Letting the sun shine in

by all | 7 February 2014 8:30 am

By Megan Kranzler
Based in Kelowna, B.C., Optic Signs & Marketing was established in 2010 and has now grown to encompass three full-time and two part-time staff. The company focuses primarily on large-format digital printing of graphics for vehicles, retailers, restaurants, offices and art spaces. The company has even produced graphics for hang gliders and paragliders.

Last year, Optic was approached by Begrand Fast Design, one of Kelowna’s leading interior design firms, to develop custom window graphics.

“They contacted us after receiving a direct-mail piece that caught their attention,” says C.J. Wilkins, Optic’s president and CEO. “It featured a photo of two male construction workers from the back, sitting and eating lunch. One of them had a ‘plumber’s crack’ showing and the other was wearing a thong. The caption was, ‘We help your customers see you. But not like this.’ We got a lot of attention from that bold campaign!”

Specifically, Begrand Fast wanted new graphics applied to its office windows—not only to provide a fresh appearance, but also for several practical purposes.

“They were also trying to increase the amount of perceived space in their office, while retaining some privacy, as it is located at ground level on a busy street,” says Wilkins. “Further, they wanted to keep the space bright and clean and not lose significant amounts of natural light. We spent some time printing various samples and using different combinations of vinyl, until we hit the exact look they were trying to achieve. They were great to work with and bounce new ideas off of.”

Adjusting to conditions
Using Begrand Fast’s finalized concept, Optic developed a double-layer printed window film that would change its appearance depending on the indoor and outdoor lighting conditions. They used both clear and white cut vinyl to achieve this effect, printing with ‘latex’ durable aqueous inks.

“The design was far too complex to use cut vinyl alone,” says Wilkins. “We printed on the clear film and then laminated the white film to it. The result was a graphic that allows some light transmission, looks bright, modern and crisp in the daytime when viewed from outside and then looks warm and inviting during the evening hours. Our customer was thrilled!”

The film was installed on the inner surface of the windows, as the area sees a high level of pedestrian traffic, posing the risk of vandalism.

“The project took one day for production and one afternoon for installation,” says Wilkins. “Now it has been up for about a year and is still looking great.”

During that time, the window graphics have also helped land new work for Optic.

“With Begrand Fast being an interior design company, they now refer their customers to us for various projects,” Wilkins explains. “We work together to wow their customers!”

Investing in the environment
Earlier this year, Optic won the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce’s Green Innovator of the Year Award, recognizing its efforts—including latex printing—to reduce the impact of its operations on the natural environment.

“The judging committee noted we were willing to purchase a latex printer when the technology was still considered a very risky investment,” Wilkins says. “We are trying to make the business as clean as we can. Customers often comment, when entering our facility, the air does not smell like any other sign shop they have been in. Further, we recycle as much material as possible, are sponsors of the BC Sustainable Energy Association (BCSEA) and are working toward being certified carbon-neutral by Vancouver-based Climate Smart.”

Megan Kranzler is graphic design co-ordinator for Oracal, which manufactures calendered pressure-sensitive films for signage, vehicle graphics and related applications. For more information, visit www.oracal.com[4].

Source URL: https://www.signmedia.ca/letting-the-sun-shine-in/

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