A stunning 3D window display in which a large plastic spider held a pair of Nike running shoes as its pointed fangs has won the Display Print Category of Pride In Print. The Nike Magista Spider was entered by Big Colour Imaging of Auckland and also won the Inkjet Process Award.
The 3D spider was a multi-level window display which replicated a spider’s body, legs and web. The focal point was the brightly-coloured Nike shoes, to which the eye was drawn in the centre of the backlit display. It was used in shops in both Australia and New Zealand.
Judges described the entry as “unique” ... and a “very technical job to put together”. Another commented: “This is a use of print we would not have imagined some years ago.”
Senior judge Symon Yendoll added: “This is a really spectacular piece. A lot of design has gone into creating a 3D look. The designer had to construct a realistic body and legs for the spider, while making sure the model could be assembled properly in store.
“At the end, the Nike shoes completed the design by looking like the spider’s fangs. Big Colour Imaging used specially-made inks to complete the look and produced three samples for window display purposes, two for Sydney and one for Auckland. The Nike Magista Spider is an excellent example of point of sale innovation.”
Big Colour Imaging general manager Aaron King was stoked with the Pride In Print recognition. “It took a lot of work to make, it is a bespoke project bringing the designer’s work to life,” he said. “Instead of just taking a brief, we were working alongside someone to identify how we could bring it to life – creating something together in a design-led process.
“If we can make a designer’s work come to life and make them happy, then that’s our job and we did that well.”
King added there was a definite commercial spin-off in Pride In Print success.
“The big thing for us is it demonstrates that if you can do unique work and do it well, especially in the large-format industry, basically you will capture a sector of the market – especially being a multiple winner now.”