The Apprentice Final - And Other Recent TV Appearances!

Our work has once again appeared in TV3's The Apprentice, and God were we proud! Our Swift Banner Stand produced for Temple Street Children's Hospital was placed beside finalist Nicky as she made her introductory speech. It didn't help her to win the series but Nicky's team raised €18000+ for the hospital during the charity auction, and we like to think that the curl-resistant, ultra-matte finish Swift Banner didn't hurt!

We can also be seen on your screens at the moment, on the ad for Jason Byrne's new DVD, The Byrne Identity. We produced the colourful backdrop stand - its amzing how versatile and imposing a simple flat pop up stand can be.

Stock Clearance Display Items

Stock Clearance Display Items No need to forsake purchasing because of the ecomonic doom and gloom - just buy smarter! Due to our recent stock take, we have a variety of display items available on a limited basis only this month. Items include Banner Stands, Portable and Outdoor Flagpoles, Scrolling Signs, Pop Up Frames, Poster Frames, Pavement Signs, Banners and Brandable Portable Fridge Units! Perfect for Seasonal Promotions & End-Of-Year Budgets... Some are reconditioned, some are end-of-line, some are brand new, all are great value. This is a once-off, never-to-be-repeated offer. A small sample of the products included: Bestselling Nomadic Swift Roller Banner Stand Normal Price: €399 + VAT Offer Price:€309 + VAT Nomadic Pop Up Display Normal Price: €2775 + VAT Offer Price: €2075 + VAT Floors-standing Scrolling Banner Stand Normal Price: €565 + VAT Offer Price:€365 + VAT Ceiling-Mounted Scrolling Banner Normal Price:€€275 + VAT Offer Price: €195 + VAT Coloured Vinyl Outdoor Banners (cut vinyl only) Normal Price:€55 + VAT/square metre Offer Price:€45 + VAT/square metre Portable Brandable Fridge Normal Price: €300 + VAT Offer Price: €125 + VAT Heavy-Duty Poster Holder Pavement Sign Normal Price: €435 + VAT Offer Price: €305 + VAT A1 Snap Poster Frames Normal Price: €75 + VAT Offer Price:€60+ VAT Email sean@appliedsigns.ie for more information.

New Product Alert - Extra-Wide, Extra-Tall Roller Banner for A Real Visual Impact

We are thrilled to announce the addition of a wider, taller Roller Banner Stand to our display stand collection. The Classic Roll Up Banner is 1.15 metres wide and 2.15 metres tall, meaning it has an impressive impact and presence perfect for use in larger venues, when you still need instant and ultra portable branding. These stands have already proved popular, our first batch selling out in a fortnight! We have also adapted these by making them 2m tall for some customers who wish to use them in height-restricted areas in the future. As with all our displays, these stands are premium quality with a lifetime hardware warranty, and the panel is made from flexible vinyl rather than laminated paper, so expect to great great value from the Classic Roll Up Banner onver the lifetime of the stand. They are also ultra-light weight at only 6.1kg, which is a real selling point for a stand of this size. Lights are available in a co-ordinating silver colour. For more details contact sean@appliedsigns.ie or visit our Banner Stand webpage...

Part Two of Display Product Guide – Pull Up Stands…not to be confused with Pop Up Stands!

Pop up and Pull up stands are often confused by customers, and even by some vendors who have come to the display business late in the game. But they are really very different, with different strengths and uses, as I will explain in this installment of the Display Product Guide…

Pull Up Stands – aka Roller Banners, Roll Up Banners, Roll Up Signs, Banner Stands, Banner Signs, Penguin Stands, Banner Displays, Pull Up Signs, Pull Up Banners, Portable Banners.

Pull Up Stands/Banners are so called because, to assemble the stand, a printed panel on a roller is pulled up from the base and hooked to the tip of a telescopic bar, so that it forms a vertical banner effect, and is self supporting.

In pure layman’s terms, these are long thin displays, similar in shape and size to a strip of wallpaper and they function like an upside down roller blind, where the ‘blind’ is actually a digitally printed graphic panel.

These stands are usually in the region of 2 metres tall and 80cm to 1m wide. For this reason they are compact and versatile displays and are popular for uses as varied sales presentations, exhibitions and trade shows as well as in-store displays, and promotional displays in bars, shopping centres and hospitals.

Another major advantage of Pull Up or Roller Banner Stands is the portability they afford the user. For this reason it is important to choose a pull up banner which is as light as possible – they range in weight from around 4 kilos to 8 or 9 kilos in weight depending on the materials and components used. They travel in a bag with a shoulder strap, and unlike Pop Up Display stands, these stands can easily be transported by someone travelling on foot or on the bus!

Compared to Pop Up Display Stands, Pull Up Banners have the obvious advantage of being about 10-15% of the price of a 3m Pop Up Stand. However they are obviously much smaller and have less of a presence, which can pose a problem for those wishing to avail of their portability and low price, but needing a backdrop or wide effect from their display stand. There is an answer to this and it lies with clever graphic design – 2, 3 or more pull up stands can be designed in such a way that they form a continuous image when placed side by side. This way, the stands form an attractive display about 2.5 metres wide, and often they can be used separately as well, giving you the utmost return on investment from these clever little stands.

Another thing to bear in mind is that these stands can be purchased with 2 rollers in the base, meaning the same stand can be use to promote 2 different products, events, faculties etc. Also with all the different brands and types of stands on the market, it should be possible to replace the printed panels at a reasonable cost as many times as you like.

So, these stands will never provide the sheer presence of a Pop Up Display stand, and they can’t support plasma screens, or be joined together to create an impressive 6m backdrop display. However the portability, versatility and low cost of these stands means they are perennially popular with literally every kind of business. Bear in mind the following when purchasing a Pull Up Banner Display to ensure you get the best quality and value for money.

Things to look out for when buying a Pull Up Display stand:

**Check the hardware warranty that comes with the stand – there should be at least a year’s warranty

**Check that if the Pull Up Stand becomes damaged, it can a) be repaired, b) be repaired cheaply or for free, c) where do the repairs take place (effecting repair time and shipping costs), d) can small components, e.g. spring, top bar, be replaced easily

**Check what the panel is made of – laminated paper panels are notorious for curling at the edges and cracking. A vinyl panel is often more durable and attractive

**Check the weight of the stand – is it light enough for you to carry comfortably over your shoulder

**Look our for stands with a stable base, without fold out legs which may add weight and increase the stand’s footprint

**A stand with 2 rollers in the base may be a great investment buy IF the stand is of a high enough quality to bear repeated use through the years

**Check the price to have a new panel added or a second side added to the stand

**Look for a stand where the telescopic pole is connected by elastic to prevent losing a piece

**Check that accessories such as spotlights can be added and that they can be transported within the shoulder bag

** Ask to see the Pull Up Stand in the flesh and to practice putting up the stand before you buy so that you can compare quality – these stands are on the cheaper end of the display stand scale but very cheap stands without warranties are a false economy as they will not withstand repeated use

Important Terms relating to Pull Up Banner Stands:

Panel – The printed panel visible at the front of the stand when assembled

Print – see panels

Graphic – see panels