Actor and artist Axel Neumann designs wraps
When viscom opens its doors at the Frankfurt Exhibition Centre from 5 to 7 November, car wrapping, the affordable high-quality alternative to painting, will once again be a featured topic at the International Trade Fair for Visual Communication. Not only will major film manufacturers and digital printing providers showcase their latest innovations, but Europe's best car wrappers will join them in Germany's financial capital to challenge each other in the sixth "European Wrap Star 2014" competition. Participants have a shot at winning fantastic prizes worth a total of EUR 150,000. Entries are still accepted. Participation is open to all car wrappers and experienced advertising technicians.
The competition
Anyone aiming to win the title "European Wrap Star 2014" at viscom Frankfurt shouldn't just be able to attach the film to the car fast but should, most importantly, do so with precision. Speed will only come into play if the quality of the wraps is identical – be it during the five rounds of the competition or the final. In order to ensure that all 25 participants work under the same conditions, they all get the same car and the same film design to apply to it. This year, the vehicle to be wrapped will be the sporty Cee'd GT compact car by Korean carmaker KIA. Berlin‑based actor and artist Axel Neumann exclusively designed the theme for the delicate film to be affixed. Well-known from German films such as "Siegfried" and "7 Dwarves: The Wood is Not Enough", Neumann will be on hand personally to witness the competition.
All participants will receive a prize bundle from the sponsors. In addition, finalists making it into the last round can win attractive non-cash prizes. Meanwhile, the winner can look forward to a particularly awesome highlight: the "European Wrap Star 2014" will get free access to a KIA for a limited amount of time. Altogether, prizes are valued at EUR 150,000.
Partners and sponsors
Again this year, the large number of sponsors and partners underscores the significance of the event. "European Wrap Star" is organised by MR Clipart and viscom organiser Reed Exhibitions Deutschland GmbH. Additional supporters of the competition include lead sponsors CFC CarFilmComponents and EPSON – both exhibitors at viscom 2014 in Frankfurt am Main – as well as Korean car manufacturer KIA.
The jury
This year's jury is made up of a team of four experts tasked with jointly judging the participants. One of the jury members will be German car-wrapping legend Jürgen Eidt. Joining him will be MR Clipart co-owner Manfred Ratajczak, who'll be able to draw on his rich experience as a master designer of illuminated advertising displays and other adverts, Nils Kühn, who'll represent CFC CarFilmComponents, and Rob Ivers, the certification director of PDAA (Professional Decal Application Alliance).
The programme
The five rounds of the "European Wrap Star 2014" competition will be held over the span of three days. The first day will kick off with the first-round match-ups. The event will continue on the second day, first with the second-round match-ups, then with the third round to determine the semi-finalists. The third and final day will be suspense-packed: two semi-finals will be followed by the big final to determine the "European Wrap Star 2014".
www.viscom-messe.com
