Window Graphics: Etch Vinyl

[Michael Calcott]

Sorry, Dusted Crystal

[Robert Lambie]

hi there
sorry but i am trying to sort my nortin security settings as i cant see your picture. 😕

anyway…
what i was going to ask is.. why 3M? i know the obvious, normaly great vinyl, great effect etc but i find costs go through the roof for this type of vinyl? there are many more good vinyl makes with same effect.
i was wondering, have you tried the mactac coloured frosted films yet?
i think 3M & mactac are the only ones offering it at the moment. all others offer silver/gold so having the option of the colours is good as it allows you to create logos in colour etc… the mactac version is far less expensive than the 3M.

[Shane Drew]

Rob, I don’t know about Micky, but in australia we have a lot of interior designers that specify a brand. 3M brand is by far the prefered choice amongst design companies in most companies here, especially the multi nationals that have corporate links to the USA.

shane

[Robert Lambie]

Hi Shane,
Yes mate… I know what you mean. We also get many large companies specifying 3M. My thoughts on it is that the architects/designers specify this because this is all they know. I don’t mean that bad or that they don’t know their job, I just mean that when they are trained up they are normally taught that this is the best on the go, so they use it… they in turn specify it with every job they do that requires it.

In the UK, spandex donates many machines like the edge and the like to colleges. Signlab do it too… the students that attend these courses are trained on the machines and the software. They complete their course and start up in business. What do they buy? Of course, it will be spandex machines or maybe signlab that they invest in… simply because that is what they have grown to know… That coupled with the fact these are respected companies and offer top of the range products. The companies are in a very win win situation simply by donating a full kit, “costing them” only a few grand I would think. These machines and products will be in these colleges for years, so you can imagine how many students are brain washed into believing in the products over the years? (I say that only as a figure of speech 😉 )

At the end of the day nobody really looses out… the students get great products and the suppliers get the sales for years to come. Which leads me back to the 3M vinyl… are we only using this because it’s all we know or the architects etc are specifying it? Do we truly favour it to the point we will pay double the price of equally as good vinyls?

[Andy Gorman]

You know the answer Rob: sell your range to the architects. I’ve done many a demonstration to them and it does work. If you can get these people specifying your product for you, you’re laughing.

That’s a nice tidy etch job, by the way.

[Jill Marie Welsh]

Aww shucks, I thought this post was about Frosted Flakes,
you know, the Tony The Tiger cereal.
I think you did a nice job.
As for 3M versus MacTac?
Well, I hate to be the squeaky wheel
but I would gladly pay more for 3M
due to the ease of cutting and weeding.
Love….jill

[Shane Drew]

Yes Rob, it is a pretty good marketing tool. Spandex are not as active as 3M here, but both use the same approach as you have stated.

General Motors Holden in OZ often donate a new car to the schools here that have driving programs for their senior students. Statistic show that the greater majority of school leavers will buy the same make of car they are taught on.

In a marketing sense, I do the same thing. If I am in the running for a contract, I’ll offer to do the first job for free (depending on a lot of variables of course), and most companies will take up the offer. In nearly every case, I’ll get a second chance when another job comes up with the client. It works well for me. I have not actively advertised for business since 1996. To keep the client satisfied, I then donate signs at regular intervals. The clients see this as a genuine saving, as it extends their advertising budget, and the person I’m dealing with looks good to his superiors. (To my bigger clients, I have even shouted their staff smoko. I might buy a some cakes, and make sure I call in around smoko time. I never tell them I’m going to do it, but just call in. It has proved a very successful marketing tool for me. Then, the staff remember me when someone they know is looking for a sign, and the jobs roll in from their referrals)

3M have been the ‘masters’ of this style of marketing, developing very good relationships with designers and architects. Oracal in Qld are more focused on the sign shop, than the designer/architects.

To get you to try the Oracal product, and if they believe you will support them, they will give you material for free to start you off.

Oracal Qld for instance, gave me all the material I needed to sign my vehicle. 3M scoffed at the offer. Oracal Qld showed condfidence in me, and they are now my major supplier. It was well worth their investment of free stock.

In reference to another post here, I too would be happier to pay extra for 3M than use MACTAC. I am not that fussed on the material, but I dislike the distributor even worse.

Cheers
Shane

[Michael Calcott]

Yes, we used 3M on this project because it was specified by the architect. I think 3M do well at promoting themselves to specifiers

We do not use that much of the Dusted Crystal, but we do use a lot of the Frosted Crystal which means we get very keen prices. We get 1220 wide rolls (46m) for under £600 at the moment.

Usually we use Ultramark/ Imageperfect or MacTac as a standard. I havent used the MacTac coloured frosted film yet, just the 3M. We find the mint and blue are popular but not the ‘gold’!

Micky

[Kevin.Ryan]

nice job micky
its a specialised area this manifestation work amongst architects and designers, they love it nowadays.
just the ticket to add a bit of interest as opposed to the usual tint work

regards

Kevin
sign and tint UK