HP Inc. has announced the winners of the HP Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) Large Format Sign & Display Digital Excellence Print Awards 2018. Now in its 10th year, the annual award recognizes PSPs who are creatively using HP’s Latex printing technologies to provide consumers with better brand experiences. Seven category winners were selected from 55 entries. They were judged on 31 August by industry leaders Wu Xianyi, executive committee member of the Design Business Chamber Singapore; Muralikrisghnan Rangan, chief executive officer of Print Lab; and Genevieve Chua, managing director of Spicers Asia and EXCO, Print & Media Association of Singapore.
“Over the past 10 years, we have challenged PSPs to enable brands to connect with their customers in new ways at the point of purchase,” said Michael Boyle, general manager, Asia Pacific and Japan Graphics Solutions Business, HP Inc. “The sign and display industry is one of the most exciting and fastest-growing segments in the commercial print industry. At HP we see our role as technology enablers and our PSPs are continuing to leverage our solutions to create new and innovative work.”
The category winners demonstrated outstanding creativity, innovation and positive brand impact through their work – all of which were developed by HP’s large format printing technology. The HP Latex offers vibrant colors, the glossiest whites and high scratch resistance with its water-soluble inks. Together, these allow PSPs the versatility to expand into new applications in retail, outdoor signage, window graphics, events and exhibitions, decoration and car wrapping.
Here is the list of the Grand Winners and Category Winners:
GRAND WINNER
Fuji Kogyo (Japan): The wallpaper, made of glass beads and printed, non-woven fabric, showed realistic color payoff. Overall, the creative wallpaper made the room’s aesthetic more elegant and gave it the illusion of a bigger space.
GRAND WINNER
CATEGORY WINNER: VEHICLE GRAPHICS
Bailey Print Group (Australia): The display showcased larger-than-life cut-outs while ensuring zero safety risk while the truck is in motion.
GRAND WINNER
CATEGORY WINNER: DECORATION
Bailey Print Group (Australia): The group created a showroom to enable sensory experiences by printing on surfaces such as cushion covers, furniture upholstery, roller blinds and tables. These helped display the possibilities in the ‘printerior’ sector.
CATEGORY WINNER: PEOPLE’S CHOICE
Pinwheel Media Group (Philippines): The new design of Jollibee Foods Corporation used a variety of substrates and mixed media to highlight the brand feel and flavor, adding vibrance to the store’s overall look. This entry obtained 96% of the online votes.
CATEGORY WINNER: CREATIVE GIFTS
Asakura Inc. (Japan): The company’s drawstring bags are designed to be the best gifts in any season. Printed on non-woven fabric, the bags did not have compromised ink quality even with their soft and thin material.
CATEGORY WINNER: FASHION/ACCESSORIES
Bailey Print Group (Australia): The bags are made from clear PVC and acrylic felt cores with printed polyurethane leather interchangeable skins so the bags can be personalized for any occasion. They are also scratch resistant and free of volatile organic compounds.
CATEGORY WINNER: OUTDOOR ADVERTISING
Shibaura House (Japan): As part of an annual exhibition, KYOTOGRAPHIE displayed an outdoor banner made of mesh PVC. The banner withstood harsh weather conditions and retained the print, even without any coating as base.
CATEGORY WINNER: RETAIL POP/POS
Spectrum Scan (India): Spectrum Scan’s unit structure attracted customers with vibrant print quality and color. The unit was also designed to be a selfie shooting point for customers, increasing personal interaction with the brand.
