What kind of shopper experience does your store serve? Simply making sure your graphics are eye-catching and aesthetically pleasing isn't going to cut it.

Have you ever chosen to shop at a store because of its inviting atmosphere? Lighting plays a pivotal role in retail signage, significantly enhancing the shopping experience and influencing customer behavior. With 76% of American consumers entering stores they have never visited simply because of the signage, incorporating backlit signage can draw even more attention and attract potential customers.

Think about the graphics and printed items at the last event you attended. Were they easy to interpret, easy to follow, and placed appropriately? Even if all those boxes were checked for you, attendees have varying needs that some of us might take for granted.

Happy Earth Month! Throughout our history, The Vomela Companies have prioritized the importance of ESG in our operations. We’re reducing our impact on the environment in many ways, including our efforts to reduce our GHG emissions, improve waste management, and provide sustainable materials and ESG guidance to our customers.

It's been said for months—hybrid work is here to stay. The emphasis on bringing employees back to the office, even part time, is leading to rejuvenated office design. But how can you breathe new life into your space and build excitement in people who might not be thrilled to come back?

If you're looking to get a traditional print job done for your company, you'll likely choose between two printing methods: offset or digital. Both procedures result in quality results, but how do you determine which one is best for your project? 

It’s December, which means the year is almost over. We feel like it flew by! We’re thankful for all of our partners and clients that made it a great year. We’d like to take this chance to look back at some of our favorite projects from 2023.

The digital natives of Gen Z are no strangers to the bombardment of digital ads. Using direct mail to connect with this demographic has the power to create a relationship with consumers that they can't get online. Direct mail is a tangible, personalized message that can break through the ad noise this generation has been conditioned to avoid.

This is part one of a two-part series.

Don’t discount the impact of social media when it comes to boosting in-person sales for brick-and-mortar retailers. Why is it important? Because these platforms are this generation's word-of-mouth marketing avenues. More than 70% of shoppers say they trust reviews and testimonials from actual customers over a brand's official information. People put a high value on the word of others (also known as "social proof").

Are you making the most out of visual merchandising for your retail store? What is your "looker-to-buyer" conversion rate? If you're striving to get a leg up on e-commerce competitors, you should be maximizing the effectiveness of your in-store presentation.

Every year in April we celebrate Earth Day, and it serves as a great reminder that the earth needs a little extra love. At The Vomela Companies, we are constantly working towards our ESG goals and continuing on our journey to sustainability. We are working hard to ensure we have more eco-friendly materials and processes to help our clients meet their own goals. But “green” materials are only the tip of the iceberg! Here are three tips you can utilize for your next event or printing project.

Big changes are happening at The Vomela Companies. We've undertaken moves to new facilities that allow us to work more efficiently. In addition, we're constantly improving our equipment to provide even better quality. Our most recent acquisitions continue to build our capability to deliver high-impact graphics and improve our services!

Benjamin Franklin may be the most famous early American printer, but a woman printer blazed her own trail in colonial times. As publisher of the Maryland Journal and Baltimore Advertiser, Mary Katharine Goddard was outspoken in her support of American independence. Her work as editor and publisher was impressive during a time when most women did not undertake employment in trades.

Dye sublimation printing should be on your radar—but most marketers aren't familiar with the process. Why is it a big deal? If you enjoy vibrant colors, sharp full-color photographs, and eye-catching graphics, it could be your new secret weapon for high-impact branding, advertising, and displays. But before you start planning, you need to understand the benefits—and yes, a few limitations—of the dye sublimation printing process.

We did a lot of growing in the last year. In case you missed any of it or you’re new to Vomela, we wanted to introduce you to our family of brands and give you a little insight into what makes each of our brands unique.

ST. PAUL, Minn., Jan. 5, 2023-- The Vomela Companies of St. Paul, Minnesota, announced the acquisition of Total Graphics Inc. of Burnaby, B.C. The acquired business will be combined with C2 Imaging Canada ULC, an affiliate of Vomela.

If you've ever seen the Disney movie "Moana," you've heard of wayfinding. In the movie, the term refers to an ancient Polynesian art of ocean navigation using the stars and planets above as well as swells of the ocean itself.

When most people think of magnetic signs, they picture interchangeable vehicle graphics. No offense to car magnets, but they're small potatoes compared to the dynamic displays Vomela produces for our clients!

Claire Richards is an expert on women in printing. After all, she is one. "I've been in the printing industry for 12 years, and I grew up with industry knowledge because my dad has worked for a screen printer for a long time," she says. Richards is part of a growing statistic; women now make up 35% of Vomela's workforce across all its divisions.

Cutting millions of business cards into fancy shapes would take forever—unless you use die cutting. Print projects that use die cutting are unique, memorable, and are more likely to be saved from being tossed directly into the trash!

If you want to add some bling to your print projects, there's nothing quite like foil stamping. Also called foiling or hot foil stamping, this finishing process elevates any print job to a luxury level. From invitations to annual reports to packaging, virtually any project can benefit from a little flash!

Some of the most unique specialty printing techniques can be employed with little more than an added printing plate. Adding unusual inks to your print job packs a big punch for not much of an additional cost. These are just a few fun ideas to liven up your next project!

ST. PAUL, Minn., Sept. 12, 2022  -- The Vomela Companies, a visual communications leader based in St. Paul, Minn., is commemorating its 75th anniversary with a special tribute to its employees. 

If you're looking to add drama to your print job by way of texture, look no further than embossing and debossing! These techniques can be used alone or in combination with other specialty printing methods to add a pop to certain types of projects. Embossing can be traced back to the 1400s, where it was used to personalize stationery for those who could afford it. Let's explore!

Have you ever flipped over a business card and seen smudges of ink on the back? How about having fingerprints all over your glossy pages before the annual report even reaches the board of directors? There's a simple solution for both of these scenarios: using a varnish or a coating.

ST. PAUL, Minn., Aug. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebrating 75 years, The Vomela Companies today announced that it has acquired Visual Impact LLC, located in Blaine, MN.

When we say, “big ideas printed at any scale and on any surface,” we really mean it. In our 75 years in business, we have pushed our creative boundaries and printed on so many materials and objects, that it’s hard to list. While we’ve printed on many things, the world is big and we know we haven’t printed on everything (yet). We’ve helped rebrand and have printed and installed graphics for major retailers and brands, grocery stores, shopping malls, retail stores, college/university campuses, stadiums, large events and trade shows, and more.

Vehicle wraps are a cost-effective way to establish a brand, make visual impressions, amplify messages, and improve response and conversion rates for products and services.

Globally, the generational shift in consumers is driving massive changes in buying decisions. As Millennials and Gen Z represent a larger percentage of the world's population, their values are increasingly obvious in their purchases. Sustainability is taking more and more of a lead when "value drivers"—the traits of a product that influence purchases—are considered. In fact, 85% of consumers make purchases with environmental impact in mind.

We've entered a new age of business, where employees are widespread, often working remotely, and businesses must keep up with their needs. With so many employees in so many different locations, how can you be sure your branding is staying consistent?

AI and automation are hot topics in all areas of business these days, and marketing is no different. Because direct mail has such a high response rate compared to digital marketing, it is seeing a strong comeback. More and more marketing departments are devoting resources to personalized campaigns—and that's where technology plays a big part.

In 2022, it seems like everything has gone digital. On social media alone, more than 3 billion people globally are active users. Not to mention that 88% of the U.S. population over the age of 11 owns a smartphone! That's around 250 million people connected digitally.

As the sale and use of cannabis becomes more common and accepted, producers and manufacturers are embracing mainstream marketing strategies and tactics to reach potential customers. This trend has already had implications for print marketers like Vomela.

Why would a printing company be concerned with cybersecurity? In this age of constant cyber threats, information security should be a major consideration for all companies. Leaving our customers vulnerable to malware and other cyberattacks is simply unacceptable. Vomela has taken extensive steps to ensure secure management of data for both security and privacy by securing SOC 2 Type II certification. Let’s delve into SOC and why it’s important for your security.

Despite the latest COVID variant rearing its ugly head, the trade show industry predicts that business travel, events and trade shows will begin to make a strong comeback in the second half of 2022.

Each year people recognize Earth Day as a recommitment to their sustainable activities. For many public facing companies, that might be a step into ESG which stands for environmental, social and governance goals.

In recognition of Women’s History Month, we’re taking a look back at the vital role women have played in printing and graphics throughout our nation’s history.

Vomela Commercial Group's Northern Virginia location is moving to a new space this summer. Plans are underway to build out the new space and move our massive equipment, but one of the more fun activities is deciding how we're going to decorate! We want to share some of the aspects of branding a physical space that we've been considering, and solutions for creating a cohesive look.

If you want to plan and implement a winning event marketing strategy, it should all revolve around your audience. Attendee experience is everything, and we don't just mean while the event is taking place! Your goal is to create anticipation and excitement before the event and continued benefits after the event.

Direct mail is trending upward in 2022! A recent report on direct marketing shows proof of an upward trend by companies not only in the United States, but globally. Key drivers for this trend include increasing digital marketing fatigue and personalization, allowing for customers to respond directly to the advertiser.

Leading commercial graphics and printing firm The Vomela Companies today announced its latest data integrity enhancement for its customers through the company’s SOC 2 Type II certification. The credential distinguishes Vomela as a best-in-class service provider, reflecting the third-party data security practices the company implements when developing personalized print marketing solutions on behalf of its clients.

Did you know that American founding father Benjamin Franklin was a printer by trade? As a child, he dreamed of opening his own printing and publishing shop. He worked in print shops in London and learned the latest printing technology of the time. Back home in Philadelphia, he worked for another printer and when he was 22, opened his own shop. He eventually purchased the Pennsylvania Gazette and developed the first business franchise system in America.

St. Paul, Minnesota-based The Vomela Companies was announced on January 26, 2022 as Founding Visual Communications Partner of the Green Sports Alliance (GSA). This partnership solidifies GSA's commitment to being a catalyst to improve corporate sustainability practices for teams, leagues, venues, their partners and sponsors, and is part of the organization's Play to Zero initiative.

The global paper shortage isn't stopping anytime soon, despite last fall's outlook. Supply issues are affecting each step of the papermaking process, including wood supply. Now, not only are paper prices skyrocketing, but some types of paper cannot be found. Even foreign sources are not a viable option since shipping and distribution are being disrupted on a global level.

St. Paul, Minnesota-based The Vomela Companies today announced that it has acquired the assets of Gillespie Graphics of Portland, Oregon. The acquired company will roll its operations into the Vomela Transportation Group division of Vomela.

There will always be a market for commercial printing. In fact, a November 2021 report shows that the global commercial printing industry generated nearly $700 billion in annual revenue in 2020, with 2.3% growth projected by 2026. Even as media evolves and digital marketing grows, print collateral has shown to be just as effective—if not more so—than in the past. Direct mail alone has a median ROI of 29%. The total impact of a blended digital and print marketing mix isn't lessening anytime soon.