With a smooth surface that is easy to work with, windows are ideal for seasonal promotional graphics or one-off event branding.
Cling vinyl must be applied to windows at room temperature. And with its lack of adhesive, it can be difficult for store employees to install large-format graphics.
Other options include low-tack adhesives that are ideal for mounting large-format graphics more easily on both indoor and outdoor window surfaces. Their films can be digitally printed or screenprinted and offer a longer shelf life, being more durable than cling vinyl, yet also cleanly removable from the glass.
These materials generally cost 10 to 15 per cent more than cling vinyl. Despite their durability, they are really designed for short-term window advertising, as opposed to longer-term architectural applications where more than just graphic performance is called for.
Clear value
These trends, products and recommendations represent a snapshot of what attendees experienced at PDAA’s graphics application zone at the SGIA Expo. Discussions spanned many other new and unique materials that are coming to market, how to combine products to solve specific application problems and addressing such factors as costs and environmental conditions.
Overall, the sharing of knowledge, hands-on demonstrations and information presentations helped raise awareness of what is possible today with graphics on floors, carpets, counters, walls and windows, among other surfaces. In a competitive industry, it is important for signmakers to be able to demonstrate clear value to their clients, who need to feel they will achieve a return on their promotional investment.
Jodi Sawyer is a product manager for Flexcon, which manufactures pressure-sensitive, adhesive-coated films. For more information, visit www.flexcon.com.
