Floor graphics

POP is therefore a critical advertising medium for directing customers to products and services and is widely used as an effective marketing tool to encourage impulse purchasing. While advertising may create a brand image or a propensity to buy a product and motivate a customer to enter a retail environment, POP keeps the company’s name and brand in front of the customer when they are at the point of making a purchase. If a brand is not supported in store the connectivity generated by outside advertising can be lost and other more prominently displayed brands may be chosen instead. So decisions about what to buy can be influenced just as much by what people see as opposed to what they know.

With so many purchasing decisions being made in store it is little surprise that the POP market has become hugely competitive as advertisers strive for consumer mind share. Customers are bombarded with thousands of messages. So how does one get noticed?

The key is innovation. Creativity in communication must remain constant in an industry that is so fiercely competitive in the bid to attract consumer attention and subsequently impulse purchasing.

One such innovation has been the development of floor graphics.

Using floor graphics offers numerous advantages in a point of sale environment.

● Floor graphics is a fantastic medium for grabbing customer attention and is a relatively untapped POP tool in Australia and NZ compared to other overseas markets. This makes it a new and exciting advertising medium that consumers have not yet become desensitised too.
● With an exciting, creative design, floor graphics can add a whole new dimension to in-store brand promotion
and its novelty in the POP market ensures maximum attention from potential customers.
● They can be relatively large to create high visibility and impact without creating clutter or taking up space within a retail environment.
● They can be located right at the point of sale and are ideal for drawing attention to the product, building brand awareness, launching new products and increasing product presence.
● For the type of attention and recall they attract, floor graphics are extremely cost effective compared to other forms of POP and advertising
● Perfect in high traffic areas and for directing traffic, creating pathways to desired locations within a store, shopping mall, exhibition or airport
● With digital printing small runs can easily be done and even one offs if a retailer wants to test the effectiveness or alter the image to suit different retail outlets

The key to an effective floor graphic campaign is in the design but also by using the right products for the construction. Floor graphics must withstand pedestrian and trolley traffic and still look good in order to deliver the client image and message. The graphics must also be able to be removed without damaging expensive retail flooring.

Firstly a good removable self- adhesive product needs to be used as a base to ensure clean and trouble free removal. Secondly the graphics need to be over-laminated with a film that has a non slip surface and can withstand foot traffic, trolleys and cleaning machines.

When choosing a laminate there are various types of constructions- Polycarbonate, PVC and Polypropylene.

All floor laminates are not created equal and vary in terms of durability and slip resistancy.  Polycarbonates typically are the best choice in terms of durability. They are tough, durable and easy to clean and do not shrink. PVC laminates offer a more cost sensitive option. They have the advantage of being more flexible if going over tiles, stairs or uneven surfaces. They can offer slightly less slip resistancy then Polycarbonates and due to the softness of the top sheet can be more difficult to clean as dirt can get embedded in the surface. Polypropylenes are the most economical. It makes sense that the cheaper the film, the lower the performance aspects. Polypropylenes have their place in less demanding and very short term applications. It is important to check the technical data sheets to ensure the product you choose meets the campaign criteria.

Not only is it critical to find products that offer the appropriate safety and performance aspects but to be confident that the products are backed by reputable slip resistancy approvals (e.g. ASTM) and a strong warranty. If someone slips and injures themselves on a floor graphic, what backing will you get from the supplier? If you have made a responsible choice of product, one that meets the campaign criteria, meets or exceeds industry standards for slip resistancy in dry AND wet conditions and one that is supported by the manufacture, it will ensure that you will not be left with a costly claim.

With the right products floor graphics can offer new market opportunities for your business. The key is to sell the concept to end users and show them how this medium can become a profitable advertising medium to compliment their existing advertising portfolio.

Denise Nathan is Marketing Manager - MACtac in Oceania
denise@mactac.co.nz This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.mactac-europe.com