Omnigraphics wins multiple OMA awards

Omnigraphics has won three of seven Outdoor Media Association 2015 Creative Collection awards for Q2 as it stares digital in the eye and fights to stay competitive. The trans-Tasman wide format printer won the awards for best creative execution honourable mention, best traditional use of the OOH medium honourable mention, and best creative execution. Speaking with Australian Printer, Travis Olifent, sales manager for Omnigrahics, says it took some time before the company realised what sector of the print industry it wanted to focus on.

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Travis Olifent, sales manager for Omnigrahics

Olifent says, “Business has been growing steadily with some good contracts but we found out quite quickly that we were trying to do too many things when we first opened, so when we found our niche we were successful as the clients and the industry knew what we did and who we were. “Today we are increasing our capacity to print more transit, billboards and street furniture, and since we have the capacity and floor space we are positioned well to expand.” Olifent, who sold one of the pieces which won the best creative execution award, says while digital outdoor is increasing at a rapid rate, static investory will always be there. “There is always going to be a need for static, especially since digital has some limitations and cannot be implemented in some areas,” he says. “It will take a long time for all the billboards and outdoor signs to be digitised, and since our mother company, QMS, is involved with digitising signs in Australia, we are also positioned well in that respect.” While Omnigraphics says there is no need to be alarmed about the rapid rise of digital inventories, with some outdoor companies such as APN Outdoor reporting 174.9 per cent growth in digital for its HY15, it is taking measures to ensure the company remains competitive. Olifent says, “The only thing we can do to tackle the digital environment is to get our hands on more print and see what the client wants and offer more services fast. image009

“We are also increasing our capacity to print more transit, which is a growth area in the business, and investing into a new flatbed, on top of our two HP flatbeds. “We currently print our street furniture with the HP 7500 flatbed printer, and our billboards go through the 5500 flatbed.” He says the biggest challenge for the company, which has more than 50 staff in Melbourne and three employees in Sydney, is not the threat of digital inventory but client expectation for fast turnarounds. Olifent says, “The biggest thing is turnaround times and there are not many printers that can meet that demand. We could be turning 50 skins a day, so I guess that is one of the challenges that we face. Omnigraphics -RZD

“So to ensure we remain competitive we have plans to expand the business further to cope with the demand.” The company opened its door in 2001 and since then has established itself as a digital outdoor printer including billboards, street furniture, retail applications and transit. Best traditional use of the OOH medium winner was print company Castus Imaging, which won for transit wraps and portrait side panels, and Aussies Signs winning for billboard media – wide format skins. OMA runs the creative collection competition, which attracted 43 submissions from its members including Adshel, APN Outdoor, Executive Channel, goa, JCDecaux, oOh Media and Paradise Outdoor Advertising, to recognise and celebrate the best out-of-home (OOH) creative and innovative advertisements. Launched in 2013, the quarterly run competition is now in its third year with winners appearing in the biennial publication Open. Campaigns are judged across the following categories: Best creative execution Best use of a special build Best use of technology/innovation Best traditional use of the OOH medium.

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