Ben Schofield

THINKFABRIC: FAB Phil and Installed in a flash!

July 13, 2023 by Ben Schofield

Who has two thumbs and installs graphic displays like lightning? THINKFABRIC was used by Phil, seen below, for the flawless install in minutes of this large backdrop for use at an event. This stretch fabric display works by pushing rubber edges into a metal frame. The fabric graphics are incredibly light and will fold down into a small size, so they can be reused or replaced with ease. The frame is one we own, and we rented it for this specific event. Fabric displays like this can be reused and are cost effective to replace. A little bit of investment is required for the hardware, but in retail situations this is a no-brainer, but for a conference it can be nice to borrow Phil.

That is FAB! What else can you do?

…I hear you ask. The answer is sooo many things, but below is a selection and summary of a few. These include FLAGS, TABLECLOTHS, BANNERS, SOCK BACKDROPS, LIGHTBOXES, STRETCH DISPLAYS etc. but we can produce anything FABRIC from cushions to deck chairs!!!

FLAGS

You can see three kinds above but these range in size, shape and type. How they are being used effects the base required, and the design will be affected by the shape, so it is best to start a conversation with us early in the design process. These can be 2m high for indoor use, or MASSIVE with weighted bases for use outdoor.

FRAMES WITH EDGE

Stretch fabrics with rubber edges can be pushed into frames to create a perfect display, like the one Phil is standing proudly in front of. These can be permanent, with interchangeable graphics, or self-built and free standing. A big benefit to this kind of frame is that they can be backlit, which means vibrant light emitting displays and even double-sided totems. These are trickier to install and require a power source, but just get in touch and we can explain how they work.

FRAMES WITH SOCKS

A lightweight aluminium frame that fits into a duffle bag alongside a stretch FABRIC sock; the perfect accompaniment to your event or exhibition. Install a perfect free-standing display in minutes and watch any creases smooth out themselves.

Gallery images, Light Boxes and TABLECLOTHS

Light boxes require fixtures and a power source, whilst tablecloths are custom made to fit the size you need.

Please drop Tap an email if you have any queries or questions at all. tap@thinkambient.co.uk

New Product: THINKGRIP

July 4, 2023 by Ben Schofield

Take control of how your brand is displayed and THINKGRIP with our fabulous new product. It is called GRIP because it adheres with great strength to high gloss surfaces!!! Glass is the best surface, but GRIP will adhere to ultra smooth laminates and plastics too. Much like a slick formula one tyre, if you apply it to gravel it will slide around. Unlike racing tyres, GRIP performs well in the cold, warm, wet or dry.

GRIP is quickly becoming a favourite of the vending and retail sector, where there are plenty of internal glass surfaces to be branded. There are so many more applications, including Event branding and Internal Communications so please ask us for more details.

Grip leaves ZERO residue – increases compliance by promising no messy cleanup.

Grip offers EASY application – the material is robust, so it can be applied easily without bubbles and then reapplied if required, without damaging it.

Versatility and Applications

The sample you have is printed on white, but it is also available in CLEAR for use on glass facing out. We can print selective white ink to create intricate designs. Perfect as branding for stockists, or car window permit displays.

Printed and Printing

We can provide both printed and unprinted GRIP. If you wish to use your own printer, please ask them to specify it by the brand name THINKGRIP. Otherwise, you might end up with a less effective alternative.

Samples

We have a small amount of printed and unprinted GRIP samples. If you would like a sample, then please email Vicki here – vicki@thinkambient.co.uk

Carla: Favourite Things

June 27, 2023 by Ben Schofield

Carla started working at Think Ambient in 2016 as a European Account Assistant. Now Carla is the first port of call for all things Europe! As well as speaking several languages, Carla does a lot of our artworking and photography too. Creativity and design is a passion for Carla, as you can tell from her answers to the favourite things questions below:

Favourite Product:

VIBO: A fun project I worked on, using VIBO, was Bulle the Mascot for one of my clients in France, I’ve created all the cutting lines for this job in different sizes and shapes.

Favourite Project:

I have several… Absolutely love the Christmas window displays for Picard… love working on the Window/Mirror displays for Kryolan in Germany… and whenever I get to create or upgrade artwork for clients and see the end result.

Favourite Moment:

Whenever I get to use my creativity, be it by creating or amending artwork, taking pictures, or baking cakes for the team.

Mixed Media

June 21, 2023 by Ben Schofield

CLINGZ was our first product, and whilst unique and flexible it is fundamentally a temporary material and not ideal for outdoor applications for example. We have spent the last 18 years finding other unique and damage-free solutions that are perfect for applications in Retail, Events, Exhibitions and other marketing applications. We always recommend the right product for the particular solution, and when there are multiple surfaces we are happy to use mixed media to cover all the bases.

ADTAC for example is perfect for application on the inside of windows, because it installs easily without bubbles and looks amazing. Retailers love ADTAC because their store staff can dry apply without creating nasty bubbles.

PHLEX is a paste-free fabric wallpaper that can apply permanently, without causing damage on removal, and is ideal for pillars and large format displays.

SKINZ uses micro-suction to grip to the smooth surfaces, so will apply for long terms and still remove without damage.

Adding an anti-slip laminate creates SKINZ FLOOR, and is game-changer for FLOOR graphics. In retail they apply to any smooth surface without causing damage, and for events you can apply and remove with any cleanup.

If you would like samples of our unique materials, or anything else please request here.

Examples of different materials used for specific applications

New Project: Regent’s University London

May 26, 2023 by Ben Schofield

We recently worked with Regent’s University London. They used ADTAC to display their students works for the Foundation Fashion & Design graduation show. ADTAC is very simple to install and still look great! They were dry applied without bubbles on each individual pane of glass. Below are some images from the event.

“Thank you so much for turning that around in quick time and the really efficient service.”

“Please find some images from the Foundation Fashion & Design graduation show. Thank you again for the professional conduct of your service.”

Some other University projects

We have been working with Universities, Colleges and Schools for over 18 years. Our unique products have been used in so many fun and interesting ways by staff and students, without any need for expert installation. Our materials are incredibly versatile and can be produced in any shape, size or quantity. Typically products like CLINGZ and SKINZ adhere to most of the best surfaces, so can be placed for maximum impact.

We have produced Posters for the National Student Survey, which can be positioned in eye-catching places and high footfall areas. For Open Days and Graduations we have created Large Format displays and Directional Signage, which can be removed without damage. Below are some examples including floor graphics, window displays and wall backdrops.

AI for the print industry

May 17, 2023 by Ben Schofield

We wanted to know how we can utilise AI and also how AI for the print industry looks. Like most people we started with OpenAI and asked a few print related questions. Then we tested ChatGPT for creativity, mostly to see if it came to the same conclusions we did.

Asking about suitable product and company names we got: Attracto TM is brought to you by Tackless Limited, The AI version of “CLINGZ by THINKAMBIENT” .

To be fair, this was just a couple of the suggestions based on about 5 minutes’ worth of human input. Some of their suggestions were perfectly normal, and it even generated names of existing products and companies.

How can AI help practically?

When you search “how can we use AI for the print industry…” the answer is usually vague, including time-management and efficiencies etc. Almost certainly AI could be writing this, and soon it will be answering all our phones, and ordering our lunch based on our anticipated thoughts. But for now, we would love to know your thoughts. Have you managed to use any techniques or skills already? Or incorporate anything AI adjacent in your business?

AI Creative?

The images above are AI generated using Midjourney, “Imagine a statically charged monster…”

Creating this from scratch is well beyond my skills so it’s nice to see but it does look suspiciously minion-ish so we’ll stick with our current batch.

Helpful AI - Image Sharpening

Think Ambient started in 2005, so the photos we have from those initial projects might as well have been taken using pinhole cameras. They looked great at the time but they look dated now, until now. AI-powered image sharpening techniques produce results that are often much better than traditional sharpening techniques. What do you think of the below?

P.S. For the Machines

One sentence of the above was written by ChatGPT. Just thought it was worth a credit, so we are covered for when the singularity occurs and the robots start getting litigious.

Phil Bligh: Favourite Things

May 5, 2023 by Ben Schofield

Phil Bligh is Think Ambient’s long serving team member, so we asked him a few questions about his favourite Think Ambient things…

Favourite Product:

“ECO-SKINZ – Made from 80% recycled plastic and when applied properly you can see through it perfectly, ideal for galleries and large window displays”

Favourite Project

“Many to choose but I really like the end to end projects where we’re asked to audit a venue or retailer, recommend the best materials then help with installation and see it all come to life”

Favourite Moment:

“Meeting one of the Proclaimers while exhibiting in Edinburgh”

Play

More about ECO-SKINZ

ECO-SKINZ is a PVC free material that is made from 80% recycled polyester plastic bottles.

It is ultra-clear and offers excellent optical clarity when wet applied to smooth surfaces. ECO-SKINZ can be easily removed and does not leave any adhesive residue or damage to surfaces

Here are some features:

PVC Free
Made from minimum of 80% recycled plastic
Uses 24% less CO2 during film production
Recyclable
Sticks to smooth surfaces
Optical clarity
Removable and repositionable
Easy to apply and to remove
Damage free on removal

Artworking and Design for Print

April 18, 2023 by Ben Schofield

Almost every day we are adjusting, amending, creating and making-ready artwork suitable for printing on our products. The requests we get daily help sharpen our tools to the point where we can pretty much do it all! Just don’t ask for anything involving pixels or RGB

Recently we put together the backdrops you see here for MICE. Some of the supplied logos were low res, so we traced them, and some of the images weren’t particularly good so we replaced them. We even redrew their golden wreath so it all looked crisp and professional on the day. We resize, add bleed, create cutter guides and set up files for white ink regularly.

Then there are some more unusual requests:

Mosaic Madness – we were provided with an image and a billboard size. Then we were asked to produce a number of 1cm stickers in order to create a massive mosaic. It involved a combination of simplifying the image, calculating the ratios of colours and then adjusting for overlaps to make sure they covered the whole surface.

Challenge / Opportunity – “please can you create a large format display that changes from one design to another when your perspective changes. It must be made from recyclable materials, and pack flat to be installed the day before an event in Germany.” The design was very simple, just two words, but the fiddly part is breaking it all down and applying bleed to each individual section. The results were amazing!

There are some challenges specific to our clear materials, such as white ink layers/files. White ink backs up colour to provide opacity, otherwise the image would look like stained glass. Sometimes parts of the design need to appear white too, and occasionally both within the same design.

Here are some examples of different Clear designs in action:

Will Harris: Favourite Things

April 5, 2023 by Ben Schofield

Will Harris joined Think Ambient in 2017 as a student, part of his placement year with MMU. He started out in a marketing role but soon shifted to account management and sales.

We asked him a few questions about his favourite Think Ambient things…

Fave Product:

“ADTAC – Watching retailers and printers’ eyes light up when you show them how easy it is to apply, reposition and remove is great.”

Fave Project:

“Using STX on the seats at Harlequins’ Twickenham Stoop stadium to help them sell season tickets, then seeing them on TV on BT Sport the day after delivery. We went on to apply similar principles for other rugby and football teams across the country.”

Fave Moment:

“Getting a brief to print and install graphics for a footballer’s birthday party, then installing on the night! A sterling job by the team at Think Ambient.”

Large Format Lenticular

March 29, 2023 by Ben Schofield

We were challenged to create two images that swap as your point of view changes. Like a 3D “flip” lenticular but a much bigger scale. This 3D image flip display was being used at a conference overseas so it had to be packed flat, then assembled on site.

This challenge gave us the opportunity to create a template for this type of large format lenticular display. We tested the application in our office, and created a guide during the design process. By breaking down the two images into sections we created this clever print solution. This specific application used flat colour backgrounds and text but would work for more complex designs and images too.

Creative print solutions to a Challenge / Opportunity

This conference was held over several days, taking over the entire hotel. We provided a site survey in advance to show where the branding opportunities were and to demonstrate the materials in situ; providing reassurance to the venue that no damage would be caused. This was particularly useful for the Art coverings, which were produced using CLINGZ and covered the existing art throughout the venue.

In addition to our large lenticular display we also provided CLINGZ to wrap around walls, doorways and even to brand a section of the ceiling. CLINGZ adheres using embedded static charge so it can grip to almost any surface.

For this event we also provided free standing rigid media to display key event details. Most of our materials are designed to augment wall and window space but we provide a range of free standing solutions, including pop up banners and fabric media, just ask us for more information.

Sign and Digital 21-23 March

March 15, 2023 by Ben Schofield

Thank you for visiting us at this year’s Sign and Digital Exhibition, Phil was there. Will was there.

If you had any gaps in your knowledge hopefully Phil or Will will have filled.

Our approach to Exhibitions

After years of telling people they can use our products to set up their exhibition stands in minutes, we must have been listening. Mostly our backdrops fit in a small tube and we set up within minutes, whilst some exhibitors are still unloading. We take a few bulky items too like a glass panel and sample boxes, but nothing that couldn’t fit in the back of a small car.

Below are some examples of exhibitions using our CLINGZ product as the backdrop.

Shell Scheme Hell

There are three ways to approach shell schemes: ignore or augment (and augment with CLINGZ).

1. If you ignore them you can bring a pop up banner or stand to cover up the backdrop. It looks great but takes up space, in your car but also on your stand (forcing people into the dreaded aisles).

2. You can create a fully branded backdrop using rigid media, like foamex or correx. This looks great but is even harder to transport. Stands are 2m plus tall, to accommodate the Tap Chauhans of the world, which means you are looking at hiring a van, and then chuckle-brothering the media around the dreaded aisles.

3. For Shell Schemes we recommend CLINGZ, our unique electrostatic, adhesive-free graphic that does not require any expert installation, tools, or tapes. It is quick and easy to apply, takes seconds to remove, is lightweight, and easily transported in a tube.

To see just how easy it is to apply CLINGZ panel graphics view our video here. You can see it takes only a couple of minutes to install each panel.

Essity create eye-catching POS for a new product launch!

January 26, 2022 by Ben Schofield

Earlier this year we had the pleasure of working with Essity in France managing a large print campaign, for the launch of a new Radiante product, to be distributed to pharmacies across France. The campaign required both window graphics and in-store products, that were supplied to 1600 pharmacies in total. Of the stores, 1000 received some of the graphics, and a further 600 stores received additional graphics.

We work closely with all clients to understand the full requirements of a project and to ensure we supply the correct product for the required application, and source other solutions when necessary.

We supplied Essity with a selection of materials and products;

CLINGZ – Our electrostatic material CLINGZ was the perfect solution for walls and windows. Two full size figures were printed on Clear CLINGZ for application on the inside of the windows facing out. Each figure was printed in two halves (990mm x 680mm) & then tiled together to create a graphic almost 2m in height. White CLINGZ were used for promotional graphics inside the stores. CLINGZ can be applied to most surfaces which meant stores had flexibility on where they could apply the graphics, depending on the space available.

STICK ‘N’ GLIDE – Our adhesive free, counter-top display unit adheres perfectly to smooth & flat surfaces. We supplied an A5 unit, which was printed with a 15% varnish to give an extra luminous, shiny effect – to mirror the product launch.

The additional 600 stores also received a large STANDEE to be situated in the store window. The 1.5m x 1m graphic was made from a recyclable cardboard which was easy to install by store staff.

The final feature was a hanging mobile graphic to be placed in windows or inside the pharmacy. We developed a prototype and a gold pantone to achieve the desired effect.

To make the installation process easier for store staff, we produced application guides with step-by-step instructions.