December 2000 Issue:

DGI plays ball with Volvo at Boston's FleetCenter

Giant-size digital displays promote automobile maker to sports fans

When clients explain that DGI Inc., Burlington, Mass., does "grand" work, you can take that compliment two ways. DGI digital printing work is "perfect," but it can also be gigantic. Recently, the company successfully tackled a tall assignment that "plays" in Boston, Mass.'s 15,000-seat FleetCenter, home of the Boston Bruins hockey and Celtics basketball teams. The client is Volvo Cars of North America Inc. (Volvo), Rockleigh, N.J., and DGI produced super-large graphics that included a gigantic wall mural, towering column wraps, and a large expanse of floor graphics in the FleetCenter. The digital printing company orchestrated the producing, printing, and installing of Volvo's grand-size display at the stadium. Although months of client planning and design went into the project, DGI had less than four days to install the multi-faceted display - the longest time slot available between the FleetCenter's busy schedule of games, concerts, and other events.

The project blossomed when FleetCenter management offered Volvo an opportunity to place a major display environment, including a Volvo automobile, at the venue. DGI, noted for its state-of-the-art digital printing technology, was given the task of printing the graphics and installing them by the August deadline.

Here's the timeline for the project:

Step 1: Last April, Bob Bekesha, DGI vice president of Marketing and Sales, along with 3M Corp., St. Paul, Minn., got the ball rolling by approaching the FleetCenter's marketing department with ideas on how large-scale graphics could be used to enhance the presence of corporate advertisers at the arena. Initially, DGI provided digital images of the facility's interior, into which sample photos and graphics could be dropped. This was done in order to help prospective advertisers visualize the impact of large wall murals, column wraps, floor graphics, window appliqués, and other graphic possibilities.

Step 2: The FleetCenter offered Volvo, a current advertiser at the arena, an opportunity to expand its promotional profile at the venue. FleetCenter used drop-in samples created by DGI and 3M to illustrate the impact of the large-scale graphics to Volvo executives. Volvo loved the concept and agreed to a package that included an 8-by-40-foot wall mural, a 10-by-20-foot area floor graphic and seven column wraps, as well as placing an actual automobile on display.

Step 3: In May, Volvo and its New York design firm started creating the images and graphics for the displays, which featured Volvo's year 2000 models in the company's "Volvo for Life" advertising theme. DGI executives helped in the overall planning with technical suggestions and assistance regarding what is possible with ultra-large graphics. DGI's facility images, with the ability to illustrate how the sample Volvo photos would appear on site, were extremely helpful in the client visualizing the final results.

Step 4: After several months of conceptual work, Volvo and its graphic design team turned over to DGI the digital files required to produce the project. DGI did some additional high-resolution scans of original artwork to ensure the best possible reproduction.

Step 5: DGI took approximately one week to proof and print the graphics from the digital files. Previously, DGI had been working closely with 3M Corp. in selecting the most durable materials for the installation's year-long display. Before production started, all the technical details had been finalized; and DGI technicians had their game plan in place.

Step 6: Since the cinder-block walls of the FleetCenter did not provide a smooth surface for mounting the wall mural, arena workmen installed an MDO board backing for the mural. With the same scaffolding in place, DGI had three days to install most of the display elements. Perhaps the most tedious job was installing the floor graphics, which were cut into separate 12-inch squares and applied individually to the area's 12-inch-square ceramic floor tiles.

"There was quite a bit of coordination on the project, from preflighting Volvo's digital files, to working in tandem with the FleetCenter staff to complete the project in the limited time period," comments Bekesha.
"Proofs were important, because Volvo's management had not worked with large-format graphics before. We are very careful to help clients understand the benefits and efficiency of large-format graphics, as well as to define their expectations. Frequently, I point out to clients that large-format graphics are designed to be viewed from a distance of 6 feet or more, rather than 6 inches away. We are quite thorough in explaining how images appear on column wraps and deciding how images are seen from different angles of view. We explore the client's expectations when selecting colors and materials," he explains.

"We liked what we saw," shared Frank Gaffney, a regional manager for Volvo Cars of America. "We have done advertising in the FleetCenter in the past; but this was offered up this year, and we took advantage of it."

From a production standpoint, a 54-inch Raster Graphics Inc., San Jose, Calif.'s DCS 5442 electrostatic printer produced the original graphics printed at 150 dpi on transfer paper, and these images were heat-transferred to 52-inch-wide 3M Scotchprint vinyl media. An adhesive-backed vinyl was selected for the huge wall mural, which was applied directly to the smooth, half-inch MDO board installed by the FleetCenter's workmen. The 8-by-40-foot vinyl mural was assembled in 4-by-8-foot sections, which were edge matched and tiled together.

Nearly 80 inches in circumference, the column wraps presented a challenge, since the circular overlapping joints had to match up perfectly. It was a labor-intensive, two-man job, because one person had to be a distance away checking the lineup. At the same time, workers were careful not to stretch the vinyl media. Both column wraps and wall mural vinyls were laminated with a protective UV film. Although the wall mural was out of the spectators' reach, DGI wanted to offer top protection for any circumstance, while the column wraps were expected to receive sports fans' fingerprints and still clean up well.

"We are contentious craftsmen. For example, each of the 12-inch-square floor graphics, printed on a special 3M adhesive-backed vinyl made for this application, was applied separately. That was the best way to install the job for the greatest image durability," he explains. "One of the most important things is to communicate with clients and to review their expectations for the project. The second challenge is successfully coordinating the project with the display venue within the time available. Too often, clients come to us at the end of their time frame, and things can get hectic in order to meet their deadlines for an event display," Bekesha continues.
"Our approach --particularly with new clients who have no experience in large-format graphics --is based more on consultancy than hard sell. Our eight project managers are trained to meet with clients, to discuss their expectations, and to meet their goals. We take a lot of time explaining options to clients, since we want to establish long-term relationships with them. This is a niche industry that is frequently more an art than a science; and, often, compromises have to be made to produce the best-looking display. That is the challenge.

"Clients ask us to produce all sorts of different kinds of installations, from trade show exhibits to fleet graphics. It's very important to deliver high-quality results. It's a responsible job, and clients have to be comfortable with us. It's not like printing business cards or brochures.

"We offer clients our four large-format 'food groups': Photographic, Vinyl, Commercial Inkjet, and Fabric. As a one-stop source, we have a full line of products, and can base solutions on client needs, rather than on one or two pieces of equipment in the shop. We don't try to 'push' customers one way or another, because we can offer any product on the material they require," he explains.

DGI is equipped for nearly any type of digital printing assignment ÁÁ from creating digital wall displays on paper or vinyl to digital fabric designs; or from large-format, silver-halide, color photos to fine-art inkjet prints. In addition to the RasterGraphics DCS 5442 electrostatic printer for vinyl displays mentioned previously, the company's equipment list also includes a Durst Dice America, Tuxedo, N.Y., Lambda 131 for digital photo writing, two Arizona Digital Screen Presses for digital screen printing, an IRIS printer for high-resolution inkjet prints, RasterGraphics Piezo Print 5000 for piezo inkjet prints, ColorSpan Corp., Eden Prairie, Minn., Displaymaker 7100 for thermal inkjet prints, and RasterGraphics DCS for fabric dye-sublimation prints.

Bekesha offered this advice to customers planning large-format graphic displays:

1. Allow yourself enough time for the creative process. This means setting a lead time ahead far enough to develop a satisfactory design concept, work out the details for a specific installation or environment, and create or acquire the required images. Don't expect a digital print supplier to make up for time lost in the creative process to meet your deadlines.

2. Set a realistic budget for the job. If a client is inexperienced in developing large-format displays, rely on a supplier with a proven track record to provide real-life budget estimates.

3. Finally, work with a vendor who can tailor a program that will meet the budget. Usually, an experienced supplier can offer different concepts that will provide the necessary impact if the vendor knows what the client is trying to accomplish, what the company's message is, and the size of the budget.

"Clients often ask early on, 'What is this going to cost?' I always try to give them a ballpark figure: 'It's not going to be $500; it's not going to be $50,000; itÃs going to be around $5,000.' We try to ask as many questions as possible, because there is such a variety in an individual client's needs. Is a display one-sided or two-sided? Is it long-term or short-term? How will it be hung? How will people view it? Do you plan to change the graphics during the life of the display? Do you want to save the graphics for other displays?

"These questions are asked because new clients often don't know how to describe their display objectives. We don't want customers to be intimidated by the process. After a successful first project, we look forward to repeat business from them. This is a very strong relationship business. A tremendous amount of work comes as referrals from people we have worked with us. Graphic designers tell other graphic designers, and clients talk to their business associates," he states.

"We advise clients on their choices. Technology is still developing; it is not a mature industry. There are many improvements being made in materials and techniques - media, inks, laminates. Too often, we discover prospective customers aren't taking advantage of existing technologies, because they don't know the large-graphics industry. That's why it is so important to be an expert for them.

"Today, more and more customers are looking for suppliers who offer full solutions. That can range from helping them prepare and preflight their digital files to completing the entire display installation. We have to make good choices for them," Bekesha concludes.

ÁÁ By Alfred DeBat