Contra Vision® BACKLITE™ patented see-through graphic technology made an impact at London 2012, being visible during the hours of darkness as well as daylight. Visitors arriving by train at Stratford Station, the main public transport hub for the Olympics and Paralympics, were greeted by a dramatic wrap of the entire station.
As a Tier One sponsor of London 2012, UK bank, Lloyds TSB, took the opportunity to make a bold visual statement by wrapping the station with graphics which showcased some of the sports included in the games. This was a first for Lloyds TSB, for space advertiser, CBS Outdoor, for print and installation provider VGL, and for Contra Vision, who supplied the material which enables such striking see-through graphics 24/7.
Contra Vision® BACKLITE Performance™ Translucent White perforated window film gave the graphics 24 hour impact by being illuminated from the ambient illumination within the station, which would ‘burn through’ ordinary one-way vision products. This was important to maintain visibility for spectators returning to Stratford Station at dusk and later when conventional one-way vision graphics would not be visible because the light from inside the station passing through the holes of White and Black perforated material would swamp the graphics.
Visitors arriving at the station could see the Olympics activity outside, avoiding the claustrophobic effect that solid window graphics would have caused. In addition, the Contra Vision® BACKLITE™ technology allows a subtle ghost of the printed image to be seen from the inside, which extended the Lloyds TSB brand message with its distinctive colours and cartoon graphic style to those within the station. A further benefit of using Contra Vision® BACKLITE Performance™ perforated window film was that it was possible to apply this to inwardly sloping glazing, whereas other manufacturers stipulate vertical surfaces only. The graphics were then easily removed after the Games.
The images were printed on Contra Vision® BACKLITE Performance™ by VGL using their NUR Fresco solvent inkjet machine and CBS Outdoor worked with Rainey Kelly, MEC and Kinetic to create this stunning installation. Both the client and the agency were delighted with the outcome.
