S2K Graphics recognized as one of the Top 50 P.O.P. Companies for the Sixth Consecutive Year

Creative Magazine honors S2K Graphics for its accomplishments in the point-of-purchase industry

S2K Graphics, a division of The Franke Group and a nationally recognized leader in point-of-purchase (P.O.P.) merchandising, was nationally recognized for its sixth consecutive year as a “Top 50 P.O.P. Company” by Creative Magazine, an outlet targeted to sales and marketing executives.

S2K Graphics, which has provided Fortune 100 companies with an array of unique P.O.P. merchandising elements for nearly 30 years, was selected for its 2017 P.O.P. sales volume and P.O.P. offerings. S2K Graphics also provided information on its most successful P.O.P. campaign of 2017 —  its new readerboard graphic kits, which include bright and colorful graphics as an alternative to traditional black tile letters, helping clients capitalize on P.O.P. opportunities. More than 60 percent of the McDonald’s market in Nashville purchased kits in 2017. For its contribution to new P.O.P. products introduced in 2017, S2K Graphics highlighted its proprietary R-N-B (repositionable, no bubbles) window decal material, for which the company was recently presented an “Award of Excellence” by Printing Industries Association of Southern California (PIASC).

“Once again, the S2K Graphics team is honored to be included in Creative Magazine’s Top 50 P.O.P. Companies,” said Dan Pulos, president and founder of S2K Graphics. “We were proud to include our R-N-B window decal material and readerboard graphic kits as examples of S2K Graphics’ innovative P.O.P. materials that have resonated powerfully with our customers, delivering quality return on investment.”

S2K Graphics produces a variety of P.O.P. displays for national accounts — including McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Dr Pepper and other market-leading brands — and is one of 11 California companies recognized in Creative Magazine’s Top 50 list this year.

With plants in Los Angeles and Nashville, as well as a sales presence in Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, Nashville and San Francisco, S2K Graphics continues to chart new territory in P.O.P. research and development. The P.O.P. industry leader is currently in the middle of a nationwide window wrap installation comprised of 12,000 locations for a national quick-service restaurant (QSR) client.

For Creative Magazine’s full 2018 list of the Top 50 P.O.P. Companies, visit http://www.creativemag.com.

S2K Graphics Takes Home Award of Excellence

S2K Graphics takes home Award of Excellence at 14th annual Print Excellence Awards

S2K Graphics, an affiliate of Franke Group and a nationally recognized leader in point-of-purchase (P.O.P.) merchandising, was recognized by the Printing Industries Association of Southern California (PIASC) at its 14th annual Print Excellence Awards ceremony held in April of this year.

S2K Graphics was awarded an Award of Excellence in the Point-of-Purchase Materials category for its patent-pending, exclusive window decal formulation called R-N-B (repositionable, no bubbles). R-N-B was formulated to combat typical window graphic installation challenges. Whereas traditional window graphics often require two people to properly install them, R-N-B was developed so that retailers need not rely on professional or experienced installation teams to properly apply oversized promotional graphics.

“We’re tremendously proud of the way this product turned out,” said Dan Pulos, founder and president of S2K Graphics. “As a printer, this was our first attempt at creating our own custom window graphic film. We saw the need for easier and better installation of large graphics on retailers’ windows, and the customer response has been rewarding. We’re currently shipping printed R-N-B oversized decals across the entire U.S. as part of a nationwide window graphic program for a leading fast food chain. With R-N-B, our client can self-install these huge window graphics with professional results. And that adds up to big cost savings and even bigger sales results.”

The Print Excellence Awards competition accepts nominations from all graphic art firms — printers, finishers/binderies, brokers, graphic designers, ad agencies and in-plant operations — located within the service area of PIASC. The judging is done anonymously, and the panel is comprised of a team of distinguished professionals with a minimum of 10 years of experience in the graphic arts industry. Judges consider the quality of printing, degree of difficulty, technical expertise and overall visual appearance of submissions.

R-N-B was developed after extensive research indicated there was not a similar product in the marketplace. The product can be reused if removed within 30 days of initial installation and properly stored for future use. These features increase the percentage of correct installations a multisite retailer should expect in the field. R-N-B prints are priced comparably to perforated view-thru films, providing retailers with a high return on investment in both labor savings and field results.

S2K Graphics Successfully Renews G7 Master Certification

S2K Graphics, an affiliate of Franke Group and a nationally recognized leader in point-of-purchase (P.O.P.) merchandising, has successfully renewed its G7 Master certification, having first obtained the certification in 2011. A G7 certification is an internationally recognized methodology for calibrating printing presses and proofing systems, and renewal is possible every two years after the initial certification is recognized.

In order to receive the G7 Master certification, printers must demonstrate skilled, tested and proven leadership in print production; show knowledge of the fields of color management, process and quality control; and work to reduce costs, improve brand consistency and have a quick turn-around time.

“As a G7 Master Facility, we have developed process control systems that enable us to deliver color accurate products,” said Philip Garcia, director of operations for S2K Graphics. “We can efficiently manage color across many different printing platforms at multiple printing facilities within our organization. The biggest factor in the printing industry is being able to match, with accuracy, colors for our clients, and this certification informs our clients that we are able to do so.”

The certification is an acknowledgement and testament to the facility’s ability to calibrate color accuracy, as was most recently demonstrated through the press check process S2K Graphics provided for two major automotive companies, Kia and Mitsubishi. The press check process involves sending clients contract proofs to demonstrate the ability to match the clients’ colors. Both automotive companies signed off on the first round of articles sent for color approval.

“S2K's color management systems combined with G7 certification produce superior color for our clients,” said Leah Barash, senior account executive at S2K Graphics. “This has resulted in a fast and effective press check experience and, in most cases, first-round color approvals. Our clients continue to choose to work with S2K for these reasons as well as because of our innovative product line and customer service excellence.”

The benefits S2K Graphics clients receive when working with a G7-certified printer include the assurance of receiving a high-quality end product and accurate, brand consistency.

S2K Graphics Closes Readerboard Graphics Sale with McDonald’s Nashville Market

S2K Graphics, a division of The Franke Group, officially debuted its Readerboard Graphic product with new features, including brighter and bolder graphics, and improved durability, placing more than 60 units into McDonald’s Nashville restaurants.

S2K Graphics founder and owner, Dan Pulos, created the bright and colorful Readerboard Graphics as an alternative to traditional readerboards with black tile letters to help clients capitalize on P.O.P. opportunities.

“Readerboards provide quick-service restaurants with the highest communication impact for their brick-and-mortar locations,” Pulos said. “They increase visibility of in-store promotions, drawing in street traffic, which can equal thousands of impressions every day. After testing our product at various national locations, results have shown that our use of bright and colorful graphics lifted product sales by 50 percent in the locations we tested. Additionally, the product had a payback in less than a week during testing, increasing sales and restaurant guest counts.”

The purchase, which accounts for more than 60 percent of the McDonald’s market in Nashville, came on the heels of the successful, recent wind tunnel testing to assess durability and shape retention qualities under extreme weather conditions. After testing the graphics in 90 mph high-speed winds in 30-, 60- and 90-degree angles, the results established that the graphics passed the durability test and did not detach under these conditions.

S2K Graphics’ Readerboard Graphics have specially formulated materials designed to fit easily in existing readerboard systems and withstand the rigors of hostile outdoor environments 15-20 feet in the air. They are cost-efficient, easy to install, and can be customized with any promotional offer or product feature.

S2K Graphics’ Dimensional Window Graphics Sustain 90 MPH Winds

S2K Graphics, an affiliate of Franke Group, recently tested its Dimensional Window Graphics in a San Diego-based low-speed wind tunnel off of Pacific Coast Highway to assess durability and shape retention qualities when faced with wind and extreme weather conditions.

In order to evaluate the Window Graphics’ performance in these conditions, the S2K Graphics team performed two sets of testing at speeds of 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90 mph, with rotations at 30-, 60- and 90-degree angles. The first set of testing included a pre-mounted graphic, a standard mount that one of S2K Graphics’ professional installers would have installed. The second replicated a “Dirty Install,” recreating an installation that would most likely have been done by a customer, instead of professional installer. Each test was four to six minutes long, at temperatures of 70-74 degrees.

The graphics were pre-mounted on an acrylic base with similar adhesion qualities to glass windows, and were then attached using S2K Graphics’ standard decals and tapes that are sent to clients, with no manipulations made.

The results from both set of tests showed that S2K Graphics’ Dimensional Window Graphics can successfully withstand winds up to 90 mph without damage, highlighting the product’s durability and tolerance to non-desirable and windy weather conditions.

“While conducting the wind tunnel testing, I was amazed by both the durability and resilience of the 3-D graphics,” says Brandon Ledford, S2K Graphics’ operations manager. “After exposing the graphics to high winds, they sustained no damage and also successfully returned to their 3-D shape after completion.”

The patent-pending Dimensional Window Graphics are printed on 2 mm Coroplast — a high-quality, printable surface with excellent adhesion quality and waterproof, stain resistant qualities. The graphics can be used in conjunction with S2K Graphics’ Window Wrap Program — available in one-size-fits-all, multi-size and custom — and have been designed for easy installation and removal, are cost-effective, and have been proven to produce a 23.6 percent increase in sales over standard decals.

S2K Graphics wins Best in Category for P.O.P. Materials at Print Excellence Awards

S2K Graphics, an affiliate of Franke Group, was recognized by the Printing Industries Association of Southern California (PIASC) at its annual Print Excellence Awards ceremony held on April 7, 2017.

S2K Graphics was awarded Best of Category in the Point-of-Purchase Materials category for its patented dimensional offset system, which transforms standard, flat graphics into 3-D designs by providing layered dimensionality to promotional displays.

“We’re quite pleased to receive this award from PIASC,” says Dan Pulos, founder and general manager of S2K Graphics. “Daily, we strive to create innovative P.O.P. offerings that disrupt the marketplace, and our dimensional offset system is a testament to the success of our efforts. The entire team at S2K Graphics extends their gratitude for the recognition.”

The Print Excellence Awards competition accepts nominations from all graphic art firms — printers, finishers/binderies, brokers, graphic designers, ad agencies and in-plant operations — located within the service area of PIASC. The judging is done anonymously, and the panel is comprised of a team of distinguished professionals with a minimum of 10 years of experience in the graphic arts industry.

Judges considered the quality of printing, degree of difficulty, technical expertise, and overall visual appearance of submissions in a variety of categories, including books, digital printing, invitations and programs, presentation folders, magazines, point-of-purchase materials, and beyond.

The dimensional offset system serves a variety of S2K Graphics’ clients and national quick-service restaurant (QSR) accounts, such as McDonald’s, and was first unveiled at the McDonald’s 2016 Worldwide Convention in Orlando, Florida. With custom instructional patterns and graphic snaps to ensure a proper alignment during assembly, the displays are outdoor durable, affordable and easy to assemble.

S2K Graphics Announces Team Expansion

S2K Graphics, an affiliate of Franke Group, has announced Kim Castano as its marketing specialist. In this role, Castano will be responsible for developing and driving social media content for its various platforms, working collaboratively with the sales team to develop marketing collateral and ensuring that the graphics company maintains consistency in its branding as an industry leader.

Castano has accumulated a well-rounded portfolio of marketing and business experience cultivated through her education from California State University, Los Angeles — where she received a bachelor’s degree in business administration — and her previous marketing roles in the fashion, health and wellness, financial tech, and legal industries. Her ability to navigate a variety of niche industry needs from a marketing perspective make her a valuable addition to the S2K Graphics team.

“Kim’s passion for identifying new strategies and her eye for detail have been immensely valuable in our marketing efforts,” says Dan Pulos, founder and general manager of S2K Graphics. “Her motivation to continue to grow as a marketing professional — bringing new ideas to the conversation — has brought a fresh perspective, and we’re pleased to have Kim on board.”

In addition to her day-to-day tasks, Castano will also aid in developing short- and long-term marketing strategies to complement S2K’s planned expansion into new territories as the company continues to grow locally and nationally. “I was immediately drawn to S2K after my first interview with Dan,” Castano says. “The company has a family feel, and with that, a real dedication to working together to produce high-quality products that are innovative and game-changing in the industry.”

The company also announced Leah Barash as its new senior account executive. In this capacity, Barash will focus on national sales of the company’s innovative merchandising solutions, creative design, manufacturing and fulfillment services.

Barash’s expertise extends from a sales professional background with nearly two decades of well-rounded, comprehensive agency, corporate and vendor experience.

“I feel so lucky to have been given such an amazing opportunity to work with S2K Graphics to help them achieve further success,” says Barash. “They have impressive client retention, and everyone at the company has been here for 10 to 20 years or more, which is indicative of a strong, cohesive team.  All the stars have aligned for me in this role. The people and my boss are fantastic, and their products are top notch and innovative.”

Barash will work on generating business from new industries and territories as S2K continues its growth and expansion.  Barash will focus on the introduction of S2K’s new, innovative products that disrupt the marketplace and drive higher client return on investment (ROI) in P.O.P.

“Leah is a capable, qualified and amiable professional whose demeanor, passion for sales and successful long-standing partnerships caught my attention immediately,” says Pulos. “The entire staff at S2K Graphics enthusiastically welcomes her to our team and I look forward to all she will accomplish with us.”

Barash credits her skill for relationship development to her upbringing as an “Army brat.” The daughter of a US Army Attache, Barash and her family lived in Bangkok, Thailand during her childhood and moved around regularly. The constant introduction to new cultures and types of personalities shaped her ability to relate to a variety of clients and identification of their unique and specific needs.