, because the adhesive aggressively grabs onto this high energy surface. Repositioning graphics on window is generally difficult, if not impossible. This instructional video explains how to dry apply window graphics right the first time. It also describes the necessary steps required for surface preparation. Click here to view the Application of Window Graphics video.


Transferring Frosted Window Graphics Films.  Because frosted window films are highly textured, transferring cut vinyl graphics can be problematic. This video provides direction in selection of the right application tape and how to apply these films quickly, easily and without problems. Click here to view the Transferring Frosted Window Graphics Films video.


About Jim Hingst: After fourteen years as Business Development Manager at RTape, Jim Hingst retired. He was involved in many facets of the company’s business, including marketing, sales, product development and technical service.

Hingst began his career 42 years ago in the graphic arts field creating and producing advertising and promotional materials for a large test equipment manufacturer.  Working for offset printers, large format screen printers, vinyl film manufacturers, and application tape companies, his experience included estimating, production planning, purchasing and production art, as well as sales and marketing. In his capacity as a salesman, Hingst was recognized with numerous sales achievement awards.

Drawing on his experience in production and as graphics installation subcontractor, Hingst provided the industry with practical advice, publishing more than 150 articles for  publications, such as  Signs Canada, SignCraft,  Signs of the Times, Screen Printing, Sign and Digital Graphics and  Sign Builder Illustrated. He also posted more than 325 stories on his blog (hingstssignpost.blogspot.com). In 2007 Hingst’s book, Vinyl Sign Techniques, was published.

Slides of Jim's Artwork

© 2015 Jim Hingst

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