Printers capitalise on World Cup fever

Printing companies of all shapes and sizes have been busy showcasing the power of print ahead of England’s first World Cup semi-final in a generation this evening.

Birmingham-based large-format media specialist Hollywood Monster has dressed the windows on its own building with England flags and the England football team emblem, and has put a large-format graphic on a standalone poster site in its grounds.

The firm has also pulled out all the stops to help client Millennium Point dress its building with a giant 24x17m England flag ahead of tonight’s match.

“Normally this sort of thing would take four-or-five days to plan. The client rang us at 1pm yesterday and the guys here missed yesterday’s semi-final and worked all through the night to get it done,” said managing director Simon Mckenzie. “It’s a once in a lifetime thing and we’re all buzzing.”

Elsewhere, Sapphire Signs has installed an impactful ‘It’s coming home’ banner on the gates to its industrial unit in Hull.

Datum CP has been offering anyone who drops in to its Hatfield site a free double-sided England poster, while packaging firm Garthwest has used its corrugated expertise to create replica World Cup trophies that it is sending out today to “industry champions and sustainability endorsers”.

A number of industry individuals are also participating in #WaistcoatWednesday paying tribute to England manager Gareth Southgate’s signature attire, including Clive Bramble of Barnwell Print; Gary Peeling of Precision Printing; and the Premier Paper Group’s entire business papers team.

Northern Flags in Leeds took the waistcoat theme to a new level by creating flags with an England waistcoat design. This resulted in the business featuring on the BBC Look North regional news show, which came along to film its Agfa Avinci in action, as well as on local radio. The firm then added to this by running up some actual waistcoats featuring – what else – the England flag.

Mask-arade in Southam said that its official Gareth Southgate mask has become a new bestseller as England’s performance in the competition defied expectations.

According to the Centre for Retail Research England’s success in the tournament so far has resulted in an £800m boost to retail spending, compared with the team’s dismal showing in 2014.

Printers took to social media to highlight their achievements (see below).