There are limitless options for building impressions through printed graphics and displays. Applying them to walls is one of them. The type of wall graphic or display used depends on the goal or desired outcome. If the environment is part of an exhibit, for instance, the walls might be used to convey a message or depict imagery that complements the theme being impressed upon visitors and the exhibitor's targeted audience. Another application of print on a wall might be a mural or some sort of quote that has nothing to do with selling anything. They simply serve the purpose of enjoyment, ambience and to showcase what a person or organization likes or values.
Can you do both? Yes, you can. As a graphics display professional, you have the ability to bring life to the walls of your clients by applying creative uses of printed graphics and displays on them through design, production or installation—or a combination. The one place often overlooked is on the inside.
The interior of any organization is where the people are. That's where impressions are made upon visitors, suppliers, partners, clients and employees. The kinds of impressions will depend once again on the goals or desired outcomes that the graphics displays are to produce. In some cases, these printed wall graphics will deliver an intended corporate message and strengthen a brand while at the same time provide something cool and artistic to look at.
That was the case with Daman Products, a company located in the heart of the Midwest that makes hydraulic valve manifolds. Although members of the company seldom see their products once they leave the facility, they know their manifolds play an important part in the function of many industries throughout the world: oil, shipping, construction, mining, agriculture, railroad, aviation, RVs and automobiles, amusement parks, and on and on. The company makes over a million different parts and they have the ability to design and build any custom parts.
This is possible because of a culture grown from innovation that believes in autonomy and is continuously improving in all areas of the business. These are the value drivers of their business model and business culture.
Many organizations have a set of core values, but they are invisible for the most part. They are intangible. Daman wanted to make theirs visible—tangible to the eye and something that a brain can sink its teeth into. So they hired me on the front end to help consult, then design, the concepts that met the goal of displaying graphically their core competency characteristics and values onto the interior walls throughout their corporate office and production facility. The Sign Store was contracted to produce and install the graphics and displays.
"We believe that every interaction (verbal or visual) adds or detracts from our very intentional brand management process," says company president Larry Davis.
Larry and I worked through the process of design ideas leading up to the elements that would best convey the theme and message he was after. When we finished I asked him to share what this project meant for him and the company.
"The work you and I did together was another step in bringing our physical space into alignment with the corporate brand we had nurtured for years; over-the-top willingness to help our customers be successful, to deliver impeccable products on time, to be innovative and professional, to pay attention to the details, to promote corporate clarity of thought and focus, and to do so with professional style that is somewhat uncharacteristic of the manufacturing world. Investing in a visual representation of our brand serves to foster pride in our staff and visually states our commitment to excellence. The statement to customers is a visual confirmation of the professional and supportive service they have received over the decades, and to those that are considering becoming customers, it creates a grand first impression that Daman stands head and shoulders above its competition through the manner in which it speaks to the market without saying a word. It is without a doubt a visual testament to the sense of purpose and pride we take to our markets. This was accomplished with the graphics and displays now on our inside walls and throughout the building as murals, mounted or hanging displays and even onto table tops."
Designing the graphics and displays involved a merging of photography where I shot images of their equipment, tools and products then blended those images with three dimensional and CAD drawings of their manifolds and circuits provided by their design and engineering teams. From there I wove color, light and fading effects into the photos.
All the design and layout was done using Corel X6. The files were then taken to The Sign Store where they were imported into Gerber Omega and Onyx software—their platforms for further refinement, preparation and print output. Mike Pozzi is The Sign Store's general manager.
"We used 3M IJ-180 vinyl material for both the murals and the wall hangings," Pozzi says. "All vinyl was printed on an HP Latex printer. For the wall hangings a dimensional look was achieved by applying the prints to ?”-thick black Sintra with routed beveled edges. Keyholes were routed in the back of each piece for mounting flush to the walls. Some of the wall murals were also enhanced by adding dimensional letters featuring the company's name and logo installed directly onto the graphics once they were applied to the wall."
The end result is a unique display of corporate branding that inspires creativity, conveys innovation and adds a dynamic touch of energy and enthusiasm in a business environment.
Inside the lobby and reception area of Vista Manufacturing is another recently finished example of an interior wall display for the purpose of showcasing a corporate brand with a value and mission statement. They wanted to make these visible in order to make them important. They also wanted them to be artistic, tasteful and sophisticated like the operation itself that makes LED products for the appliance industry. CEO Tod Tieszen elaborated on why their display is important and what it does for them.
"The company was started in 1979 by my dad and uncle," Tieszen says. "We have been plugging away in several different markets for about 30 years. In 2009, we got into the appliance industry selling to very large companies and it totally changed the dynamics of our business forever. We needed to build a quality management system, an engineering department, and build systems and processes in order to handle the growth and the complexity of our new customers. At the same time, I was adamant that we not lose focus on who we are and why we do what we do. So, we built a management team and defined who we were (core values) and why we do what we do (mission statement). They were created to define what ‘Vista People’ are and should be if working here. They also reflect my faith and entire purpose in life. The display that is now in our lobby clearly communicates who we are and what we believe. It is exactly what I was hoping for. Professional, artistic and classy. I love it! It is building impressions!"