Introducing “QU™" - The Designer’s Tabletop Display and Signage System

     Beginning today, we are placing our durable little tabletop display into the eyes and ears of top designers around the world under the new brand “QU™”. The name is a takeoff of “queue”, meaning “list of data, to stand up in line” and so on. The strikingly simple name and logo design is the brainchild of our good friend, Thomas Mills, of MillsIdeas, LLC in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
     The product was born as “Pōdia Tabletop Display” in 2004 and has been widely accepted in the hospitality business in the US under that name. But, now it’s time for the rest of the world to know about this wonderfully durable display product and we are starting with designers. The reason for this approach is simple. QU perfectly displays an 8.5” x 11’ standard printed paper. And who makes the best looking printed pieces of paper? Designers!
     The designer simply and easily composes the graphics into a standard two-column format using any graphic program, including MS Word, prints the document, folds it lengthwise and inserts it into the QU capsule for an instant display.
     The better looking the graphics the better QU looks, for the capsule totally takes on the look of the document’s design.
     How would designers use QU? For virtually any and all smaller graphic and communication needs. Of course, because they’re easily changed they’re perfect for menus, communicating hotel and resort services and welcoming guests. But, also, they’re wonderful to display photos and messages about designer’s works for self promotion, client use for trade shows, case studies and special events.

     Also, the QU model with the built-in wall mount bracket allows QU to be easily mounted horizontally on any surface where a nail or screw is installed. Please see our http://www.meetqu.com/ website for more information and to order your QU today!
Roger Lepley

Digital, Digital, Digital! Doesn’t Anybody Screen Print Anymore?!

     Yes! For exterior vertical streetscape banners, Kalamazoo Banner Works by Consort, continues to offer both screen print and digital printing. And, although the process of digital imaging on vinyl media continues to grow, the screen printed textile banner is almost in a come-back mode, according to our in-house sales force here at Consort Display Group.
     Interestingly, many of our customers have never ordered digitally printed street banners because they like the textile look, and many have ordered digital but have sworn back to the acrylic marine fabric screen printed banner. We are seeing the second category grow.
     “Screen printed is just richer looking”, says a long-time customer from Battle Creek, Michigan. “The Sunbrella® fabric colors are warmer and more vibrant than vinyl. We’ve had both digital and screened up at various times, but there is definitely a difference. We especially like the screened marine fabric at the waterfront area where the look just seems more natural."
                                     

     "Normally customers who order screen print don’t stray from that type of banner. They are a pretty loyal customer base," says Consort Sales representative, Suzy Triesenberg. 
     There is no argument that digital has some distinct advantages for more complex designs, with detailed photographic images being possible. But, as I’ve written in previous blogs (click here) sometimes designers get carried away with complexity to the point of unreadability. With screen print, the images tend to be simpler and bolder and typically easier to understand from a distance.
     For a better understanding of the look of digital versus screen print images, please view our gallery of both methods on our KBW custom banner sites: click here for digital and click here for screen print. For specific questions please contact us at Consort.
Roger Lepley

Banners in Wauchula, Florida Celebrate the City’s Sandhill Crane Heritage

     The Kalamazoo Banner Works division of Consort was pleased to be asked by the Wauchula, Florida “Main Street Wauchula” (MSW) program to assist in designing and manufacturing their new street banners in mid-2010. Earlier this year, we received some wonderful installation photos showing the fun and somewhat whimsical banners up and greeting folks to this unique and historical town.
     Our KBW Florida dealer, Cynthia Roberts of Banner Works of Florida, was our main contact who handled all the details. And, our in-house Consort design staff fielded the design concepts and requests and came up with three versions showing a sandhill crane in action.
     Here’s a portion of what the local paper had to say in explanation of the designs:

     “When Main Street Wauchula’s Design Committee set a goal to get new banners for downtown, they decided they wanted banners that were unique to Wauchula and that would welcome visitors and educate them about Wauchula’s heritage. Wauchula’s name comes from a Miccosukee Indian word meaning ‘land of the sandhill crane.’ Appropriately, the sandhill crane would become a downtown icon and the focal point of the banners.”

     To carry the theme further, the MSW Design Committee states, “This year the committee has been working hard on the sandhill crane sculpture project. This project will place 2 life size sandhill cranes in the fountain located in the Heritage Park in downtown Wauchula.
     For all the planning and effort, MSW was given the Honor Award for “Outstanding Image Campaign or Promotional Material” at the Florida Main Street Conference last fall.

Congratulations to all involved!

Roger Lepley

Dori Pole Lake Home and Cottage Customers are Fun!

     The use of Dori Pole Pennants at lake homes and cottages is growing rapidly in North America. And, lake home and cottage owners are among our favorite customers because they almost always seem to be happy! The fact is, why not?! They’re communicating with us about a fun, unusual product (Dori Pole) for a fun place to be (their lake home)! So, when we have the opportunity we ask them how they found out about us or what prompted them to order a Dori Pole. And, if possible, we ask for a photo of the pole or poles in action.
     Here’s a great example of all that, from new “Dori Pole Friends” near Memphis, Tennessee:

     “We saw the Dori Poles around Clark Lake, Michigan while visiting there and fell in love with them! There was one on the dock of the cottage we rented and we were told it was there to scare off the geese, which really appealed to us, as we have a goose problem here on Walnut Grove Lake.”
     "Then, the next day during a boat ride, we saw lots of Dori Poles in all the different colors and we all decided we had to get them. So, when we got back to the cottage we did some serious Googling and found them on your web site. We each picked out the color we wanted and even contacted a couple of our friends back home and told them they needed to get one, to trust us, to pick out a color for them! Now we have 6 flags on the lake and they look so festive. The 7th will go on one of our neighborhood docks as soon as we have it refinished next week.” (MM, Cordova, TN)

     That's a wonderful story and as "MM" relates, there are two main reasons why Dori Poles are loved. One is the color and motion that happens with the slightest breeze, providing motion and a festive look. The other is the proven fact they the flowing pennants tend to deter geese and other nuisance birds from landing near them. Other reasons that customers give us for buying are that they help friends easily find their cottage on the lake. Also, one of my lake neighbors has four different colors of pennants that she chooses from to install depending on her mood or the seasons. We do the same thing with our three poles and on the 4th of July it’s red white and blue all the way. In fact, here’s a photo of our pontoon boat for our lake’s annual 4th of July pontoon parade. Lots of fun and lots of smiles!
Roger Lepley

No Deposit, No Return! Dori Pole Pennants Keep Geese off Lake Docks and Rafts

     The topic of deterring geese and ducks from landing in certain areas has come up often in my world. First of all, because we manufacture the Dori Pole® Pennant System and, second, because our family has a lake cottage in Michigan where the shoreline is a favored spot for birds to gather, party, and leave untidy deposits, if you know what I mean. However, since 2005 we have installed our 20' tall Dori Poles with 15' long pennants on the dock during the summers and consequently the birds no longer land on our property. Hence, no mess!  Also, no nesting of smaller birds occurs under our Shore Station, which has a Dori Pole mounted adjacent.
     In addition, just as important and intriguing is that the smaller 12' tall Dori Pole Junior with an 8' long pennant is becoming known as an excellent and festive way to keep unwanted birds off lake rafts. Here is the latest testimonial from a happy customer:

“I bought one of your Dori Poles a few weeks back and took it to my cottage where it is mounted on the 8' x 8' swim raft, which is anchored about 100' off shore. In past years, the raft was used by ducks and geese as a latrine, so I didn't even bother putting the raft out last year. This year, so far, great success: not one bird has used the raft as a toilet! And the flag looks neat, fluttering in the slightest breeze. A recent photo is attached. My cottage and the raft are about 160 miles north of Toronto, near Algonquin Park, Ontario.” (JM in Ontario, Canada): 

Also, a friend with a lake home in Wisconsin sent a photo and this message:

"I had great results with the Dori Pole Junior on our raft. I included a picture which shows that the raft has no bird deposits, and the nice thing about the Dori Pole is that it is not in the way of swimmers using the raft. The Dori Pole is a great product, attractive, light weight and sturdy. We have 2.5 miles of open water in front of our cottage and the wind can be very strong; but the Dori Pole stands up to it just fine." (TE, Ripon Wisconsin)

     I invite you to check out other bird deterrent information on our Dori Pole website, www.doripole.com. Click on “Goose Problems?” for news and a video. Not only is this a humane and effective method of bird control, it’s also colorful and festive – it’s “excitement in the air”!

Roger Lepley