AppareoFX™, The New Kid In Town.
By: Greg Ortmann, President, Feiereisen, Inc.

There is new finishing process in the neighborhood, and it’s getting lots of attention. AppareoFX™ is the name of a holographic finishing process designed to capture and reflect light much like foil, but at a lower cost.

AppareoFX is new to the trade-finishing world but its impact is already being felt in industries as diverse as pharmaceuticals, toothpaste and other consumer packaging solutions. Its magic touch is now also being applied to printed collateral, point-of-purchase displays and other creative uses.

Perks for Packaging
AppareoFX isn’t just great to look at; it’s also environmentally friendly. AppareoFX is a film, but unlike foil, it can be reused. The holographic metalized board often needed to achieve a similar look is also unnecessary with AppareoFX. The changing of the process and removal of the metalized board produce not only a “greener” finishing process but also a recyclable end product. That’s good news for some big retailers who have launched a major push for products stocked on their shelves to be more eco-friendly.

In addition to toothpaste and pharmaceuticals, AppareoFX’s eye grabbing effects have drawn the most attention from mass-market products like cereal, cigarettes and cosmetics, where the holographic image provides a sense of movement. This compelling effect helps capture attention, which is exactly what marketing companies are banking on. After all, getting the consumer to pick up your product is half the battle. As marketers well know, distinctive packaging can make a big difference during point-of-purchase decision-making.

Color and Other Production Considerations
The underlying color of your product can significantly affect the outcome of your finished project. Darker colors offer more contrast with AppareoFX and usually enhance prism-like light refraction. For best results, consider applying large solids underneath AppareoFX. Blues, blacks and yellows tend to work well. Additionally,

• Test your AppareoFX design before going into full-scale production.

• As in most post press operations, it’s important to work closely with your finishing partner so your expectations are fully met. Be forewarned that AppareoFX is a cutting-edge finishing technology, still in the market emergence stage. At this point, there are only a few places that are applying this technique.

• AppareoFX can be used for large format finishing but also offers the flexibility to highlight a small area as well. The liquid nature of this finishing process makes it ideal, whether you need a small or large area of holographic color. The small amount of spread that can occur should be considered, particularly when tightly registered. 

• AppareoFX can transfer up to 15 different standard holographic patterns as well as custom patterns either in a flood or spot application onto a sheet with a minimum size of 13” by 18” and maximum size of 28” by 40”. Stock should be coated and should be a minimum weight of 100lb text but no thicker than 24pt board.

As word continues to spread about this one-of-a-kind compelling graphic arts effect, you can expect more graphic designers to climb aboard the AppareoFX bandwagon.

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