The audience towering on the edge of its seat, waiting for the action to begin. The players pacing the dressing rooms, doing their best to psyche themselves up. The greasy food and beer just begging to be devoured. For the athletic type, is there really anything more adrenaline-inducing and exhilarating than attending a live sports match? Toyota commissioned custom inflatable cricket balls in the hopes of inspiring a bit more team spirit for cricket fans while also engaging their brand at games throughout Melbourne.

We live for the moments when we can simultaneously serve fellow businesses and add a little spice to people’s everyday lives. If we could have started work on this project sooner, we would have!

Negotiating the Plan

These custom inflatable cricket balls were originally meant to be 1/3rd of an ambitious brand activation. The client not only wanted custom balls, but also an inflatable wicket and a bat as well. These were to be used out on the cricket field to inspire audience engagement.

Unfortunately due to time constraints, there was no logistical way we would actually be able to construct, test, and ship all the units out before or even by the deadline. The marketing team chose to use the real props to engage the crowd, instead moving forward with the creation of the custom inflatable cricket balls as a less direct activation, in which they were displayed outside of Melbourne matches. 

Creating the Perfect Design

Any time we are dealing with business logos that need to be clearly replicated, one of the best choices is a full process print. This method of printing allows you to deposit all colours of ink that are to be used at the same exact time. The resulting image is generally much crisper and more vivid than what can be achieved using other methods. 

For our projects, we at Inflatable Anything use a computer-assisted design software program that takes the image sent by the client, and imposes it onto the yet-to-be-made inflatable. It helps us determine what proportions and dimensions best serve the marketing strategy. For these particular 2 metres tall by 2.5 metres wide units, the client wanted the majority of the ball to be white to resemble a real cricket ball. Of course, full processing was mostly agreed upon to replicate the logo as precisely as possible, but it was also quite effective at capturing the details in the stitching around the perimeter of the custom inflatable cricket balls.

Rounding the Corner

As part of our business practices, we do our due diligence to stay on top of, and offer, only the very best solutions for our clients’ needs. Polyvinyl chloride and polyester both have certain qualities to them that elevate the polymers above other options when it comes to constructing inflatables, such as weather resistance, overall durability, and portability from match to match. However, there is 1 way in which you can manipulate PVC that is impossible to achieve with polyester, and in this case it was 1 of the most important features of the units. 

These custom inflatable cricket balls were meant to be central and free standing without any kind of noisy and distracting constant blower, so we knew they would have to be created by welding PVC panels together. These structures can be inflated, sealed off, and left standing for at least several hours. The heat method, proving so reliable, also meant that if these balls happened to unravel, it was just a quick phone call to get the team back down there to repair the .28 millimetre thick material.

Since this sprawling concept had to be modified, we also strategically included D rings throughout the design of the custom inflatable cricket balls, so that they might be hung from the ceiling instead if the car manufacturer’s marketing team decided it suited the cricket pitch better.

Putting It All Together

Although we were really looking forward to trying to bring the client’s initial idea to life, the time needed to achieve such a feat far exceeded the already tight deadline. Even just being tasked with the production of the custom inflatable cricket balls, the unit got to the client with only 1 day to spare before that year’s cricket season began. Regardless, the Toyota cricket balls seemed to contribute to the atmosphere of the cricket matches, and we were absolutely thrilled to provide what we could for the client and the league’s sports fans..

Contact our experienced team of professionals to see what’s possible today!

Imagine you’ve already been swimming, paddling, and biking. Although as a dedicated athlete, you’re exhausted. Now, the final leg is a trail run. Just when you feel like your heart might actually fly out of your chest to get away from this gruelling situation you willingly put yourself into, you see it: a colourful, inflatable sports arch! You made it, finally! 

This is the kind of relief the event organisers of the annual fundraising Grin and Bear It Multi Sport Race wanted to provide to their entrants, as well as a point of pride to show off their accomplishment via pictures and social media. We at Inflatable Anything were thrilled to help support these amateur athletes as well as Bear Foreman’s foundation dedicated to supporting young Aussies’ dreams!

Mapping the Course

The organisers of this quadrathlon type event didn’t want just any old inflatable sports arch. What they had in mind to best support this event and this fundraising effort had to be bright, bold, and interesting. Since most of the events took place in northern Queensland, they also wanted to do their part to give back to the communities that gave them this opportunity as well as show appreciation for other sponsors by attaching and detaching Velcro banners.

This definitely wasn’t our first foray into making an inflatable arch for this kind of event; in fact, it’s one of our most popular units. However, this particular race was a bit more mainstream and hard-core than our partners in the past tended to be. While we do put our very best efforts into every single product we make regardless of how big or small its reach, special attention was required for this inflatable sports arch.

Conjuring Up a Bit More Motivation

To help it really draw attention and hold focus for these amateur athletes, the client simply asked for a standard red inflatable sports arch, which didn’t require much else besides ordering red panels. Easy Peasy! Where the detail really came into play, though, was designing sponsorship and promotional banners fit for our fellow businesses. 

The Grin and Bear It Multi Sport Race has taken place in Queensland every year since 2015 in honour of a former athlete who spent a good chunk of his life supporting the next generation of sports enthusiasts. Dedicated to preserving his sense of fellowship, the organisers made it a point to try to tailor sponsorships to the locales of their events, so the banners they attach to the inflatable sports arch change frequently.

To achieve the best quality of print, Inflatable Anything utilises CMYK inks on a digital printer. Primarily, these inks use a method of mixing cyan, magenta, yellow, and black to achieve a broad range of shades and colours. As a result, the finished print is generally much more vibrant than it would be. We find this detail quite important when it comes to promoting institutions, which is why we only offer the best solutions.

The Last Few Training Days

The 2.5 metre high and 3 metre wide inflatable sports arch was meant to have a more geometric shape than our standard 4 corner arches. The organizers opted for the more attractive angled arch, which in itself has a few other benefits, such as better stability.  To best achieve both a grand as well as a defined unit, we knew the best option of material just about instantaneously. 

Polyester’s winning quality overall is how well the polymer retains its appearance. Because the fibres in the material are very close to each other, there aren’t many things that can actually penetrate it. Therefore, polyester is UV resistant, resistant to most chemicals and corrosion, abrasion resistant, water resistant, and it is resistant to many biological factors such as mildew. On top of all of that, the polymer is well-known for maintaining unique and intricate shapes, so it really was the superior choice for this angular structure.

As far as its functionality as an inflatable, polyester doesn’t quite have the mechanical strength of PVC that allows the latter to hold air in place well enough to keep a unit blown up for hours on end. However, sewn polyester panels are able to regulate compressed air so well that there’s hardly much of a difference between the 2 besides the constant blower, which is absolutely needed anyway to keep an inflatable sports arch of this size afloat.

Competition Day

The project itself was fairly straightforward, so coupled with Inflatable Anything’s experience, this inflatable sports arch flew right past approval, production, quality control, and shipping preparations. 

With another successful job in the bag, we look forward to serving you and your communities to the best of our abilities. Contact us for a quote today!

Many times, a business will collaborate with another entity with the understanding that for the financial support the former supplies, the latter will promote their brand in some way, typically called a sponsorship. The Melbourne Renegades cricket team had such an arrangement with Mars chocolate, and commissioned inflatable Mars hands to use at their games all around Australia.

Inflatable Anything loves a good sponsorship, and always jumps at the chance to inject a bit of extra fun into exciting occasions such as live sporting events!

Training Has Paid Off

The 100 centimetre high by 44 centimetre wide sealed off unit was to be equally promotional for both The Renegades and the confectionery label, so we really had to get the branding for the 2 just right! To advertise this sponsorship, the plan was simple: every time the cricket team took out their opponent’s wicket, staff would run up and down the aisles wearing the Mars inflatable hands to celebrate the accomplishment and rile up the crowd.

Though the concept was fairly straightforward, special considerations must be taken in the line of marketing. The client had a very specific idea about how these inflatable Mars hands should look, shape wise. With a bit more added clarity on top of the sketch they initially provided us with, all that was really left to take care of was nailing down the colours to represent these 2 businesses, especially the red of the Mars label. 

Psych Yourself Out

Since the design of these inflatable Mars hands was basically combining 2 different logos, we knew we definitely had to pull out all of our best tricks for this project. When it came to ensuring a quality image, we knew exactly what steps we had to take to adequately meet the needs for this project, starting with ink selection. Whereas using CMYK or four colour matching can achieve a broad range of different shades, the Pantone matching system expands on the method and provides better accuracy.

A full surface print is when an image is completely printed all at once onto a material, uninterrupted by things like seams. This method is very popular anyway, but the clarity it results in is especially called for when dealing with the branding for an internationally known and well respected foodservice company. With the artwork finalised, and the methods and mechanics decided, now we had to choose how best to construct the inflatable Mars hands!

Pre Gaming

In choosing between the 2 top quality materials we offer for our units, very often a few simple questions regarding the functionality and the conditions it will be in can point us in a definitive direction. In the case of these inflatable Mars hands, the fact that they had to be carried by hand up and down the aisles of the cricket stadiums led us straight to polyvinyl chloride.

Though both polymers do a similar job at keeping our structures upright, 1 can be manipulated using heat in a way that renders it much more convenient, while the other is highly flammable. By welding the seams of PVC panels together, inflatables can simply be pumped up with air, sealed off with a valve, and left for hours on end without having to worry about topping them off.

Some other qualities that make this polymer a great choice for inflatable units is that it has great mechanical strength, is resistant to most chemicals, weatherproof, and is versatile. However, the secondary feature that really sold us is the print quality. PVC inherently has a quite smooth surface anyway, so printing on it tends to leave behind a very vivid image.

The Main Event

We had a fairly tight deadline for these inflatable Mars hands to begin with, and after all the back and forth with the client to make sure we got the details just right, we had to really get on the ball to get these sealed off units to them in time. With our nearly 2 decades of experience, this wasn’t even a blip on our radar. The client received the shipment on schedule, and the crowds responded so well to them that they plan on using them again and again each summer season.

Here at Inflatable Anything, we take so much pride in being able to provide products that not only help out fellow businesses, but also bring a bit of added joy to the Aussies who get to interact with them. What are you waiting for? Contact our team today to see how we can best serve you!

Trade shows are a great way to advertise your business by combining the ability to demonstrate your product and being able to directly interact with the public to take control of your message and branding. Sheds N Homes Gympie wanted to add a little something to their displays, so they requested a humble inflatable dancing man to help draw attention at both these types of shows and onsite events.

Here at Inflatable Anything, we are honoured to be able to support fellow businesses, and we very much looked forward to getting started on this project!

Finalising the Blueprint

The client, as a trusted Queensland franchise, didn’t want an inflatable that was too elaborate. Their image is more of a down to Earth team of metal and construction workers, so all they asked for was a 3 metres tall inflatable dancing man with the bare basics of their branding on it: their name and colours. To fully make it an inflatable dancing man that demanded to be seen, the construction franchise also requested wavy “arms” on each side.

An inflatable dancing man is a fairly common marketing strategy, especially for smaller businesses. Although we don’t have much personal experience making them, after so many years in this business, we knew what steps we had to take to bring this particular idea to life. Beyond that, the bespoke inflatables we are typically tasked with creating have many of the same elements as an inflatable dancing man, so it was just a matter of modifying the concept a bit.

Quality Supplies

At Inflatable Anything, we have 2 standard options for material, both the best of the best. Even top quality materials are only superior if they can adequately fit the client’s needs though. For most projects, but especially for an inflatable dancing man, it was a no-brainer which polymer would land on top.

Whereas both PVC and polyester’s best feature is that they are both quite durable, the former also has a lot of hardness and tensile strength to it, meaning it’s more inflexible. Polyester, on the other hand, is known for having the ability to be manipulated into holding and maintaining precise shapes, like the lip of a replica beverage can. However, the units made with this polymer also have more movement to them, which is pretty important for a unit that will be whipping back and forth over a fan blower. By sewing these panels together and attaching the body to the blower unit via Velcro, these structures can easily navigate having constant air blown through them.

A Few Extra Touches

We did have to ultimately modify the business logo slightly to make it work on this inflatable dancing man, so we had to make sure everything else about the unit’s marketing exceeded the construction franchise’s expectations. To achieve a clean, unrelenting print on this type of material, one option stands out: dye sublimation. One big advantage of polyvinyl chloride is that it is fire retardant. Polyester is quite flammable, however, it has its own special manipulation that renders the material unique and worthier. There is a technique used on an inkjet printer in which you can apply heat indirectly to it without risking safety issues that also amps up its quality in the process.

Dye sublimation is a multi-step printing process where heat is turned into the far less damaging gas of steam. This steam relaxes the pores of the tightly wound polyester fibres to allow sublimation inks to settle into them, which results in a print that not only looks crisp and fresh, but will not be going anywhere for a while. On top of that, since we were dealing with the franchise’s logo, we also used a full print to avoid any visible gaps in the now landscape formatted image.

One More Happy Customer

This inflatable dancing man took some accommodating of our standard business practices to get done, but it wasn’t too long before it passed straight through quality control protocols and shipped off to Queensland. Though it ended up missing the first planned event due to unfortunate weather conditions, the bespoke unit made its journey just in time and has been set up for several trade shows and onsite at Sheds N Homes Gympie events since.

At Inflatable Anything, you can expect us to go out of our way to ensure you receive the best customer support and the best solutions for your business. Give us a call today!

Imagine there is a family who desperately wants to get out among Mother Nature, so they decide to attend an event at a convention centre, and what do they see but a demo advertising the perfect product to fill their need for safe adventure? Billabong Caravans was looking for an inflatable business arch to use at such events as well as for in-store and local sponsored events.

Here at Inflatable Anything, we look forward to doing our part to help businesses connect with their target audiences in creative and organic ways. We couldn’t wait to get to work on this project!

What’s the Itinerary?

This inflatable business arch did not call for anything elaborate. The purpose of the unit was largely to advertise the different products they offered, so functionality was more of a priority. As we have created many arches in the past, this inflatable was to be a standard square corner arch in a single, pleasant colour. Mirrored on both sides of the unit to increase visibility would be areas to attach easily interchangeable Velcro banners for different affairs, this time advertising their current line of camper vans

It was a very straight-forward idea, easily transferred onto our computer-assisted design software and quickly approved by the caravan manufacturer.

The Beauty of Nature, from a Window

This unit with internal dimensions of 3.2 metres high by 5 metres wide was humble and simple, so much so that there wasn’t much in the way of designing the inflatable business arch that needed to be done.  We came to the agreement that the actual inflatable arch itself would be a light blue colour, achieved by the CMYK matching process. 

Also using this four colour process were the real stars of the show: the detachable banners. The CMYK process uses cyan, magenta, yellow, and key (black) mixed together in various ways to achieve just about any colour you can think of. CMYK ink in a digital printer, though technically applied in layers to form these combinations, is printed on the surface of the actual material of the unit all at the same time. Luckily for the client, we know exactly how to use these superior methods to print this direct heat averse material. 

Overall, the most important aspect of the inflatable business arch that we had to worry about was getting the top 2 banners/ logos for the business just right, which was fairly easy given our business practices and our level of experience.

Setting Up Camp

Here at Inflatable Anything, we offer only the very best solutions to our clients, so the 2 materials from which to choose to construct custom inflatable units are also the 2 most durable: polyvinyl chloride and polyester.

PVC is a versatile material used in all different kinds of applications, from pipes to fashion. Inflatable Anything gives this material our seal of approval because it is resistant to shock, abrasion, and biological elements, and it has good mechanical strength. Many times, to add to this inherent toughness, we will weld the seams of polyvinyl chloride together, for example when we are commissioned to construct a sealed off inflatable prop. However, for this project, the client insisted on sewing the panels of the inflatable business arch because it would then better regulate the air continuously flowing inside of it.

Polyester, on the other hand, retains its shape well, is resistant to wrinkling and ultraviolet damage, and is easy to wash. However, the biggest reason most people choose this material for their bespoke units is its print quality. The tiny little fibres within all polyester fabric are very close together, giving the material quite a solid foundation to work with. Printing on this foundation results in no blown out colours, no bleeding, just a sharp and crisp image. That is why most, and these, detachable Velcro banners were made using the polymer. 

Nice Trip, See Ya Next Fall

There was quite a tight deadline for this inflatable business arch, but we were able to express manufacture it to Billabong Caravans. Once the unit passed through our quality control protocols with flying colours, it shipped just in time to feature in the first event.  

Here at Inflatable Anything, we greatly enjoy helping businesses big and small across Australia find new ways to connect with people. Call us today to let us know how we can help you!

Whether a business is a small and locally-owned corner shop or an international corporation, it’s important to reach out and try to draw in the clients you want to serve. For New South Wales-based FINPOS Accountants, they wanted to draw in engagement with a branded inflatable dome tent at an upcoming local festival. 

Though the festival wasn’t the biggest affair or the best way to gain wide exposure for the client, that mostly did not matter. Their services have a much more narrow focus. Seeking engagement and possibly clients of their own at this venue was a brilliant idea that we were happy to be a part of.

Inflatable Anything is quite passionate about helping fellow businesses, especially when their practice is to pay it forward even further. We were ecstatic to get started on this energising project!

Taking Inventory

The festival was to take place outdoors, so the client thought it would be a great idea to offer a reprieve from the elements in the form of a covered, open air inflatable dome tent. We have plenty of experience with creating large walk-in inflatables, but this particular project presented a few obstacles we couldn’t wait to tackle!

The final dimensions the client decided on for this unit were 2.5 metres high by 5 metres wide, with an internal depth of close to 4 metres. The exterior of the structure, meaning the sides and the covering, were to be a separate piece to make the inflatable dome tent more accommodating for the conditions of the event. However, the most important aspect of this branded dome was the internal structure, which obviously had to be big enough and stable enough for interested parties to walk into.

The final consideration we had to wrack our brains over was the fact that, when enclosing the inflatable dome tent, the air pressure inside of it would build up, possibly considerably. The client could easily just open up the structure, of course, but without direct knowledge of the air pressure within they could unknowingly compromise the safety of festival-goers. For added assurance, we included an automatic release pressure valve to both monitor and dispel this build up as needed.

Filling Out the Paperwork

To match their branding scheme, the client requested the inflatable dome tent be in their signature colours white and purple, but because their focus was more on adaptability, the side panels with their logo was to be detachable.

With every unit, we use computer-aided design software to impose the artwork into a size that works for the dimensions of the project. Possessing high-quality equipment is actually why it is so easy for our team to create large replica inflatables. Once we had the client’s logo where they wanted it, we had to make sure to also include the options to detach or reverse these side panels by adding strips of Velcro. 

Which Program to Choose?

Both of the material options we offer, polyvinyl chloride and polyester, are top quality with amazing features that make them perfect for inflatables, depending on the unit’s purpose and location. Since we can think of this inflatable dome tent as encompassing 2 separate pieces, it only made sense to use both materials as well.

The internal structure of this open air inflatable above all had to be strong enough that it wouldn’t collapse. Though both PVC and polyester fit this bill well, the former has a slight advantage. Whereas polyester melts and takes quite a while to dry when heated, polyvinyl chloride tolerates the process often and quite well. When you weld the seams of this polymer’s panels together, compressed air can stay locked in place with a seal for hours, which was ultimately the perfect solution for this half of the inflatable dome tent.

As far as the outside of this unit, since the local festival was to be outdoors, we knew 2 very important considerations would take precedence. Though PVC is weather-resistant, polyester does a better job at withstanding ultraviolet rays specifically, and typically takes much longer to fade. Along with this quality, the polymer’s fibres are bonded closely to each other. This fact accounts for a good portion of the material’s superior quality, but for this specific project, as with all focusing on getting the branding just right, we decided on it because of how vivid and precise you can get an image to appear on polyester.

Hoping for a Good Return

Since this inflatable dome tent presented quite a few challenges, it took a bit longer than usual to get the exact design approved, but once we did, it was a piece of cake to run it through manufacturing, quality control, and preparing it to ship. FINPOS was quite happy with the interesting and adaptable unit.

We gleefully await to hear from you on how we can best help your business today!

Even international brands have to stay on top of their marketing if they want to stay competitive, in a way maybe even more so than smaller trademarks! On behalf of therapeutic food brand Nutricia, Spark Up decided to take advantage of a strategy that had some success elsewhere. They requested a custom shape inflatable bottle to enhance engagement with their Fortisip health drink line at trade shows and exhibitions.

This kind of marketing strategy is brilliant because it generally encourages more direct interaction with a brand than, say, a marquee or a billboard. Having a physical embodiment of a brand or product, especially at an already exciting event, can file that business away with the memory of it, and encourage people to seek you out the next time they’re in the market to purchase a related good or service.

We were so incredibly honoured every time we’re approached by a big, established brand such as this one, and we couldn’t wait to dig our claws into the project!

What’s on the Menu?

The client is just 1 branch of this international brand, and they were very impressed by other branches overseas pulling off similar branding efforts. They wanted to test whether the marketing strategy would boast equal results here in Australia, and we were more than happy to help them out! Here at Inflatable Anything, we have many years of experience making inflatable replicas, so the project wasn’t too far-fetched for us. 

Any time we work on a unit meant to directly reflect a business’s branding, we take special care to make sure it’s perfect. The main focus for this custom shape inflatable bottle was going to fall on the hourglass shape and the detail of the label and cap. Though, instead of an exact copy of the label, the client wanted the front of it to wrap all the way around the product so they could achieve good visibility from all angles at these events.

Planning to Upgrade

As stated, this Fortisip custom shape inflatable bottle was above all meant to be a product replica of their strawberry health beverage. We have blown up real-life products so many times in the past that it was hardly even a request, with the quality equipment we have on hand. All we really had to do was feed the artwork into our computer-assisted designing software and resize it in a way that would look appealing. The hardest part was actually making sure that the repeated front label details lined up and were suitable for the unit.

To facilitate this small accommodation, we used a full surface print, meaning the fabric was laid out on a flat surface and the full unobstructed image was printed onto it. This method ensures a clean, precise look, unencumbered by an awkward print that doesn’t line up aesthetically. To further make sure the label looked it’s absolute best, on the digital printer we utilised the best-quality four colour process of ink matching, laid down all at once. By putting all this effort into the printing process, not only were the colours of the label vivid and realistic, but the modified and repeated design was guaranteed to achieve exactly what the client wanted.

Meal Prep

Out of the 2 material options we offer, it was very clear from the start which way we had to go. The client made it very clear that they didn’t want a disruptive and off-putting blower in their display, so it was either internal- or no blower. But when they insisted that the label be wrapped around a realistic and sturdy hourglass, we knew this custom shape inflatable bottle had to be constructed using PVC. 

When heat is applied to polyester, the polymer usually catches on fire and melts. On the other hand, PVC is practically made to tolerate this bonding method, and welding the seams of polyvinyl chloride panels is a pretty standard practice. Doing so actually enabled us to satisfactorily meet 2 requirements for the unit. First up, welded seams mean you can fill the inflatable with compressed air, seal it off, and it will retain its shape perfectly for hours. Secondly, the welding can result in an inflatable without visible seams. Therefore there would be no obstacles in the fabric itself hampering a full surface print.

Polyvinyl chloride is also a very durable material overall, even without welded seams. It is resistant to most biological elements, is resistant to chemicals, and can be very easily transported, whether it be to a new event location or a storage facility.

Measuring Health Progress

Although getting the label just right to exceed Nutricia's needs took a bit more work than initially expected, we finalised the design, production, and quality control way ahead of schedule. Before we knew it, we shipped the custom shape inflatable bottle off, to be received a full week before the event. 

Our business mission here at Inflatable Anything isn’t just to bring your ideas to life, but to make sure they have a lasting impact. So, how can we serve you today?

What’s a person to do when they have two overwhelming passions? Combine them, of course! That was the inspiration that fuelled Brodie Carmichael to found the adrenaline junkie’s dream-come-true Bikes and Bulls, an extreme sports event combining rodeo bull riding and freestyle motocross, in 2010. Inflatable Anything was tasked with constructing a 3D logo inflatable arch for the entrance to the showgrounds, to prepare the attendees for the impressive, adrenaline-filled family show that lay ahead.

It sounded like a fantastic challenge for us, and quite the exciting idea for an event. We couldn’t wait to take a crack at it!

Saddle Up

This unique 3D logo inflatable arch with internal dimensions of 3 metres high and 6 metres across had an overall very simple, basic design that we are quite familiar with: a 45 degree angle bend arch.  These types of inflatable arches are not only more interesting to look at, but they also provide a little more stability because there are more points from which we can attach D Rings and tie the unit down to stakes in the ground. This added stability was especially helpful for the feature we absolutely had to make sure exceeded the client’s expectations: a customized logo in 3 dimensions.

Throughout the body of the 3D logo inflatable arch, the client wanted the name of the event and original artwork of bulls, as well as spots where Velcro detachable banners could be placed to coincide with different sponsors over the years.

Apply the Dressing

We are more than equipped to guide our clients through the process of designing their custom inflatables, but it always helps when they already know exactly what they want, especially if they have original artwork ready to go! The founder had such a deep connection to this combination event that we could bypass a good chunk of the process and get right down to the nitty gritty details of creating the 3D inflatable logo arch.

Using computer-aided design software, we fed in the artwork provided and came up with a 3D model to navigate how to bring this particular idea to life.

From there, we send the artwork to our digital printer, which uses the CMYK four colour matching technique as the standard for most of our projects. Cyan, magenta, yellow and “key” (or black) can be used in combination to achieve a wide variety of colours, in a typically higher-quality image overall. However, first, we had to decide which material would work best for the attention-grabbing 3D logo inflatable arch.

Unfortunately Sometimes You Have to Choose

Here at Inflatable Anything, we only offer the best options for our units. When it comes to choosing a material to construct an inflatable, we offer both polyester and polyvinyl chloride because they hold up so well to regular use. Honestly, the 2 polymers possess many similar qualities, however they both offer a certain few unique solutions depending on environmental factors and client needs.

For example, just about all of our inflatable props are made using PVC panels. The material is very strong and resistant to abrasion, and is also fire-retardant. Props typically need to be unencumbered by a constant external blower, so the fact that the seams of polyvinyl chloride panels can be welded together without needing to cool off is perfect for holding a unit in shape well enough that it only has to be inflated and sealed off once every few hours.

Polyester, which is the option we chose for this 3D logo inflatable arch, is more UV-, stretch-, mould-, and mildew-resistant than many other fabrics, making it a great choice for any outdoor event. The polymer is also quite durable, with the ability to hold a greater detailed structure, which is what the client really wanted for the logo. His priority above the quality of the shape of the logo, though, was the grade of the print. Polyester fibres have very little space in between them, meaning the inks are very unlikely to bleed, and this added to the calibre of the inks we used really made his logo stand out.

What a great first impression!

A 3D Inflatable Logo Arch Come to Life!

Here at Inflatable Anything, we take great pride in doing our very best to ensure every project exceeds expectations, but this 3D logo inflatable arch called for special attention. We spent so much time perfecting the design for this unit that we just barely had time to construct it, put it through quality control, and ship it out before the first Bikes and Bulls show, but it was a great success!

It always brings us joy to be a part of an event meant to entertain the masses. Contact us today to see what we can do for you!

The nature of sponsorships is always two-fold; a sponsor provides you with funding or other resources in exchange for promoting their brand in some way. Netball WA had such an arrangement with pain relief brand Better Nature, and commissioned an inflatable product tube for carnivals and netball tournament events throughout Western Australia.

Here at Inflatable Anything, we find joy in doing our part to help businesses uniquely engage with their target audiences, and we couldn’t wait to get started on this project!

The Game Plan

This project was a tad bit unique in that not only were we collaborating with the sport’s club, but ultimately we were also collaborating with their sponsor, who liaised together for much of the process. The concept was pretty straight-forward: they wanted the client’s mascot, Fifi the dragon, to be able to carry around a large product replica. We have heaps of experience creating this type of unit, yet we still ran into a few obstacles designing the inflatable product tube. 

The product they wanted us to turn into a giant inflatable product tube was shaped quite differently from what we’re used to. Instead of a bottle, jar, or even a carton, said product came in a squeeze tube. The bottom of the product replica would be no problem for our team of professionals to create, but the top of it had a tapered effect that took a bit of planning. 

This work definitely keeps us on our toes!

Laying Down the Lines

As far as the design of this inflatable product tube, the client wanted to keep it as simple as possible while still staying true to their sponsor’s branding. Instead of our typical offerings of CMYK four colour printing or spot printing in layers, we all agreed that a pantone colour-matching method would best capture the brand- it actually has an even wider variety of options, and the sponsor’s branding called for a pantone, or classic, blue anyway. The logo was easy enough to recreate on this inflatable product tube, but before dealing with all that, we had to come to an agreement on which material would best meet all their needs.

A Force to be Reckoned With

Since the inflatable product tube was to be carried around by a naturally animated and energetic mascot, there were a few features that we absolutely had to make sure were included, part of which practically picked the material for us. The replica had to be portable, meaning we had to create the unit either with internal blowers running on a battery, which adds significant weight, or the option we normally use for large replicas: welded PVC.

Obviously, the superior option was the latter. By using heat to weld together the seams of the polyvinyl chloride panels, you can create a bond strong enough that air will only very rarely leak through, and even then, it’s an extremely easy fix with the right equipment. Apart from the strength of the seams, this plastic polymer is one of our most durable options in part thanks to its resistance to chemicals, puncture, and flames. To the relief of the person wearing the Fifi suit, the polyvinyl chloride material we use is relatively lightweight.

To further accommodate this mascot, we also attached a sort of hand strap to the inflatable product tube so it was more manageable while they worked their tail off hyping up the crowds at these different events. The placement of the valve on this 1 metre high and 40 centimetres wide unit was kept low near the “cap” as well so it wouldn’t get in the way, all the while discreetly kept out of view of the audiences. For assurance purposes, for our company, Netball WA, and the sponsor, included with this replica was an engineering certificate. We had to make sure our product would perfectly align with their expectations; at this point, it’s what’s expected of us!

Walk Off Home Run

Inflatable Anything very apparently hit this inflatable product tube right over the fence and out of the park. The product worked very well for the mascot, and both the client and the sponsor were stoked about how realistic it turned out. Not to mention, Fifi had some great fun advertising the brand and the product at several events after the initial one.

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