The Dallas Metroplex has always been known for having a multitude of impressive developments and landscaping in the greater areas. Every year at Topping Out, industry leaders from both Dallas and Fort Worth unite to recognize and honor excellence in the fields of development, architecture and construction that positively impact our communities. Awards are given not on the basis of individual achievement but rather in honor of the collective accomplishments of the entire team responsible for a project’s success. Proceeds from Topping Out benefit The Arc of Dallas, improving the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities, and the University of Texas at Arlington School of Architecture.

Thomas Reprographics was one of several sponsors of this year’s event and is proud to have a hand in supporting community-minded building projects as well as the UT Arlington School of Architecture and Arc of Dallas. It’s rare to come across a charity that has such well-rounded benefits. We at Thomas love to support students and great educational programs, such as the UT Arlington School of Architecture. We are also excited to support an organization such as Arc of Dallas, which works with people of North Texas who deal with developmental disabilities. But it is an absolute delight to be able to support both of these groups in a way that also encourages local builders, developers, architects and city planners who work hard to make DFW a better place to live for everyone.

 Find out more about this year’s Topping Out event and see the winning designs at http://www.toppingout.org. 

Sports bars and burger joints will always be jam-packed on Super Bowl Sunday, but according to a recent survey by The Neilson Company, 9 out of 10 households will be staying home for this year’s big game.

“ ‘Staying in is the new ‘night out’ and we see this trend continue to play out with the Super Bowl,’ said Nick Lake, vice president, group client director, Beverage Alcohol at Nielsen. ‘Consumers continue to rein in spending and while this ‘new normal’ provides challenges for restaurant and bar owners, it presents opportunities for consumer packaged goods (CPG) retailers and manufacturers.’ “

Super Bowl season has traditionally been a busy time here at Thomas as well – printing window clings, building banners and freestanding cutouts for restaurants vying to become the local Super Bowl headquarters. But with consumers tightening their belts, we thought we’d offer few suggestions to help you take advantage of what may become the new normal.

1.) Branded Take Home Snack Packages

If people aren’t going to come to you, you can just go to them. Consumers want convenience just as much as value. So put together a unique offering of your top appetizers and drinks packaged in an interesting way. Make special boxes and to-go cups and market this package deal as a tailgate party for the living room. Put some flyers in your menus and position your restaurant to be the one-stop shop for any watch party snacks.

2.) Throw a Bigger, Better Party

The only thing better than a living room watch party is a blown out, weekend long football festival. Go big or they’ll go home. Live outdoor music, eating contests with a decent reward, flag football tournaments – anything to get people excited and talking. This could even be a great way to generate free publicity. Local TV news, radio stations and newspapers love to cover interesting events. It could easily become something people look forward to year after year.

3.) Push Catering

Everybody loves to attend a great party, but it’s usually a huge pain to throw one. If you can take care of as many annoying details as possible, you’re restaurant will quickly become the go to place for party throwers all over. Even if catering isn’t normally something you offer, rent a few chaffing dishes and truck or two – it will be worth the effort. They key will be informing your customers beforehand so they have a chance to make all their plans.

4.) Discounts on Appetizers and Drinks

Besides huge amazing prizes (see #5), nothing brings in a crowd better than a really good deal. Offer cheap beer or half-price appetizers during the game or for anyone who has a table of more than a certain number of people. Another favorite is to give free food based on the game itself. Customers will love the risky nature of it (Vegas makes a killing off this) and they will show up just to see what happens. A free pizza for every touchdown or a round of drinks for an interception. Again, your customers have to know about it before but if you make the deal sweet enough they’ll definitely show up.

5.) Give Away Something Expensive

The only thing better than getting something for free is getting something really awesome for free. If you offer something that people definitely want, you’ll have watch out for a maximum occupancy violation. The trick here is to partner with the provider of the item to be given away. If it’s a massive flat screen, make a deal with a local electronics company and give them some free menu advertising. If it’s a free car, offer to cater the next few liquidation sales at the car lot. But the most important thing is to make it something amazing. A free dinner isn’t going to cut it, you’re going to have to come up with something people will go crazy for.

Read about Tips #1-#3 for Great Vehicle Wrap Advertising.

4.) Take advantage of uniquely functional vehicles

http://www.bluemedia.com/blueline/

The tanker in the picture above doesn’t quite nail it, but I love the idea that this truck could be full of Pepsi on it’s way to Circle K. But your product doesn’t have to be a liquid to advertise on a tanker truck. How about a truck full of elbow grease so you can work harder for your customers? Or a delivery of glue because you’ll stick it out till the end. Or an entire tanker of whoop-ass because a single can just isn’t enough. Doing print ad on the side of a bus is fine, but isn’t going to make you rich. Different is good – a dump truck wrapped to be a delivery of money to your investors, a garbage truck full of good ideas that weren’t good enough for you, a cement truck with a logo that’s both upside down and right side up, just the fact that you thought it through enough to do both will impress potential customers and get you some attention. (Also, see #2 above, with its produce-shaped cement mixers.)

Check out some of our vehicle wrap deals.

5.) Do something interesting with fleet vehicles

http://www.legraphics.co.uk/?p=638

Not every company has a fleet of trucks or vans to work with, but if you do, consider it a fleet of free advertising. That many vehicles is a huge investment so make it work hard for you. Wrap those suckers in something different every month or quarter or year. Try as many ideas as you can afford and see what works. Do something unique to your industry and make is very visual. If you install cable, make it a giant television set. If you are a landscaping company, make it look like a riding lawn mower. The key is variety and accountability. Keep track of what works. And above all, don’t be annoying. Loud colors, a huge logo, phone numbers, websites – none of this matters as much as getting and keeping someone’s attention.

6.) Think outside of mobile ads

http://cityscoop.us/sanleandroca-signage/2010/04/22/non-vehicle-wraps/

Vehicle wraps are great, but any large-format printer / installer worth their salt can wrap just about anything. A waterfall of M&M’s cascading down a flight of stairs is fantastic concept and execution. This ad takes advantage of both the unique shape of the product and a unique location. Consider an average day in the life of your target customer. Spend some time where they spend time and look for a place or object to wrap that will highlight an aspect of your product. If you sell office furniture, make all the seats in the mall food court look like your desk chairs. If you make paint, put a huge, fake spill on a sidewalk. If you own a coffee shop, make the outdoor trash cans look like coffee cups. Creativity makes money.

1.) Good design is key

http://www.talkdelaware.com/f67/ads-kick-up-notch-11760.html

This ad for Jack Daniels on a London cab be easily seen from skyscraper windows and it looks classy and interesting from the street.  A great combination of good design and creative positioning.

http://www.talkdelaware.com/f67/ads-kick-up-notch-11760.html

Another example from the UK, this wrap for a printing company is loud enough to get a lot of attention but understated and elegant enough to convert viewers into customers.  This design is stark contrast to the huge-text, in-you-face, explosion-and-fire designs of most commercial wraps on the road.  No one has ever been annoyed into becoming a customer.

Good design in vehicle wraps is surprisingly hard to find. A clever, well-designed vehicle wrap is an easy and immediate way to set your ad campaign miles ahead of everything else out there.

Click here to see our current specials on vehicle wraps.

continue reading…