Glad has taken freshness to a whole different level by showing real-time results of food freshness and integrating this into a billboard campaign.
This outdoor board, made from 680 orange slices, highlighted the ability of Glads plastic wrap to keep food fresh. Some slices were wrapped in Cling Wrap, and as the other slices rotted, the message "Fresh Longer" became visibile.
Read more about this campaign on adweek.com.
Virtual Images has been named recipient of a silver Davey Awards in the category of design, business-to-business direct mail. The winning piece, titled "Universe", was part of Virtual Images 2015 self-promotional campaign. This 3D postcard was designed by Virtual Images Creative Director, Adam Johnson.
The Davey Awards is an international creative award focused exclusively on honoring outstanding creative work from the best small agencies worldwide. The 2015 Davey Awards received nearly 4,000 entries from ad agencies, interactive agencies, production firms, in-house creative professionals, graphic designers, design firms and public relation firms. For more information on the Davey Awards, please visit http://www.daveyawards.com
A unique 50-cent coin from the Royal Canadian Mint showcases two different Christmas-themed images as its tilted from side to side. Appearing as the ninth release from the Mint’s annual series of holiday lenticular coins is the 2015 50c Holiday Toy Box Coin. Previous coins in the series sold out.
Designed by Canadian artist Joel Kimmel, the coin’s first image is of toys, a closed toy box and wrapped presents as they would appear on Christmas Eve.
Tilt the coin to its side and a second image emerges that shows the box overflowing with new toys that were unwrapped on Christmas morning. Newly opened presents around the toy box include a model airplane, a world globe, a tin robot, blocks, and an antique style metal toy car.
For more on this holiday toy box coin, visit coinnews.net.
"Direct mail, snail mail or just mail — whatever you call it — is not dead. In fact, it dominates ad spending by local retailers, taking up more than 43 percent of retailers’ total advertising budgets according to a 2013 report from small business research firm BIA/Kelsey."
“Personalized print media has a more powerful presence than a personalized email, because the audience can recognize that it takes more effort to customize print media than digital,” writes Vladimir Gendelman, print marketing expert and CEO of Company Folders. “Accordingly, the audience feels special because of what is a personal touch often lacking in traditional print marketing.”
Read the entire article on All Voices by Barry Eitel here.
Travel Tags executives visited the KBA factory in Germany to see their press being built. (From left) Chris Travis, KBA director of technology; Mark Smolik, Travel Tags operations manager; Roland Gebauer, KBA sales manager; and Larry Eidem, Travel Tags operations project manager.
INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, Minn.—August 6, 2015—To maintain its top quality production, impressive customer service and technological innovation that sets the company apart from its competition, Travel Tags, a leading award-winning provider of stored value card manufacturing and manufacturer of lenticular, 3D, animation and motion graphics solutions, will be adding a new KBA UV sheetfed press.
“This sleek new KBA press is an investment in our customers,” said Mark Smolik, Travel Tags operations manager. “It will enable us to continue to serve them quickly, accurately and cost-effectively for years to come. The new press is part of our ongoing plan to ensure we’re aligned with our customers’ needs and to continue to provide the highest quality product possible. It will help us not only meet our customers’ on-time needs but also in meeting and exceeding their high quality expectations.”
The print specialists at Travel Tags investigated other printing press manufacturers and decided to purchase a new KBA based on performance and service. “We’ve been fortunate to have installed several other KBA presses and have had them in service for several years,” relayed Smolik. “The machines have performed very well and support from KBA has been good.”
Source: Printing Impressions
“We are truly excited about the new KBA Rapida press investment made by Travel Tags,” commented Steve Korn, KBA director of national and key accounts.
Source: Printing Impressions
PHILADELPHIA—May 29, 2015—This 2015 Gold Ink Awards entry, titled “Universe,” was entered into the Direct Mail category, by lenticular specialty printer Virtual Images, headquartered in Redland, California. The direct mail piece was designed by Adam Johnson, lead creative at Virtual Images.
A lenticular lens was applied to this direct mail piece the 3-D world.
A lenticular lens was applied to this direct mail piece to create a 3-D world.
“Universe” was printed on a 40″ KBA Rapida 104 sheetfed offset UV press, for a press run of 10,000 sheets. Multiple colors were used for this project, as well as diecutting (rounded corners). According to Maile Kaulukukui, sales and marketing program manager at Virtual Images, a lenticular lens was also applied (21.5 mil/100 lip), which she says, creates lots of depth that can be viewed at a hand-held distance. “Lenticular printing is a highly specialized process, and the design, art preparation (interlacing), and printing require substantial expertise and experience,” Kaulukukui further explains.
“Universe” was produced in Virtual Images’ production facility in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota. The plant is G7 certified, as well as humidity and temperature controlled. Kaulukukui adds that the company has made investments to its press to optimize cooling and to allow for exceptional image register and consistency on lenticular materials.
Back of the direct mail piece.
The back of the mailer invites readers to learn more about the art of dimension. Read more about the Gold Ink awards and how to enter here.
In January of 2013, Wal-Mart made a huge announcement to buy an additional $250 billion in US made products by the year 2023. In the last two years since, the company says suppliers have made huge adjustments to change the ways products are produced or assembled in the US.
About two thirds of products sold in Wal-Mart are now made, grown, or sourced stateside. And, with the companys continued support to purchase $250 billion in products over the next 8 years, Wal-Marts merchant network is finding and identifying new domestic manufacturing opportunities. Wal-Mart identifies them in 3 specific ways:
Read more about Wal-Marts Made in the USA initiative on Packaging Digest.
New details have emerged from LucasFilm/Disney regarding the first Star Wars stand-alone film, Rogue, as well as updates on the release date for Star Wars: Episode VIII.
Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger shared initial details about the film Rogue with shareholders at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. This film will be directed by Gareth Edwards, who has recently directed Monsters and Godzilla, and written by Chris Weitz. The film will begin shooting this summer and will be released in December 2016.
For more information on Rogue, visit www.starwars.com.
02 19 2015
The groundbreaking photo-editing tool marks a quarter of a century with a new ad campaign and a creative showcase.
To celebrate this milestone, Adobe is launching an advertising campaign, entitled Dream On, on The Academy Awards, featuring work from artists and iconic movie images that used Photoshop, including Avatar, Gone Girl, How to Train Your Dragon 2 and Shrek. Adobe is also marking the occasion by showcasing 25 of the most creative visual artists under 25 who use Photoshop. To be considered, artists need to upload their projects to Behance and use the tag Ps25Under25.
Read this entire story at Creative Bloq.
Design still matters, according to a University of Chicago study by Sian Beilock. "Subtle changes in the placement or packaging of products can have big effects on peoples desire to buy them," Beilock tells NPR. In one study, the scientist asked volunteers to move one of two objects on a table, whichever one they preferred. The study’s subjects were more likely to grab a spatula or a spoon placed with the handle pointed toward them than one that was placed with the handle facing away. More than 60% of the time, people liked the object that was easier to grab.
In 2008, Coke redesigned its two-liter bottle a few years ago to make it curvier and thus, easier to hold and pour, in the words of a Coca-Cola representative. And suddenly, Beilock reports, Coke was selling a lot more of its two-liter sodas than archrival Pepsi.
Does this mean Coke knew all about the way the body influences the mind? Beilock says: ‘My guess is [in tests] people preferred that bottle.’
Based on her research, she believes that the enticing shape of a soda bottle ‘might push you to buy it even knowing its not the right decision.’
Read the entire article on FastCodesigns.com
02 12 2015
"With the explosion of online marketing there is a temptation to set aside direct-mail as a means of reducing spending. That temptation is even more persuasive when a false comparison is used, such as direct-mail vs. e-mail, without looking at the numbers. Nobody downloads an e-mail and puts it up on the refrigerator with a little magnet, and sees it 20 times a day until they call. That might happen with a well-designed letter or postcard received in the mail though. What advertisements are on your fridge? Any emails there? Probably not."
Read more at http://www.business2community.com="" your="">http://www.business2community.com/marketing/forget-hype-direct-mail-dead-01154734#Apo7LgxU7bEyhkGJ.99
The California eighth-grader has launched a company to develop low-cost machines to print Braille, the tactile writing system for the visually impaired. Tech giant Intel Corp. recently invested in his startup, Braigo Labs. Shubham then did some online research and was shocked to learn that Braille printers, also called embossers, cost at least $2,000--too expensive for most blind readers, especially in developing countries.
"I just thought that price should not be there. I know that there is a simpler way to do this," said Shubham, who demonstrated how his printer works at the kitchen table where he spent many late nights building it with a Lego Mindstorms EV3 kit.
"My end goal would probably be having most of the blind people ... using my Braille printer," said Shubham, who lives in the Silicon Valley suburb of Santa Clara, just minutes away from Intel headquarters.
Read more on Inc.com.
New report from Bloomberg points to yes.
Retails slumped in December, according to a new report published by Bloomberg. Due to an almost 1% decline in purchases, followed by another 0.4% advance in November, this drop follows large gains in the start of the quarter signaling that consumer spending was still on the rise.
Continued decreases in the unemployment rate and wage growth seem to be encouraging consumers to spend some, but not as much as retailers had wished.
“Maybe the optimism a month ago got a little too heated,” said Guy Berger, U.S. economist at RBS Securities Inc. in Stamford, Connecticut, who is among the best forecasters of retail sales over the past two years, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. “It’s a weak number but it follows some really strong ones and I don’t think it changes my general feeling on how the economy and consumers are doing.”
Read more at Bloomberg.com
Companys Creative Directors Host Aspiring Designers at Art House in Redlands
REDLANDS, CA – November 6, 2014-- Virtual Images, a division of Travel Tags, Inc., hosted an open house for University of Redlands design students.
The focus of the event was a general overview of the role of a designer after graduation, highlighting some of the experiences of fellow alumni Jordan Falk and CSUSB alumni and lead designer Adam Johnson. Students were given a tour of the facility and a walk through of the basics of lenticular, which is a highly specialized print process where images are interlaced in a fashion to produce an optical illusion of either motion or depth. Students were also encouraged to apply for an internship with the company for Spring 2015.
“As a graduate of the University of Redlands’ Bachelor of Arts program, I am proud to host these future students in our local Redlands offices” stated Creative Manager, Jordan Falk. Falk continued by stating “through internship programs, much like the one we are offering to a few prospective students, there are mutual benefits for both our business and the students. We get the chance to harness some of their fresh new talent, while giving these future designers real world experience with this very specialized printing process.”
MEDIA CONTACT
Maile Kaulukukui
Ph. 909 255 7312
mkaulukukui@virtual-images.com
Virtual Images, leading provider of high-quality, US manufactured lenticular, has been named recipient of two silver Davey Awards in the category of business-to-business direct mail. The winning pieces are titled "Autumn" and "Smooth" and were both part of Virtual Images 2014 self-promotional direct mail campaign.
The Davey Awards exclusively honor the “Davids” of creativity, the finest small firms, agencies and companies in the world. David defeated the giant Goliath with a big idea and a little rock - the sort of thing small firms do each year. The annual International Davey Awards honors the achievements of the "Creative Davids" who derive their strength from big ideas, rather than big budgets. The Davey Awards is the leading awards competition specifically for smaller firms, where firms compete with their peers to win the recognition they deserve.
For more information on the Davey Awards and their judging criteria, please visit http://www.daveyawards.com
.
VIRTUAL IMAGES MEDIA CONTACT:
Maile Kaulukukui
909-255-7312
mkaulukukui@virtual-images.com
Happy Halloween from Virtual Images!
Check out the numbers behind Halloween in the United States with this infographic, courtesy of Statista:
Source link: http://www.statista.com/chart/2897/halloween-in-the-united-states-by-the-numbers/
GIFs have left the nest!
For the streaming services launch in France, the agency created 100 different GIFs, some of which "reacted" to current events and even things like the weather (for example, a rainy scene from a film when its actually raining at a bus stop).
Read the entire story on AdWeek.
With a new data breach revealed every week, is it possible to safely share anything these days? Even passing notes in class risks a teacher intervention, unless you can smuggle this printer in your backpack. Clearly inspired by Mission Impossible, the messages it prints actually physically self-destruct just moments after leaving the machine, ensuring your secrets are kept that way.
Read the entire story by Andrew Liszewski on Gizmodo.com.
Thanks to digital devices, mobile in particular, the path to purchase starts long before consumers step foot in-store. Still, brick-and-mortar isn’t dead, as evidenced by a June 2014 study by ORC International for Capgemini. Among digital shoppers worldwide, 72% said the traditional store experience was important when making a purchase—the highest percentage out of locations and channels studied. The internet landed second, at 67%.
See more at emarketer.com
"Undoubtedly, there was an evolutionary advantage to fast judgments about whom to trust, to follow, to challenge, and so on. In today’s world of business, though, such snap judgments aren’t always a good thing. Choosing a vendor, a political candidate, or a job applicant based on a 100 millisecond impression may not always yield the best results."
Numerous studies have been conducted on faces and first impressions, using both photos of real people and computer-generated faces. It was a 2006 study by Janine Willis and Alexander Todorov at Princeton that established the power of those first 100 milliseconds.
Read this entire article by Roger Dooley on Forbes.com.
"Branding is well steeped in the marketing, design and advertising industries and you hear about it everywhere and let’s be honest, it’s a bit of old news. It’s been the buzzword ever since advertising went a bit cold after the 80′s and 90′s. People needed another way to compete beyond the razzle and dazzle entertainment of advertisements. So branding was born, as a ‘new and better’ way to connect with the people that you want to buy your product."
Click here to read the entire article on thedieline.com.
3D printed Pizza premiered at Rome Maker Faire.
In the future, 3D printers will be as common a kitchen fixture as the microwave oven, and youll print everything from ready-made meals to fresh fruit on them. It sounds like something out of Star Trek – and in fact, the first people to try out 3D printed food will likely be astronauts.
Anjan Contractor is working with NASA to develop a food printer that can be used by astronauts; hes already produced a 3D-printed pizza complete with tomato sauce and cheese. Though it may not rival Romes street food, its a vital step towards long space missions such as a manned flight to Mars. At present, NASA uses Meals Ready-to-Eat; packaged foods that are heated up aboard a spaceship.
To read more about 3D printed food, visit stuff.tv.
New numbers from Nielsen Books & Consumer showing that ebooks were outsold by both hardcovers and paperbacks in the first half of 2014.
"According to Nielsen’s survey, ebooks constituted only 23 percent of unit sales for the first six months of the year, while hardcovers made up 25 percent and paperback 42 percent of sales. In other words, not only did overall print book sales, at 67 percent of the market, outpace ebook sales, both hardcovers and paperbacks individually outsold ebooks."
Read more on the Huffington Post.
This new film, Inside Out, is set in the mind of an 11 year old girl and features a cast of characters that are the different emotions that the girl has on a daily basis. The cast includes Joy (Amy Poehler), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith).
Visit the Disney/Pixar YouTube channel to view this trailer in HD.
Magazine’s art director stresses animation by Christoph Niemann of traffic in the rain is not a ‘technical gimmick’
Famous for its front page art has unveiled its newest innovation - the first animated cover used by a digital magazine. The animation called "Rainy Day" was created by a German artist named Christoph Niemann. Niemann has used animated gifs in the past, including a recent projects for Google Doodles for the first days of summer/winter and a project for MoMA called DESIGN AND VIOLENCE.
The New Yorker’s art director, Françoise Mouly, explained to Mashable how it came to commission an animated gif: “We wouldn’t have done it if it was just a technical gimmick. It had to be a good image. The rain one has the graphic quality and the aesthetic quality that meant it was a modern version of a very old fashioned New Yorker cover." She added: “I don’t want to set up an expectation that from now on it’s always going to be some kind of added web version of the cover. Most often it will stay as it is. I think that’s the most powerful.”
Read the entire article on the New Yorkers animated gif cover here.
In a recent video, published on the IKEA website, the furniture giant gives a subtle nod to the power of print.
Among the features, the man says: The catalog is wireless, has an “eternal” battery life, and comes with “pre-installed” content that can be navigated page-by-page without lag. Pages can be “bookmarked” by turning down their corners, and the catalog supports multiple users via hand-to-hand sharing.
In other words, it’s a typical paper catalog.
The video, titled "Experience the power of the bookbook" is a spoof of Apples recent ad campaigns has gone viral, creating additional buzz for the retailers catalog,.
"This irresistible attraction was a 3-D printed vehicle made by Local Motors, and interest at the New York Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens was intense. Bystanders crowded around, closely inspecting the car’s structure, which combines the body and chassis in a single unit and is made entirely from a composite, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, reinforced with carbon fiber. Commonly called A.B.S., it is the same thermoplastic used to make Lego bricks."
Read more about the first 3D printed car here.
Pictured: Disney Jr Doc McStuffins Get Better Talking Mobile Cart, retails at $49.99
With the holiday shopping season approaching, Toys“R”Us® today revealed its highly anticipated 2014 Holiday Hot Toy List. The annual list of 36 items, determined by Toys“R”Us play experts after months of extensive research, is packed with a wide range of brand new toys, games and other playthings expected to be at the top of kids’ wish lists this year. For the full list, visit Toysrus.com/HotToys or follow the conversation on social media using the hashtag, #TRUHotToyList.
Among the 36 items named to the Toys“R”Us Holiday Hot Toy List are the Fabulous 15, expected to be the most sought-after and anticipated items of the holiday season:
Source: Toys-r-us Corporate Website
Amazon announced today that it will offer it's new phone, the Amazon Fire, for $0.99 with a 2 year annual contract.
"The 32-gigabyte phone previously cost $199 through AT&T, the exclusive wireless carrier for the device and the second-largest mobile carrier in the U.S. The Fire phone comes with 12 months of free membership to Amazon’s Prime fast-delivery and media-streaming service, the Seattle-based company said today in a statement." - source Bloomberg News.
"Lenticular mode" is offered as one of the phone's many features, giving users the ability to capture many images and combine them into an animated gif for social media publishing.
VIRTUAL IMAGES MEDIA CONTACT:
Maile Kaulukukui
909-255-7312
mkaulukukui@virtual-images.com
AdAge, in a partnership with TV Guide, recently published a Watchlist that allow users to make a list of their favorite shows. This Watchlist is based off of user's ratings, giving a ranking to those upcoming fall releases with the most users rating them at the top of their list.
Topping the list in first is Fox's new series Gotham:
GOTHAM is an origin story of the great DC Comics Super-Villains and vigilantes, revealing an entirely new chapter that has never been told. From executive producer/writer Bruno Heller (“The Mentalist,” “Rome”), GOTHAM follows one cop's rise through a dangerously corrupt city teetering on the edge of evil, and chronicles the birth of one of the most popular super heroes of our time. - source Fox
Also ranking in the top five most anticipated new series are NCIS: New Orleans (CBS), Flash (CW), Constantine (NBC), and How to get away with Murder (ABC).
For more information on this Watchlist, visit AdAge's original story here.
Virtrual Images, leading provider of high-quality, US manufactured lenticular, wins pewter in the category of dimensional printing. The piece entered, titled "Dancer" is part of Virtual Images 2014 self-promotional direct mail campaign.
The Gold Ink Awards is the industry’s most prestigious print competition, from Printing Impressions magazine. For more information on the Gold Ink awards, visit their website here.
VIRTUAL IMAGES MEDIA CONTACT:
Maile Kaulukukui
909-255-7312
mkaulukukui@virtual-images.com
Television series "Gotham" was promoted in a huge way, with Virtual Images lenticular tags! Over 100,000 of these luggage tags were handed out at Comicon, both on the show floor and around the convention center.
"Fox will also distribute 5,000 Gotham Chronicle newspapers to fans on the ground at the convention (see the first issue above). Taking the news hook one step further, the network will launch a website where fans can keep up to date with breaking news, culture and entertainment stories set in the fictional world of Gotham with GothamChronicle.com. On top of all that, there will be 100,000 lenticular tags on lanyards distributed both on the street and at the Fox Comic-Con booth." - The Hollywood Reporter
The company reported Monday that it added 1.69 million paying streaming subscribers worldwide in the second quarter.
Netflix on Monday reported that it added 1.69 million paying streaming subscribers in the second quarter, enough to put it past 50 million for the first time.
Read the Hollywood Reporter's original post here.
Amazon unveiled its latest Fire brand of devices this week, its first foray into the smartphone market with the company is calling Fire Phone. There’s several interesting features and services that were announced today.
The rear-camera is 13MP with f/2.o five elements lens, Image Stabilization, as well as a dedicated camera button, which allows you to take a picture even if the screen is off. It will take 1080p video at 30 fps from both the front and rear-facing cameras. It can take shot with Panorama, Lenticular, and Burst capture.
For more informatoin on the new Amazon phone, visit groovypost.com.
Perth Mint of Australia has released a series of 3 silver coins that integrate lenticular. These 1 oz. silver coins feature 5 of the characters from the 2014 blockbuster, Transformers: Age of Extinction. Available in the Optimus Prime, Bumble Bee, Lockdown, or as a three coin pack.
In celebration of the release of Transformers: Age of Extinction, The Perth Mint is proud to present a coloured Lockdown 2014 1oz silver proof lenticular commemorative. Four million years ago on the planet Cybertron, emotional and perceptive robots with the ability to think and feel, known as ‘Transformers’, inhabited the planet. This highly intelligent race of ‘robots in disguise’ was divided into two opposing groups, the heroic and admirable Autobots, and the evil Decepticons. With the ability to disguise themselves by transforming into everyday vehicles such as cars and trucks, the robots can live undetected on Earth."
For more information on these coins, visit the Perth Mint website here.
A new collector coin and stamp tell the story of the Ghost Bride who has made the Fairmont Banff Springs her eternal home since the 1930s when, upon stepping onto the staircase, she suddenly stumbled and tragically fell to her death. Since then, some claim to have seen an apparition dancing in the hotel's ballroom or walking down the staircase, as she did on that fateful day which brought a tragic end to her love story. The coin and stamp were unveiled today at the Fairmont Banff Springs.
"Canadians have long recounted ghost tales that delight and frighten people of all ages," said Ian E. Bennett, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. "We're proud to produce coins that not only highlight such fascinating Canadian stories but also create a lasting impression through design and the innovative use of technology."
Thanks to the creative use of lenticular technology, a uniquely haunting effect is produced when the coin is tilted: the bride's eyes suddenly spring open, while the candles that lined the staircase light up the once-black background.
For more information on this stamp series, visit the Canadian Mint's press release.
London design studio Raw Edges has designed a series of carpets that appear to change colour throughout the day.
The Lake Collection was created for Persian rug company Golran and is based on the optical-art technique ‘lenticular’, commonly used by artists such as Yaacov Agam and Victor Vasarely.
By varying the pile heights in the rugs, Raw Edges have created a patterned carpet that can be perceived differently depending on the viewer's vantage point.
The illusion means that the rugs may look bright and colourful in the morning but become more muted throughout the day, changing their appearance in a way similar to the reflection of water from a lake.
For more information about Raw Edges' rug collection, visit Design Milk.
Visit Virtual Images at booth H22 at the License Expo 2014, June 17-19 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Stop by for samples of our high quality lentiucular drinkware, promotional products and consumer packaging.
For over 30 years, Licensing Expo has connected the worlds' most influential entertainment, character, fashion, art and corporate brand owners with consumer goods manufacturers, licensees and retailers.
Visit the Virtual Images events page for more information
VIRTUAL IMAGES GRANTED PATENT FOR DIMENSIONAL PRODUCTS WITH VISUAL
EFFECT ON PRE-SELECTED AREA OF A LENS SHEET
PATENT NO. 8, 693, 101 B2; “LENS SHEET HAVING LENS ARRAY FORMED IN PRE-SELECTED
AREAS AND ARTICLES FORMED THEREFROM”
REDLANDS, CA – May 16, 2014-- Virtual Images, a division of Travel Tags, Inc., a worldwide leader in the manufacture of products containing dimensional or visual effects, including Travel Tags’ custom INFINIDEPTH® printing technology and lenticular printing technology, was recently granted U.S. Patent No. 8,693,101 titled “Lens Sheet Having Lens Array Formed in Pre-Selected Areas and Articles Formed Therefrom” by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The ‘101 Patent generally describes products that contain “spots” or areas on a sheet that have pre-selected placement of lenses and other areas of the sheet that do not contain lenses, allowing for the printing of dimensional or visual effects on very specific locations of the sheet. Below is an example of the Spot Lens:
For over forty years, Travel Tags and divisions such as Virtual Images, have held a passion for innovative solutions that provide customers with unique and exclusive printed products. They do this by staying current on new technologies, developing applications and investing in new and improved equipment and processes. Travel Tags’ worldwide patent portfolio consists of over 100 owned or licensed patents (granted or pending), including this new advancement.
Dimensional printing includes various types of printing to accomplish special or unique graphic effects, including the illusion of depth and motion. Lenticular printing and INFINIDEPTH® printing are two such examples of dimensional printing. Each is accomplished by utilizing graphics that are specifically prepared and combining said graphics with lens sheets, including lenticular lens sheets, fly’s eye lens sheets and other lens sheets, each of which is made up of an infinite number of little lenses of various, pre-determined shape.
“Our customers have one more option to ponder when considering integrating dimensional into their product or packaging solution,” stated John Tomczyk, vice president of innovation. “Before this patent, individuals would either have had to adhere lenses to the surface of their product, or utilize an entire section of lens as their product.” Tomczyk continued by stating that “there was a niche market that we identified, worked through the possibilities of what it would take to manufacture efficiently, and patented the process that we feel brings these capabilities to market.”
For more information this patent or other print technologies, contact Virtual Images.
VIRTUAL IMAGES MEDIA CONTACT:
Maile Kaulukukui
909-255-7312
mkaulukukui@virtual-images.com
Virtual Images wins a bronze award in the category of Industry Self-Promotion Collateral in this year's Summit Creative Awards. The piece entered, titled "Autumn" is part of Virtual Images 2014 self-promotional direct mail campaign.
The Summit Creative Awards (SCA), a division of the Summit International Awards organization, has been established as one of the premier arbiters of creative excellence. For more informatoin on this award, visit their website.
Latest report on Amazon's first branded phone, including leaked photos, suggests the company will play up the device's 3D interface, which is said to set it apart from the competition.
"The other four front-facing cameras are low-powered infrared cameras that track the position of a user's eyes. This allows the phone to constantly adjust the position of the images on the screen, creating a 3D experience."
Read more on Amazon's new branded phone on CNET.
"
New 'Super Smash Bros.' games are a major event for video game fans everywhere, and present an experience that only Nintendo can offer," said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. "Fans have two launches to look forward to this year, and they will want to get in plenty of practice with the Nintendo 3DS version so that they can be prepared for the launch of the Wii U game later in the year."
Read more: Super Smash Bros. Wii U and Nintendo 3DS Details Revealed - ComingSoon.net
After recent Oscar award results, winning film Gravity became the highest selling 3D Blu-ray of all time.
Gravity won big at the Academy Awards, managing to pick up Best Director, Best Achievement in Visual Effects, and Best in Sound Mixing, Gravity didn't nab Best Picture. Despite losing to drama 12 Years a Slave, Gravity took home 7 awards in total.
For additional stories on Gravity's recent success: Huffington Post
“The Lego Movie,” the Warner Bros. animated film drawing on the Danish toymaker’s popular building bricks and mini figures, opened with $69.1 million in sales to grab the No. 1 spot in domestic cinemas this weekend.
“The Monuments Men,” about a World War II platoon rescuing art masterpieces from Nazi Germany, opened with $22.7 million in U.S. and Canadian cinemas to place second for Sony, Rentrak said in an emailed statement on Sunday. “Vampire Academy,” a film about half-human, half-vampire teens, generated $4.1 million in its debut for Weinstein Co., ranking seventh.
In anticipation of their newest release's opening weekend, Warner Brother is already in talks about a Lego Movie sequel.
Advanced market research indicates “The Lego Movie” will be a huge hit, grossing upwards of $40 millon this weekend. It should breeze to a win at the box office over fellow new releases “the Monuments Men” and “Vampire Academy.”
Source: TheWrap.com
Universal revealed upcoming release dates for the future of two highly anticipated follow ups, "Despicable Me 3" and a new take on the classic film, "How the Gring Stole Christmas". Slated to release in 2017, Despicable Me 3 will be in theaters on June 30th, with the new Grinch film following later in the year.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
REDLANDS, CA – Virtual Images, a division of Travel Tags, Inc. today announced the appointment of Al Rausch as president.
Mr. Rausch brings more than 20 years of industry experience to his new role and has a strong background in leadership, operations, business development and growth strategy.
“Al is the ideal leader for our organization,” said Curtis Mohr, executive vice president at Taylor Corporation, Travel Tags’ parent company. “His broad experience is well suited to help convert the deep engineering and manufacturing disciplines at Travel Tags to continued growth within both current and new markets.”
Rausch’s impressive track record includes building company operations from the ground up, growing revenues in mature categories, and successfully bringing new products to market.
“I am excited to join such a recognized leader in the card manufacturing industry,” said Rausch. “As we continue to uphold a stellar reputation for quality, service and innovation in our core markets, I look forward to seizing additional opportunities in markets that may be unfamiliar to us today.”
VIRTUAL IMAGES MEDIA CONTACT:
Maile Kaulukukui
909-255-7312
mkaulukukui@virtual-images.com
REDLANDS, CA – December 3, 2013 -- Virtual Images, a division of Travel Tags, Inc., announced today that John Tomczyk has joined the company as vice president of innovation.
After a brief departure in 2012 to pursue other opportunities, Tomczyk has rejoined the company’s senior leadership team. He will play an integral role in driving the company’s growth initiatives, with a particular focus on advanced printing technologies and business and process innovation.
A pioneer and innovator in the field of lenticular print techniques and card manufacturing, Tomczyk has over 22 years of experience in the industry and is sole or co-inventor on more than a dozen printing and dimensional imaging related patents. Tomczyk is responsible for breakthroughs such as dimensional gift and credit cards, dimensional in-mold labels, spot lens materials and many cards in Travel Tags’ line of sustainable solutions.
“We could not be more thrilled to have John back on the team,” said Eric Pohl, vice president of sales. “He has always embodied the company’s core values and our focus on exceptional customer service. He also has an extraordinary talent for developing smart solutions to our customers’ most pressing challenges.”
“I am excited to begin working with John,” said director of product development Steve Dunn. “The depth and breadth of his experience puts us in an even stronger competitive position.”
“Travel Tags has made significant investments in talent and capital to be the World’s leader in card production and related services, and I am excited to get back to work to serve our customers to make their dreams a reality,” said Tomczyk.
VIRTUAL IMAGES MEDIA CONTACT:
Maile Kaulukukui
909-255-7312
mkaulukukui@virtual-images.com
REDLANDS, CA – November 14, 2013 -- Virtual Images®, the nation’s leading provider of high-quality lenticular and specialty printed products, is pleased to announce its recent qualification as a G7 Master Qualified Printer.
G7 is an international standard (TR015) for calibrating printing presses and proofing systems to a common visual appearance. The G7 methodology uses gray balance as the driving force for achieving visual similarity across all print processes. Virtual Images is now part of the elite group of proof and print service providers who have successfully proven capable of providing the highest quality color printing.
By qualifying as a G7 Master Qualified Printer, Virtual Images has demonstrated that “thorough production of print and proofing, the knowledge and skill required and the fundamental practices essential to meeting the G7 methodology in a graphic communications production environment,” according to IDEAlliance, which manages the specification and the qualification process. IDEAlliance is a non-profit industry association guiding and publishing print media methodologies, specifications, and standards.
Along with parent company and manufacturing location, Travel Tags — also G7 Master Qualified Printer — Virtual Images assures their customers that they benefit from the most modern printing technology, techniques and process controls available today in the graphic arts industry. Achieving color consistency when printing on multiple platforms, in various geographic regions, is a critical component in brand management.
VIRTUAL IMAGES MEDIA CONTACT:
Maile Kaulukukui
909-255-7312
mkaulukukui@virtual-images.com
<img alt=" data-cke-saved-src=" http:="" http://www.virtual-images.com="" assets="" uploads="" news="" littlemermaidblueray_fullsize_story1.jpg"="" src="http://www.virtual-images.comhttp://virtual-images.com/assets//uploads/News/littlemermaidblueray_fullsize_story1.jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 413px;">
On Tuesday, Disney Home Entertainment releases "The Little Mermaid" Diamond Edition. The limited-time release brings the movie out of the Disney vault and marks the first time the film is on Blu-Ray. The combo pack includes the Blu-Ray, DVD version and a digital copy that not only features the story of Ariel, but is full of never-before-seen bonus features.
SOURCE: On Milwaukee
To help provide parents and gift-givers insight into the toys sure to appear on children’s wish lists as the holiday shopping season gets underway, Toys“R”Us® has revealed the 2013 Holiday Hot Toy List. This can’t-miss list of the season’s coveted playthings is viewable online at Toysrus.com/HotToys, so shoppers can get a glimpse of the gifts they’ll want to add to their holiday checklists. The company began developing the 2013 Holiday Hot Toy List early in the year, as its buying team scoured the globe to identify items certain to make kids’ wishes come true as they’re unwrapped on Christmas morning.
Beginning today, the company’s official fan page, Facebook.com/Toysrus, will encourage its loyal followers to share kids’ holiday toy wishes while offering gift-givers a wealth of hot toy information, including fun content about the #TRUHotToyList items. Throughout the holiday season, Facebook posts will showcase some of the most anticipated products, including kid-favorite characters, educational items and hot toys that inspire creativity, among others. In addition, fans will enjoy news of special deals, in-store and online services, and more. Shoppers unsure of what gift to get can ask questions on Facebook.com/Toysrus, where toy experts will help them find the perfect present.
SOURCE: Toys-R-Us Press Room
<img alt=" data-cke-saved-src=" http:="" http://www.virtual-images.com="" assets="" uploads="" news="" marvel-experience-feature.jpg"="" src="http://www.virtual-images.comhttp://virtual-images.com/assets//uploads/News/marvel-experience-feature.jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 282px;">
Experience Iron Man like never before! Marvel and Hero Ventures, an L.A.-based entertainment company is bringing a themed interactive tour to 20-24 cities called The Marvel Experience to the U.S., including a 4D motion ride featuring Iron Man. Kicking off in the spring of 2014, The Marvel Experience will feature 3D animation, digitally-projected animation, motion-comic origin stories, virtual reality/holographic simulations, merchandize and integrated social media. This groundbreaking and unique experience will be a traveling destination for fans and families, making everyone feel like a superhero.
Experience Iron Man like never before! Marvel and Hero Ventures, an L.A.-based entertainment company is bringing a themed interactive tour to 20-24 cities called The Marvel Experience to the U.S., including a 4D motion ride featuring Iron Man. Kicking off in the spring of 2014, The Marvel Experience will feature 3D animation, digitally-projected animation, motion-comic origin stories, virtual reality/holographic simulations, merchandize and integrated social media. This groundbreaking and unique experience will be a traveling destination for fans and families, making everyone feel like a superhero.
Packaged media is seeing a rise after a five-year downward trend, with sales up 2%, to $2.1 billion from $2 billion in the first quarter of 2012.
According to DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group, sales of new releases on Blu-ray Disc were up 37%. Sales of catalogue titles on Blu-Ray were up 16% from the first quarter of 2012. The number of Blu-Ray homes continues to grow, with 3.2 million players sold in the first quarter. Overall, in the first quarter of this year, US consumers spent an estimated $4.69 billion on home entertainment purchases and rentals, up from $4.46 billion in the first three months of 2012.
For more, visit "DVD and Beyond".
Snail Mail is here to stay, according to the July trend report, “The Future of Correspondence”, delivered by JWT Intelligence. In a progressive wireless society, delivering packages and receiving physical mail sparks a new significance with sensory satisfaction. This countertrend that bypasses thoughtless tweets, texts, status updates and emails is seen as a friendly and authentic form of communication that is still relevant, though perhaps not the most convenient. This report seeks a mix between the physical and virtual realms by adding digital components to real-world mail and translating digital content into physical deliveries.
For the full article, click visit JWT Intelligence.
