In teams of two, the stars had to race in mechanised baths to the game area where they decamped and played bat-and-ball, hit through the mouths of 8 foot cardboard cutouts of Michael Palin’s and Terry Jones’ faces.

The bespoke cardboard cutouts were printed onto 175gsm satin poster media in one continuous sheet on our HP DesignJet Z6100 and mounted on 5mm polyboard. Our skilful scalpel wielding London cardboard engineering team deftly created their open orifices and our work was nearly done.

Packaged carefully, so as not to bend during transit, the custom cardboard cutouts were sent off to the BBC London studios at White City from our London print store in Soho.

Michael Palin's and Terry Jones' Cardboard Cutouts on The One Show

Chris Evans in the background with Michael Palin and Terry Jones

The BBC One Show studio with our custom cardboard cutouts

Fast forward to present day and those well-honed childhood skills get put to great use every day at Transcribe Print. No more so than when we were asked to be the installation team for Aston Martin’s UK launch of their new model, the Cygnet, at London’s Meza bar in Soho.

“Cygnet is the bespoke luxury commuter car, designed to take you into the heart of the city, with ultra-compact packaging and low-emission engine technology. These efficiencies are paired with the craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail for which Aston Martin is globally renowned.”

Just like the models cars our childhood, the artwork and variety of media has already been produced. Our task was to ensure that each sticker, vinyl decal, intricate logo and lightbox was perfectly installed. The finishing touches were down to us. And the world was watching.

Having worked on recent high profile projects such as the Wallpaper 2011 Design Awards and being based slap-bang in the middle of Soho, Aston Martin knew we could deliver a perfect installation for them on the day. Check out some of our photos, including the Cygnet itself.

Books on the BBC - Perfect Binding

Paperback Press Pack Printing

Getting in touch via our website, the team behind ‘free your imagination – Books on the BBC’ needed a London printer who could print a short run press pack in the style of a paperback novel. The look, feel and even smell had to resemble a classic paperback, which would be perfect bound. The two hundred volumes needed to be turned around in one week, in time for the launch.

A Perfect Bound Book

What Is Perfect Binding?

You may not realise it but you’re already very familiar with perfect binding. Pick up virtually any magazine or softback book and you’ll find them to be perfect bound. Rather than stapling or stitching, the spine is glued and then the pages trimmed on three sides. A flexible cover is attached creating a square-off backbone. Perfect binding is ideal for books, magazines, brochures, reports and accounts.

Every Story Needs a Twist

Half-way through the production process with the printing completed and ready to be perfect bound, we received the call announcing “stop press!” A spelling mistake had been spotted. This is unacceptable in any circumstance but more so in a book about books! What’s more, it was Friday evening and the perfect bound softback books were due to be delivered on the following Monday.

Stephen Fry features in Books on the BBC

The Print People to the Rescue

Every story has a resolution to its climatic scene and ours was to reprint and perfect bind the entire book run over the weekend. We understand more than most how important it is for clients to receive their accurately printed jobs on time; which is why our team burnt the midnight oil and delivered the completed perfect bound books on the Monday morning.

A Happy Ending

We were delighted to be chosen as the London printer to be involved with the ‘free your imagination – Books on the BBC’ project and gratified by the feedback we received from the BBC Press Office:

“We just wanted to say a big thank you for helping to make last night’s launch a tremendous success. You were incredibly accommodating with our late requests and we really appreciate your efforts. The books looked fantastic and we received plenty of compliments from our guests about them.”

The “Flying Trader” revealed himself to be Greg Secker, an internationally renowned trader, public speaker and trained helicopter pilot whose company – Knowledge to Action – teaches ordinary people to develop an immediate income from trading. His credentials precede him, having become a millionaire in his 20’s

Custom Vinyl Decals & Lettering

At our Soho print shop, we created a two colour cut vinyl decal and vinyl lettering from Greg’s logo. Being attached to the side of a helicopter is somewhat different to a shop window or a car, so we had to ensure a suitable material was used to endure weathering and the strong downdraught from the rotor blades.

We chose a Mactac vinyl that has excellent conformity and adhesion to difficult surfaces while withstanding extreme temperatures. Designed for long term outdoor signage the material was perfect for application to the side of the helicopter.

The Flying Trader Vision

The Vision of Flying Trader is to create a highly visible, fundraising vehicle to showcase Greg Secker calling trading alerts LIVE to retail investors, flying in a highly sponsored helicopter across the UK. Investors will follow Greg Secker’s progress online, and trade the alerts on their brokerage accounts – the commissions from which are to be donated to the Knowledge to Action Foundation, which will distribute to child-based charities, including Dr Barnardo’s Orphanage and The Ubuntu Education Fund.

The Flying Trader himself, Greg Secker

Get Cute With Cut-Outs

Did you love origami as a kid? Well it’s time to dust off your origami black belt, get cutting and engage in some creative paper engineering.

Bespoke cut-out shapes are normally an expensive addition to your marketing campaign. Not any more. With our revolutionary techniques, you’ll pay a fraction of the usual costs and make your marketing stand out from the clutter.

Cut-Out Guide

Clutter is Evil

You’ve only got a few seconds to grab attention. There’s no substitute for a relevant, well-written headline, but you can increase your odds by making your mailer an interesting shape. People notice difference. Selling sports goods? Make your mailer the shape of a football. Coffee Shop? How about a flyer in the shape of a coffee cup?

Make it Clear and Say it Loud

The most important thing to decide is what’s your message? What are you trying to tell your recipient? Why are you contacting them? Say it out loud. Did you waffle? Let’s try again. This time, try to compress your “pitch” into five seconds. If you can’t verbalise it in five seconds, you’ll struggle to keep your reader’s attention. Keep working on this until you’re happy with the reason for creating the marketing item. If you’re completely stuck, give us a call for help.

Make it Visual and Make it Sell

You’ve got the message. It’s short. It’s punchy. It leaves no-one in any doubt as to what you’re trying to tell them. Great. Now think creatively.
How can you add impact to this message with a shape? Are you trying to make people wealthier? Make your mailer the shape of an upwards arrow. Estate Agent? How about a house-shaped flyer? Dentist? Wow. When did you last see a tooth-shaped flyer?

It’s a well-known fact that Jonathan is a huge comic book fan. Even his wife, Jane Goldman, recently had a worldwide hit with her co-written film ‘Kick Ass’. It’s no surprise to find then that he’s making a cameo in Paul Cornell’s upcoming ‘Knight & Squire’ comic book.

It was therefore quite fitting that this superhero of comedy was given the opportunity to be a real-life crime fighting marvel for a day, courtesy of the Sun!

The first we knew of our involvement in this caper was our spidey-senses began to tingle, then the bat-phone rang and before we could say ‘holy mug printing Transcribe!’ we’d produced a ceramic mug bearing the logo of our new favourite celebrity superhero; Super Wossy!

We’re not sure what his powers are, apart from drinking hot beverages, but we think he looked pretty darn awesome with his Transcribe Print mug.

'Super Wossy' with his mug printed by Transcribe Print

London Promotion Printing

Here’s a quick rundown of our print work for the day:

Printed Self Adhesive Vinyl

Wallpaper* Design Awards Logo on Self Adhesive Vinyl

Entrance: Clever use of indoor lighting using large format self adhesive vinyl adhered to two large windows provided a huge lightbox effect to the Wallpaper* logo and awards details at the entrance to the awards. In shot is a new Cygnet Car from the main sponsor, Aston Martin.

Printed Self Adhesive Window Vinyl: Rio de Janeiro - voted 'Best City'

Award Category Winners on Printed Self Adhesive Vinyl

Terrace: Adding an impressive panoramic view of Rio Daneiro to the terrace area was achieved using printed self adhesive window vinyl across four separate windows. Rio being voted ‘BestCity’ in the judges award. No doubt the experience was enhanced by the refreshing caipirinhas being served by Leblon.

Further along the terrace we used alternate images of the category award winners and ‘blackout’ black vinyl on the windows. Each vinyl image was accurately cut to size and installed by our in-house team of print finishers and fitters.

Digitally Cut Vinyl Decals

Digitally Cut Vinyl Decals: Design Awards Logo and Text

Using our vinyl cutting facilities at our Soho, London print store, we created the black vinyl lettering of the Wallpaper* logo, design award logo and event sponsor Aston Martin. The challenging installation required the decals to be fixed to a ‘canvas’ finished wall. We love a challenge though, so with some ingenuity from our print installation team the installation was completed without a hitch. How we did it? That’s our little secret…

A1, A3 & A4 Mounted Prints

Feature Wall: Mounted and Matt Laminate A1, A3 & A4 Prints

The final part of our printing for the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2011 was the feature wall. Dozens of images were printed in various sizes onto poster paper, mounted on polyboard and matt laminated.

Launch Group is an integrated PR agency in Soho with a passion for providing their clients with creative cross channel solutions and unique client servicing. Winning the Virgin tender last December to boost awareness of the Virgin Holiday ad’ campaign they evidentially thought: let’s not only boost it, let’s break a record…

Kimberley Holladay leading the troupe

Our wide format team made a number of circular signs featuring the Virgin Holiday logo and sale information; similar to the ones that feature in the TV commercials and other advertising. Printed onto matt vinyl and mounted on 10mm polyboard they were hand cut to perfect circles ready for their modesty protecting duties!

On the day, 3^th Jan, renowned burlesque performer Kimberley Holladay led a group of Virgin Holidays staff and burlesque enthusiasts in a synchronised performance in Trafalgar Square. Dressed in revealing outfits the troupe put on a sizzling performance that certainly raised the temperature in Central London and featured our custom made signs throughout.

Dancers performed a five minute routine in front of astonished crowds

If you have a custom print job that you need printing in Central London, let’s talk! We really can create anything from the plain and simple to the weird and wonderful. Get in touch with us today!

Pretty Green is the creation of Oasis front man, and swaggering Manc’ turned fashion designer, Liam Gallaher.  There was wide speculation about whether the brand would deliver, but the man once voted “The Greatest Front Man of All Time” by Q magazine laid any doubts to rest, with the mod influenced collections striking a chord with the Carnaby Street aficionados.

Our involvement with the store came out of the blue when the Pretty Green team contacted us with an emergency. Their order of high quality carrier bags had been delayed in transit and they needed a replacement batch in time for their store opening.

Swinging into action, we sourced a choice of high quality tote bags for Pretty Green to choose from, one of which was perfect. Working with their design team we screen printed the bags with the Pretty Green graphics and logo and shortly after, they hit Carnaby Street!

Pretty Green Carnaby Street

It’s great to see “our bags” swinging past our door each day through Soho, something that we’ll see more often because Pretty Green have just placed their second order!

We’ve always said that printing is rock’n’roll and this proves it is!