Future-Proofing Your Space: The Importance Of Flexibility In Large Format Print
After more than 10 years in the large format print industry, progressing from Sales Account Manager to Chief Commercial Officer at Leach, one thing I have seen consistently is that businesses rarely stand still.
Campaigns change, seasons come and go and sponsorships begin and end. Exhibitions also have new themes and retail environments need to reflect the latest trends. Yet, despite this constant change, the physical spaces businesses operate in can often remain surprisingly static.
I believe that needs to change.
For me, flexibility should be a key consideration when businesses are investing in large format print and graphic displays. The most effective solutions are the ones that can continue to work for a business as they adapt and remain impactful even several years down the line.
Designing for change
Changeable graphics give businesses the ability to refresh their environments without having to start from scratch every time. Instead of replacing an entire display, the underlying structure can remain in place while the graphic is updated to reflect a new campaign, product, sponsor or message.
We see this particularly clearly in retail. A retailer may need to promote summer collections one month, a new product launch the next and a Christmas campaign shortly afterwards. If the display infrastructure has been designed with flexibility in mind, those changes can be made quickly and efficiently without replacing the entire installation. In fact, recent research suggests that 68% of consumers have purchased a product because the signage caught their attention, highlighting how influential POS graphics and impactful signage can be throughout a store.
Previously, the team at Leach has delivered quality solutions for major retailers such as M&S, where lightboxes for over 400 stores were designed so graphics could be easily updated as campaigns and seasons changed, keeping consistency across their retail estate. More research into the power of visuals in the retail space has found that 55% of a brand’s first impression comes from graphics alone, and consistency in those assets can increase revenue by up to 20%.
Our work with M&S is simple example of how considering the future at the initial design stage can make a significant difference to the ongoing value of a project.
The same principle applies across other sectors.
In sport, sponsorships, competitions, teams and commercial partners can change from one season to the next. In exhibitions, brands need to adapt their messaging depending on the event, audience or product being showcased. Museums and visitor attractions regularly update exhibitions, interpretation and temporary displays to keep experiences fresh and relevant.
For these organisations, flexibility is not just a nice-to-have, it can be a genuine commercial advantage.
Making your budgets work harder
Businesses are under increasing pressure to make budgets stretch further, particularly when it comes to physical environments. If an entire display has to be replaced every time the messaging changes, costs can quickly escalate through new materials, production, installation and responsible disposal.
A changeable system can help reduce those costs in the long term. The initial investment is made in a durable, adaptable structure, while graphics can be produced and replaced as required. Another project example is our work with SolarFrame, where we produced an innovative tension frame solution that were fronted with silicone edged graphics which could be easily updated anytime the showroom updated their promotional messaging.
An investment in a flexible solution can also improve operational efficiency. I always encourage customers to think beyond the initial installation and consider their needs 6, 12 or 24 months ahead. By choosing a flexible solution that can accommodate future visual updates, businesses can minimise disruption and maximise the value of their investment over its lifetime
Keeping pace with customer expectations
Customer expectations are changing faster than ever, so your business needs to be just as flexible.
What captures your audience’s attention now may not have the same impact in a few weeks’ time. Trends develop quickly, competitors evolve and audiences expect brands and experiences to feel current. Businesses that cannot respond to those changes in-store risk looking outdated, even when the underlying product or service remains strong.
This is particularly important where the physical environment is central to the brand experience. Large format print has a valuable role across sectors, but its greatest impact comes from solutions designed to evolve with the business.
Adaptability should be part of the brief
A good large format print partner should help businesses answer that question from the outset. That means understanding the wider objectives, challenging fixed approaches where appropriate and recommending solutions that can be adapted as campaigns, seasons, audiences and priorities evolve.
After more than a decade of working with businesses across different sectors, I have seen first-hand how quickly requirements can change. The businesses that respond most effectively are often those that have built flexibility into their environments from the beginning.
At Leach, we work across retail, sport, museums and visitor attractions, events and exhibitions, interiors and many other sectors, providing large format print solutions from design concept through to installation.
Change is inevitable. The businesses that thrive are those equipped to respond to it. Flexible large format print gives brands the freedom to evolve their environments, seize new opportunities and stay relevant without the cost and disruption of starting again.
Planning a new large format print project? Talk to our team about creating a solution that can evolve with your campaigns, seasons and business needs.
