GUEST BLOG: Signage takes the floor

Is the opportunity for promotional floor graphics looking up as we all look down? As the demand for floor graphics increases, it’s time we got more creative, says Mimaki’s Mark Sollman.

We’ve certainly experienced our fair share of challenges in 2020, but this unprecedented year has also allowed some new and unexpected business opportunities to emerge. In the signage industry, we’ve seen an increase in demand for directional signage, protective screens and graphics explaining government health guidelines…but these signs are not always installed at eye level. As distancing measures were put in place to protect people in public spaces, graphics reminding people to keep their distance were also applied to floors, more liberally than ever before. A few months on and people are used to habitually looking down and checking the information at their feet – so has this opened up an advertising opportunity for retailers who wish to use this space more effectively? And can sign printers offer these brands a solution for more creative, promotional floor graphics? If you are a Mimaki customer, the answer is, undoubtedly yes!

Many of the printers in Mimaki’s portfolio are equipped to produce high-quality, impactful floor graphics, including the SWJ-320EA, JV300-160Plus, CJV300-160Plus and printers in the UCJV Series. Mimaki customers, with these solutions installed at their production sites, have the option to offer their customers a ground level marketing tool that can engage with consumers extremely effectively as they check the floor for information. It could be an arrow to shelves that feature an unmissable promotion, a discount, or new product. Or consider colourful, entertaining graphics to highlight the COVID-19 measures in place accompanied by the retailer’s branding (picture a children’s toy store with a teddy bear graphic measuring the space between shoppers, or directional signage featuring different pets catered for at a pet shop). In this way, vivid, impactful floor graphics can firmly tick the ‘successful communications/marketing tool’ box as well as open retailers’ minds to creative branding or design concepts they may not have considered last year.

In addition, retailers and other signage customers should know that the finishing required to create floor graphics is very minimal when using Mimaki’s solutions. The graphics are simply printed then laminated to ensure they maintain their high quality as they endure the inevitable and extensive wear and tear under foot. All signage customers need to do is start brainstorming about how they can use this additional, often vast, marketing space to communicate with their customers in an original and highly effective way. It is an opportunity to wipe the floor with the competition!