Looking for an easy and cost-effective way to visually enhance your office space? Adhesive vinyl is the hottest trend in wall decor, because it’s beautiful, functional and semi-permanent. The low-tac adhesive allows the vinyl to be repositioned, reused and removed without damaging paint or drywall. Adhesive vinyl works great on glass too and adds visual impact to store-front windows.
Celebrate your company history with engaging installations reflecting your brand story. Create energetic project boards and calendars to motivate your team and push goals forward. Or add instant color and character to a dull office space with a one-of-a-kind masterpiece on a focal wall. With the fantastic variety of shapes, sizes, and patterns, your design possibilities are limitless!
Whether it’s one wall or every wall, The Print Refinery helps you express your company’s voice and create custom, quality solutions that fit your brand communications!
https://fleetwoodphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2019/08/AdhesiveBlog1.jpg321845Natalie Gunnhttps://fleetwoodphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/09/new_web_logo-1-300x138.pngNatalie Gunn2019-09-11 11:00:062019-09-11 11:00:06INSTANT MAKE-OVER FOR YOUR OFFICE SPACE
There are over 10,000 trade shows held annually in the US, and standing out in the dense jungle of exhibitor booths is not an easy task. Here are some tips to maximize your visual impact and budget wisely for your next event:
Refresh your booth setup.
Check the condition of your backdrop, signage and furniture. Is it time for a cleaning, refresh or replacement? Avoid the unexpected by practicing your setup prior to the event. Remember any tools you’ll need to unpack, assemble and disassemble your exhibit booth. Getting setup in a timely manner will give you valuable extra time for networking and marketing.
Update your marketing materials.
Refine your positioning, features/benefits and pitch. Does your marketing communicate a clear and targeted message? Correct formatting issues, grammatical errors and outdated information. If you need help adding visual appeal to your marketing materials, The Print Refinery is here to make your brand shine!
Prepare promotional products.
Current design trends in branded promotional gifts are: popular retail brands, bright and bold colors and unique materials (like cork, wood grain and matte finishes). Cellphone accessories, insulated drinkware and wellness products are always top choices. A branded tchotchke or trinket that ends up in the trash is a waste of marketing dollars, so think “useful, creative and unique” when selecting promotional items.
From backdrops and signage to business cards and promotional branded items, The Print Refinery can fulfill all your commercial printing needs for your next trade show. So let’s create, collaborate and turn your vision into bold marketing statements!
https://fleetwoodphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2019/08/Tradeshow-Season.jpg321845Natalie Gunnhttps://fleetwoodphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/09/new_web_logo-1-300x138.pngNatalie Gunn2019-08-28 11:00:572019-08-19 14:01:03Are You Ready For Your Next Trade Show?
Did you know that 85% of your potential customers pass by your business each month? If you want to increase sales, you have to drive foot-traffic, and one the most effective ways to do so is with signage. Here is a list of our top 5 commercial sign requests and general guidelines for each:
Outdoor Signage
Like judging a book by its cover, customers gather first impressions of a business based on its exterior signage and appearance. So make sure your outdoor signs accurately convey the tone and experience you want a guest to expect upon entering your business.
Informational Signage
Informational signs help guests navigate your business and find what they came in for more easily. They should be self-explanatory and easy to read, so large, bold fonts and highly-visible colors work best.
Persuasive Signage
Persuasive signs influence purchase behavior through convincing language and visual appeal. They can encourage traffic flow to certain areas of the business, create interest in specific products or draw attention to promotions and add-on services.
ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Compliant Signage
You want every guest, regardless of disability, to feel welcome and comfortable in your business. So if your business offers wheelchair accessible parking, doors, restrooms or elevators, you should have those accommodations clearly displayed on signs. Also, any permanent interior signs indicating an entrance/exit, stairwells, restrooms and elevators must have Braille and tactile characters and be mounted at specific heights according to ADA compliance and local fire codes.
Mats
Branded mats are perhaps the most versatile type of signage, because they serve a multitude of purposes. They can be marketing messages, directional tools, safety precautions during inclement weather – or just sheer ergonomic relief for retail staff standing on their feet all day!
A well-designed and properly-placed sign can drive traffic, build brand awareness and increase revenue. Remember to be specific and keep it simple, as too many signs or too much information can have the opposite effect. The Print Refinery is your creative partner for all your commercial printing projects. We consult and collaborate with you to design the best commercial signage that fits your specific business needs.
You get it. Copying professional photos is illegal. So is speeding. But you do it anyway.
Fair point. And no one at our photo store will stop you from doing either. No really, we won’t stop you from making a copy of a copyrighted photo if you want to. You just can’t do it here. And we can’t do it for you. Doing so could be far more illegal than speeding. A ticket for doing 75 in a 65 will cost you about $225 in Texas. Copying a professional portrait without the photographer’s consent costs about the same, $200… at the least. The penalty can range all the way up to $150,000 per incident. That’s serious.
What if you tell us you took the photo or video? Still no. The original doesn’t even have to be marked with a copyright. The law states that any photo that appears to have been taken professionally is subject to copyright protection.
With such a wide net and stiff penalties, you should be hard pressed to find a business willing to risk infringement just to make a few bucks. So, what can you do?
Check the status. Some of the largest creators of studio content, like church directories, school photography corporations, and tourism agencies like cruise lines and theme parks, have no interest in servicing orders after the event. Many offer blanket copyright releases on their websites.
Contact the photographer. They’re the best source for a top-quality reproduction, especially if they still have original masters. If not, they can give us or another agency consent to make copies legally.
Do it yourself. Provisions allow you to scan or duplicate professional photos and videos using your own methods for personal back up or forward compatibility, like transferring a video tape to MPEG so that you can still view it. Of course, you can’t sell or distribute your new copies. That would be trouble.
For more information, come see us. If we can’t make what you need, we usually know who can. On the way, don’t speed.
https://fleetwoodphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2019/04/main-graphic-2.jpg321845Natalie Gunnhttps://fleetwoodphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/09/new_web_logo-1-300x138.pngNatalie Gunn2019-06-26 08:00:312019-04-08 17:26:45What If I Copy This Anyway?
Copyright. It’s the reason you pay $1.95 for a 5×7 of your own snapshot but $19.50 for a 5×7 from the school portrait company. It exists because photographers, like artists, are heavily invested in the content they create and they have a right to recoup their investment and earn a living. How long they should, or even want to hold that right is debatable but here’s what you need to know about the portrait or professional video that you want duplicated.
First you need to acknowledge that the reason you want the thing (the photo, video, or copies of it) is because you like what someone else made. If you made it, you own it and you can do whatever you want with it. If someone else made it, for money, they own it. At least that’s true for everything made since 1978. Before that, YOU own what you paid someone to make, because you commissioned them to do so… if you were alive then. Anything made later is owned by the person who authored it for their entire life plus 70 years! What if they’re retired or dead? You have to prove, reasonably, that neither they, nor anyone else has interest in collecting money by making another copy for you, or that they can’t reasonably be found.
What’s protected?
Only everything. This is a bit of a sore spot because the law is written to be overly broad in favor of artists and content creators. They’re not required to label something as copyrighted in order for it to be copyrighted. It’s in their best interest to mark it, and most do, but the burden is on us, not them. You may know which of your photos were taken professionally but if you don’t, you have to assume that any photo that appears to have been taken professionally, was.
Are there exceptions?
Yes. And remember this blanket protection applies only to things created after 1978. Older photos are owned by whomever holds them right now. After that, you can still own the copyright if:
The photographer has given you a written release, which covers a whole set of content, or a license, which details specific terms of use like which ones, what you can and can’t use them for, and for how long.
You own the negatives or original files. In the case of digital photos, context is key. A large group of consecutive image files with similar sizes, subject matter, and metadata would constitute an original collection, whereas a few scanned images would not.
The photographer was employed by you for a long term and compensated as such. For instance, if someone on your staff photographs products for marketing purposes. In this case content ownership should be covered in an employment contract. Unless otherwise stated, the company owns the work and the photographer can claim authorship for portfolio purposes.
Each case is different. We’re versed in copyright laws as they apply to images so bring yours in if we can help!
https://fleetwoodphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2019/04/Main-Graphic-1.jpg321557Natalie Gunnhttps://fleetwoodphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/09/new_web_logo-1-300x138.pngNatalie Gunn2019-06-05 08:00:382019-04-08 17:02:38Can I copy this?
INSTANT MAKE-OVER FOR YOUR OFFICE SPACE
/by Natalie GunnLooking for an easy and cost-effective way to visually enhance your office space? Adhesive vinyl is the hottest trend in wall decor, because it’s beautiful, functional and semi-permanent. The low-tac adhesive allows the vinyl to be repositioned, reused and removed without damaging paint or drywall. Adhesive vinyl works great on glass too and adds visual impact to store-front windows.
Celebrate your company history with engaging installations reflecting your brand story. Create energetic project boards and calendars to motivate your team and push goals forward. Or add instant color and character to a dull office space with a one-of-a-kind masterpiece on a focal wall. With the fantastic variety of shapes, sizes, and patterns, your design possibilities are limitless!
Whether it’s one wall or every wall, The Print Refinery helps you express your company’s voice and create custom, quality solutions that fit your brand communications!
Are You Ready For Your Next Trade Show?
/by Natalie GunnCheck the condition of your backdrop, signage and furniture. Is it time for a cleaning, refresh or replacement? Avoid the unexpected by practicing your setup prior to the event. Remember any tools you’ll need to unpack, assemble and disassemble your exhibit booth. Getting setup in a timely manner will give you valuable extra time for networking and marketing.
Refine your positioning, features/benefits and pitch. Does your marketing communicate a clear and targeted message? Correct formatting issues, grammatical errors and outdated information. If you need help adding visual appeal to your marketing materials, The Print Refinery is here to make your brand shine!
Current design trends in branded promotional gifts are: popular retail brands, bright and bold colors and unique materials (like cork, wood grain and matte finishes). Cellphone accessories, insulated drinkware and wellness products are always top choices. A branded tchotchke or trinket that ends up in the trash is a waste of marketing dollars, so think “useful, creative and unique” when selecting promotional items.
From backdrops and signage to business cards and promotional branded items, The Print Refinery can fulfill all your commercial printing needs for your next trade show. So let’s create, collaborate and turn your vision into bold marketing statements!
Top 5 Commercial Sign Requests
/by Natalie GunnTOP 5 COMMERCIAL SIGN REQUESTS
Did you know that 85% of your potential customers pass by your business each month? If you want to increase sales, you have to drive foot-traffic, and one the most effective ways to do so is with signage. Here is a list of our top 5 commercial sign requests and general guidelines for each:
Like judging a book by its cover, customers gather first impressions of a business based on its exterior signage and appearance. So make sure your outdoor signs accurately convey the tone and experience you want a guest to expect upon entering your business.
Informational signs help guests navigate your business and find what they came in for more easily. They should be self-explanatory and easy to read, so large, bold fonts and highly-visible colors work best.
Persuasive signs influence purchase behavior through convincing language and visual appeal. They can encourage traffic flow to certain areas of the business, create interest in specific products or draw attention to promotions and add-on services.
You want every guest, regardless of disability, to feel welcome and comfortable in your business. So if your business offers wheelchair accessible parking, doors, restrooms or elevators, you should have those accommodations clearly displayed on signs. Also, any permanent interior signs indicating an entrance/exit, stairwells, restrooms and elevators must have Braille and tactile characters and be mounted at specific heights according to ADA compliance and local fire codes.
Branded mats are perhaps the most versatile type of signage, because they serve a multitude of purposes. They can be marketing messages, directional tools, safety precautions during inclement weather – or just sheer ergonomic relief for retail staff standing on their feet all day!
A well-designed and properly-placed sign can drive traffic, build brand awareness and increase revenue. Remember to be specific and keep it simple, as too many signs or too much information can have the opposite effect. The Print Refinery is your creative partner for all your commercial printing projects. We consult and collaborate with you to design the best commercial signage that fits your specific business needs.
What If I Copy This Anyway?
/by Natalie GunnYou get it. Copying professional photos is illegal. So is speeding. But you do it anyway.
Fair point. And no one at our photo store will stop you from doing either. No really, we won’t stop you from making a copy of a copyrighted photo if you want to. You just can’t do it here. And we can’t do it for you. Doing so could be far more illegal than speeding. A ticket for doing 75 in a 65 will cost you about $225 in Texas. Copying a professional portrait without the photographer’s consent costs about the same, $200… at the least. The penalty can range all the way up to $150,000 per incident. That’s serious.
What if you tell us you took the photo or video? Still no. The original doesn’t even have to be marked with a copyright. The law states that any photo that appears to have been taken professionally is subject to copyright protection.
With such a wide net and stiff penalties, you should be hard pressed to find a business willing to risk infringement just to make a few bucks. So, what can you do?
For more information, come see us. If we can’t make what you need, we usually know who can. On the way, don’t speed.
Can I copy this?
/by Natalie GunnCopyright. It’s the reason you pay $1.95 for a 5×7 of your own snapshot but $19.50 for a 5×7 from the school portrait company. It exists because photographers, like artists, are heavily invested in the content they create and they have a right to recoup their investment and earn a living. How long they should, or even want to hold that right is debatable but here’s what you need to know about the portrait or professional video that you want duplicated.
First you need to acknowledge that the reason you want the thing (the photo, video, or copies of it) is because you like what someone else made. If you made it, you own it and you can do whatever you want with it. If someone else made it, for money, they own it. At least that’s true for everything made since 1978. Before that, YOU own what you paid someone to make, because you commissioned them to do so… if you were alive then. Anything made later is owned by the person who authored it for their entire life plus 70 years! What if they’re retired or dead? You have to prove, reasonably, that neither they, nor anyone else has interest in collecting money by making another copy for you, or that they can’t reasonably be found.
What’s protected?
Only everything. This is a bit of a sore spot because the law is written to be overly broad in favor of artists and content creators. They’re not required to label something as copyrighted in order for it to be copyrighted. It’s in their best interest to mark it, and most do, but the burden is on us, not them. You may know which of your photos were taken professionally but if you don’t, you have to assume that any photo that appears to have been taken professionally, was.
Are there exceptions?
Yes. And remember this blanket protection applies only to things created after 1978. Older photos are owned by whomever holds them right now. After that, you can still own the copyright if:
Each case is different. We’re versed in copyright laws as they apply to images so bring yours in if we can help!