the fates want you to cover your automobile

Of all the tremendous things I have pending to blog about, this particular item I must do now because of the absolute and inconceivable timing…

This morning I had the rare opportunity not only to get a seat on the train to work, but also to be able to look out the window (quite lovely during the above-ground stops). Somewhere around Coolidge Corner, one of the MBTA’s buses drove by, all covered in that plastic stuff, one giant advertisement for the Charlie Card (I tried so hard to find an image, but to no avail. Plain semi-creepy Charlie will have to suffice). I’ve seen buses and other various automobiles covered with plastic/filmy banners and adverts countless other times, but this morning, for some odd reason, I found myself wondering what that process actually involves. How the heck is all that film printed? Do they do it in a couple large sections, or are they in smaller strips that have to be seamlessly aligned and placed on? How tedious the process not only to print but to adhere to the vehicle (the enormity of buses) must be! I wondered how many print companies could actually produce these beastly print jobs (it would take a specialized printer, depending on the size of the sheets, and the actual material they print on. Not to mention, they’d have to coat it with some sort of weather-resisting film since these puppies are exposed to rain, snow, etc. and I’m pretty sure not all print locations have that process available in-house). However, assuming I’d never know, I shrugged and drifted off to some other morning commute thought.

Back in November, I had attended a brief seminar on printing (for marketing projects, for printer buyers, etc.) in Rhode Island. Since then, I’ve been receiving periodic emailed “Print Tips” from the woman who led the seminar. They’re interesting and informative, but just as I do with most email at work these days, unless it’s something that needs immediate action, I open it, skim it, archive it, and move back to one of the million other tasks I’m trying to complete that day.

Then today’s email came.

Oh coincidence! Oh cosmic shenanigans! In this email, just exactly what is the feature? Title: Vehicle Wraps: How Do They Do It?

O.M.G. Less than an hour prior to receiving this email I had been pondering just this! How do they do it? And then this email comes to me? I was beyond stunned. Well, perhaps just oddly surprised. Wonder and ye shall be told? Superb! If everything else in the world worked this way… hmm, I wonder how it is that people come to find themselves immensely wealthy, without any sort of concern in their lives? It’s not exactly the same, but I’d like to think that things could work that way.

Anyway, it’s really a fascinating process, vehicle wraps. I haven’t had time to really delve into it, mostly because of the major guilt I currently feel because I should be working but I’m writing a blog instead - but I was so shocked by the timing that I had to blog about it so the 4 people who read these entries could now know that I’m a crazy person and am partially psychic – well, let’s call it extremely intuitive. This is not the first time something like this has happened, although I’m not going to go so far as to assume that it’s just me or that I’m all that incredible.
Nonetheless, I think you should go read about it here http://www.bostonprintbuyers.com/printtips/index.html#article because it’s something everyone has seen at one point, and heck, it’s interesting, right?! Right? Or, maybe I’ve gone into the geek-land of marketing and printing and now have no idea what’s actually interesting anymore… if so, my apologies.

Next up: An in-depth ponder-ation about why today’s temps (in the work place) are so sassy.
An involved and highly-photographed discussion of my awesome new speakers (subwoofer, woof!).
and… probably something about the holidays.

Hearts, kisses, and other gag-inducing farewell tomfoolery,
Andrle