YUPO Proves Perfect Match for Design Concept
When Master Lock®, a global leader in portable security products, was preparing to introduce its new line of power sport vehicle locks, the company assigned Modus Operandi Design of Milwaukee, Wisconsin the challenge of creating a brochure that would “wow” its target market.
That market comprises motorcyclists, ATV and snowmobile riders and jet skiers, among others, and Master Lock understood that these types of outdoor sports enthusiasts are not easily impressed.
Modus Operandi has been designing brochures and other collateral materials for Master Lock for several years and was well positioned to handle the challenge. “We knew we wanted to create something different, a brochure with an overall design that would capture and reinforce the product features we were selling—toughness and security,” says Steve Wiskowski, a graphic designer with Modus.
When it came to specifying the paper on which the brochure was to be printed, there was only one candidate, YUPO, one of the “toughest” products in the marketplace. Manufactured by Yupo America in Chesapeake, Virginia, YUPO synthetic paper is acknowledged for its extraordinary durability and its ultra smooth, bright white surface finish.
YUPO is composed primarily of polypropylene resin along with inorganic fillers and additives. Because there are no natural fibers, YUPO is water resistant, chemical and tear resistant, and UV stable. Its surface characteristics also result in stunning color reproduction.
Kathleen Weis, a Modus account executive, says, “Although we hadn’t specified YUPO before, we were familiar with it. We really liked the look and the feel of the paper, so we went to the client and said, ‘you need to use YUPO for this project,’ and they agreed. The printer, Color Ink (Sussex, Wisconsin), provided mock-ups of the brochure using YUPO.”
The six-page, 8” by 6″ brochure, Keep Your Bragging Rights, introduces the StreetSmart Security™ line of StreetCuff® locks, u-locks, cables and chains, all of which are designed to protect sport vehicles from theft. The entire brochure was printed on 74lb. YUPO cover stock with a four-color process and overall aqueous gloss and emboss and die cut. Master Lock ordered an initial run of 7,500 copies and the brochure proved so popular that the company ordered another 10,000 copies just a few months later.
The left side of the front cover is embossed with gray dots to simulate a power sports vehicle handle bar. “We wanted to mimic the texture of grips, and YUPO enabled us to do just that,” says Carol Mittlesteadt, another member of the Modus Operandi design team. “The durable quality of YUPO conveys a feeling of strength—perfect for Master Lock’s line of power sport vehicle locks.”
Gray and black are the dominant colors throughout the brochure. “Gray is a good color for this brochure,” Wiskowski says, “because it makes the product images pop off the page.”
Red highlights are used sparingly to accent the gray and black. The embossing also gives the brochure a three dimensional quality, which is reinforced by drop shadows and beveling throughout the brochure. The back cover of the brochure features very fine text knocked out of a solid black background. This text includes model numbers as well as descriptions and sizes of the various locks and accessories in the StreetSmart Security™ line.
“We were concerned that the product specifications and descriptions might be difficult to read,” Wiskowski says. “But because YUPO has no porosity, even the smallest print is razor sharp and very easy to read.”
Modus Operandi is now convinced that YUPO Synthetic Papers have unique qualities. “We’d love to use it again,” Weis says. “It was just perfect for the Master Lock project. The client is very pleased with the brochure and, based on the sizeable reorder, it’s apparent that their customers and prospects like it too. It’s proven to be a very successful brochure for our client.”
For more information, contact: Modus Operandi Design
1363 N. Prospect Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Tel. 414.276.4244; Fax 414.246.4266
or visit www.designbymodus.com.