“A magic shop. Screen printing, embroidery, dye sublimation, direct to garment, fulfillment, alterations. You name it, we do it.”
Bruce interviewed Lucas and Joe from Chicago's Rowboat Creative at ISS Long Beach 2019. Rowboat Creative is not quite an ad agency, not quite a print shop, not quite a production facility, and not quite an art studio. They're an unparalleled blend of everything that makes print shops so powerful: they convert ideas into reality.
They've expanded their vision far beyond custom printing and high-volume contract printing. They're leading the newest thinking about how people interact with brands.
Brand activation and experiential marketing are the next horizons to pursue. Print shops shouldn't fall into the trap of thinking their brand and reach only extends to the walls of their production facility. Your ability to make an idea come to life is an invaluable asset.
- Who: Lucas Guariglia and Joe Zangrilli
- What: Rowboat Creative
- Why: "Your brand will exist, grow, and be realized."
- How: Rowboat's fearless ability to execute "the wild ideas"
- When: Since 2006
- Where: A 60,000 square foot production facility Chicago, IL in Logan Square – and beyond
Rowboat Creative, Bella + Canvas: Why Live Hand Jet Printing and Experiential Marketing?Remember this wild handheld jet printing gun that made the rounds on the internet?undefined
Yeah – Rowboat Creative did that.Joe and Lucas dug into the hardware and figured out a way to reprogram the gun. Rowboat Creative partnered with apparel manufacturer Bella + Canvas to create a stunning experience for ISS Long Beach attendees. Even jaded and skeptical printers had their curiosity piqued by this wild new experience. Point-and-shoot printing? Unforgettable.
Rowboat even printed custom garments for runners at the Chicago Marathon with the "print gun," and pumped out thousands of prints per day. More than 40,000 people run the Chicago Marathon every year, and thousands more show up to support their friends and family. That kind of valuable exposure coupled with truly unique marketing is how brands can break through the noise and develop direct relationships with their customers.
So why is this sort of experiential marketing so valuable? It activates the brands behind the marketing. Customers experience a rush of curiosity, personally connect with the brand, and leave with a deep imprint that they're going to remember – and tell their friends about.
This is how Rowboat Creative is pushing the entire industry forward. They're thinking beyond the confines of their shop and moving to the real world. By partnering with Nike, Adidas, Bella + Canvas, Rowboat Creative is at the bleeding edge of live printing and print-oriented brand activation.
Read the full article here:
https://www.printavo.com/blog/rowboat-creative-interview
