Business News
Restaurant rebrands overnight with HP Latex Inks and HP large format media
Friday 17. September 2010 - The redecorated Im Mee Pee Mun by Jakkajan restaurant is a stand-out hot spot and traffic is continuing to increase.
Challenge
The Im Mee Pee Mun by Jakkajan restaurant’s bare, cement exterior and dark, wood interior was not enticing customers to enter.
Owner Sornkrit Thongalarm wanted a vibrant renovation that could be done quickly with minimal impact to customers.
Solution
HP Designjet L25500 Printer with HP Latex Inks
HP materials, including:
– HP PVC-free Wall Paper
– HP Air Release Adhesive Gloss Cast Vinyl
– HP Durable Frontlit Scrim Banner
– HP Heavy Textile Banner
– HP Photo-realistic Poster Paper
Results
The redecorated Im Mee Pee Mun by Jakkajan restaurant is a stand-out hot spot and traffic is continuing to increase.
The once bare, cement exterior and dark, wood interior of the Im Mee Pee Mun by Jakkajan restaurant was not enticing customers to enter as often as owner Sornkrit Thongalarm would have liked, despite the high-quality food offerings. Located in a prominent business district in Bangkok, Thailand, Sornkrit’s restaurant was in desperate need of a remodel and new brand campaign. “I think the first thing that attracts people into a restaurant is its decoration,” he explains, “but it’s a matter of decorating in a short period of time.”
Sornkrit wanted a complete redesign, but he needed to minimise the amount of time his restaurant would be closed. He also wanted to use products that reduce the environmental impact of printing and avoid negatively impacting his customers with lingering paint fumes and dust.
Not sure how to proceed, Sornkrit turned to the Thamnaksilp Advertising Company and, ultimately, the HP Designjet L25500 Printer with HP Latex Inks.
HP Latex Inks fulfill a vision
HP Latex Inks produce a wide range of outdoor and indoor applications without sacrificing quality or durability. Sathit Chaiyapatanaporn, executive director of the Thamnaksilp Advertising Company, explains, “The HP Designjet L25500 and HP Latex Inks can print on many kinds of materials. It was this versatility that suited the project. The technology also offers a reduced impact on the environment, durability and value.”
When Sornkrit realised the HP Designjet L25500 could fulfill his vision, he was excited to start redecorating his entire restaurant, inside and out, from the curtains and menus to the exterior walls.
Turning a restaurant into art
An avid art lover, Sornkrit wanted his restaurant to showcase artwork and become a gathering place for other art enthusiasts. He found two artists, Oh Futhog and P7, whose eye-catching graphics would help represent his vision of modernity and convenience.
Sornkrit decided to incorporate these vibrant graphics into every detail of the renovation. “We wanted to create something different,” Sornkrit explains. “HP technology was able to perfectly capture our new design.” He adds that HP helped sponsor the renovation by donating all of the ink and media.
An overnight success
Using the HP Designjet L25500 with HP Latex Inks instead of traditional paints, wallpaper or fabrics meant there was little dry time, fewer fumes and easy setup. These factors were ideal for an overnight installation that would allow the restaurant to remain open. And because the prints are odourless,(1) customers would not be met with unpleasant smells the next day.
“Whether it’s the material for the curtains, tabletops, aprons, or even the wrap of our exterior and interior, HP offers us a great choice,” says Sornkrit, adding that the quality of the prints exceeded his expectations as well. “It really brought the artists’ design to life.”
The HP materials used for the renovation include HP PVC-free Wall Paper for the wallpaper and HP Air Release Adhesive Gloss Cast Vinyl for the tabletops. The coasters and menu covers were printed on HP Durable Frontlit Scrim Banner, and the curtains and aprons were printed on HP Heavy Textile Banner. Finally, postcards and invitations announcing the redesign were printed on HP Photo-realistic Poster Paper.
This versatility, paired with the new design, helped create a consistent look and feel throughout Sornkrit’s restaurant. “Within one evening, the work was done. I didn’t need to close the restaurant at all,” Sornkrit explains. He adds, “It was like getting a new place overnight.”
Irresistible décor
With the renovation complete, Sornkrit says customers are pleased with the look and feel of the restaurant, and traffic is increasing. “We are extremely satisfied with the way the design is making our business stand out in the area,” says Sornkrit. “We are attracting more and more new customers,” he continues. “People walking past outside always stop to look at the restaurant and often cannot resist coming inside to take a closer look. And our existing customers have all commented positively on the new look.”
Sornkrit adds, “This whole process has been remarkably smooth. I am very satisfied with HP’s printing quality, and I have confidence in the HP brand. There is a team of experts who I can consult any time.” He goes on to say, “After putting our faith in HP technology for the restaurant’s redesign, the outcome has proved to be even better than we could have imagined.”
(1) Printers using HP Latex Inks use internal heaters to dry and cure the latex polymer film. Some substrates may have inherent odour.