Caliber Signs Win SIGNWORLD’s Best Installation of 2017 Award
In today’s visual world, companies need to incorporate all aspects of brand imaging, one of which includes being innovative with custom signage and wraps. The following is an example of one of our innovative installations that won SIGNWORLD’s Best Installation of 2017 Award on April 21, 2018 (with the subtitle of the award as most difficult).
The Anaheim Ducks recently chose Caliber Signs & Imaging for a unique large scale project — a 1960 Delta III Space Rocket Wrap promoting The Ducks at The Discovery Cube Orange County, a local children’s science center and museum in California. We were chosen because of the quality of our work, our responsiveness, our dependability, and because we’ve worked well together in the past on projects like building banners for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
THE CHALLENGE
This was not the first time we’d be doing a wrap for The Ducks, but with the unusual scale of the project, and on a space rocket, we knew we were in for an adventure. Initially we weren’t sure if the vinyl for the wrap would stick to the skin of the rocket for the duration of two months, let alone stick at all. Also, the Rocket had three sections: a cylinder, cone, and sphere, and the base of the rocket was 50 feet up.
We immediately knew we’d have to make a template of the wrap design to make sure a 2D graphic would accurately fit a three-dimensional object. Through the use of basic geometry from sizes we gathered on site, we created one to a T. However, upon testing the vinyl on the skin of the rocket in order to select the right material, we found a very thick layer of dust, which had never been cleaned in 20 years.
After the creation of the template, The Ducks sent us artwork so we could lay out the graphics onto our template to make sure the scaling for a 3D effect and the transition of the colors between the sections were precise.
In order to make sure that all three elements of the Rocket came together as one seamless graphic, our graphics department worked their design magic and color management skills. Once approved, the final output of the vinyl was 1600 square feet and fully laminated for UV protection.
THE INSTALLATION
We took to task washing the rocket with a deionized water and a pressure jet and compressor. The challenges continued as Orange County was experiencing 90 degree windy weather and the location of the rocket overlooked the busy I-5 freeway! With a 125 foot crane, we were mindful to put the 20 foot waxy backer of the vinyl into the basket of the crane otherwise the wind would blow them onto the freeway and into traffic. This worried us the most during the installation, but we prevailed and it only took us the weekend to complete.
“It is not very often that we get to wrap something unique, so we were thrilled to work with The Ducks when asked to wrap an old 1960 Delta II space rocket. The location and visibility makes it a tremendous billboard and perfect advertising opportunity for the Anaheim Ducks.” said Martin Neil.
From concept to completion, this massive undertaking only took two weeks.
SIGNWORLD had these kind words to say about our team — “The team at Caliber Signs & Imaging did an amazing job on this rocket wrap. The amount of work required to produce the final result made for an extremely difficult installation. The hard work and dedication of the Caliber team not only resulted in an award-winning project, but more importantly a happy customer!”
The Discovery Cube Orange County was so impressed with this advertising collateral piece we did for The Ducks, that we did a second rocket wrap for their Ultimate Interactive Flight Exhibition.