Getting A Message Across Via Window Film

Getting A Sharp Message across using Window Film

Window film developed to keep glass from shattering now doubles up as an eye-grabbing ad medium.

Clear film window coating was developed in the early 70’s in England to keep windows from shattering during the Irish Republic Army terrorist bombings. Today the film coating has become big business. Leon Levy of Klingshield Johannesburg South Africa, invented and patented laminated self adhesive window graphics to stick onto windows of shopfronts and buildings.

The original self adhesive safety films were applied to public buildings in London, including Buckingham Palace, 10 Downing Street, London Stock Exchange and ministers’ private residence, as well as 80% of England’s public buildings.
“If a bomb explodes the film holds the glass intact” says Levy. During the 2nd World War strips of tape were applied to windows to reduce the injuries from flying glass. Today these films are applied to windows in sheets to hold the glass together in case of breakage.

These safety films were known as “bomb proofing” but in the more peaceful side of the world these films are used for advertising by adding colour, aluminium films in metallic finishes, to dress up store front windows by creating images.
Dot Matrix self adhesive films are also used today by having them digitally printed and applied to the exterior of store windows. These graphic images can be larger than life, in 3 dimensional, transparent or opaque.

Over the years Klingshield has applied images to windows of Health Clubs, Hair Salons, car dealerships, CD Rental Shops, Retail shops and travel agencies throughout South Africa, London and America.

The graphic designs that Klingshield creates reach out and grab customers.

Images drawn on window corners can give illusions of movement. These designs can be seen inside and outside of buildings. They also have a practical side to them. Treated windows help reduce glare and heat from the sun and the film’s shatterproof nature will help treated windows remain intact during natural disasters, earthquakes or rioting.

The films also reduce 99% of the ultra violet and won’t fade over time.
The General Manager of Porsche said that the graphics had increased business since 2 Porsches and an Audi were installed on windows at their dealership last summer. “I would say we have had a 15% to 20% increase in drive by business. The graphics establish a much classier appearance in front of our building and is very eye catching and good for brand awareness as it stays in the consumer’s mind” said Mel Price.

The Porsche graphic that was installed on the front of the building was 5 times the size of a Porsche. The optical illusion makes it appear to be moving as one drives in front of the dealerships.

Shops are usually very drab and can look the same from the outside. Just a red and white strip barber pole used to signify barber shops. Now these futuristic hand created graphics reveal the nature of the stores. The graphics have an impact to automatically tell people the industry they are in.

Klingshield started this process by wanting to create something different from the traditional window signs and worked on the invention of creating see through signage with window film. This process started to snowball and become big business and was patented by Klingshield in Britain, Australia and the USA. Today whole buildings are treated in window graphics using Dot Matrix that could end up in the Guiness Book for Records for the hugest signage ever made.

For further information on window graphics please contact us below