by UFG | Apr 25, 2025 | News
As Fully Promoted commemorates its 25th anniversary this year, the distributor of branded apparel and promotional products announces its year-over-year performance in 2024 and plans for its milestone year.
Fully Promoted accelerated its franchise development in 2024, according to a company press release, opening 17 new locations in the U.S. in markets like Lawrence, Kansas; Lynchburg, Virginia; and Cincinnati, Ohio; as well as 10 globally, including its first in Darwin, the capital city of Australia’s Northern Territory. Fully Promoted also signed 30 domestic franchise agreements in 2024, which will result in 23 new units across the country.
“We are thrilled to see such tremendous growth as we celebrate 25 years of success,” said Andrew Titus, president of Fully Promoted, in the press release. “Our locations with dedicated sales teams are seeing the fastest growth, and we are optimistic about achieving 10% system sales growth in 2025.”
2025 marks the 25th year of business for Fully Promoted. The company was established as EmbroidMe in 2000 by Ray Titus, founder and CEO of United Franchise Group and father of Andrew. Ray also founded sign franchise Signarama in 1986.
The first EmbroidMe company store opened in West Palm Beach, Florida, and grew to 100 locations by 2003. EmbroidMe rebranded to Fully Promoted in 2016 to better represent the vast array of branding and marketing solutions it offers customers, including promotional products, printed materials, garment printing, screen printing, and lead generation tactics, according to the company.
Today, Fully Promoted has over 270 individually owned and operated locations around the world. The brand has been named a Top 40 Distributor by ASI for 19 consecutive years. Fully Promoted also recently landed on Entrepreneur magazine’s 2025 Franchise 500 for the 23rd year, ranking at #423 and was the only franchise to rank in the Embroidery & Screen Printing category.
“Reflecting on the past 25 years, it’s incredible to see how far we’ve come,” said Ray Titus. “The success of Fully Promoted is a testament to the hard work of our team, the loyalty and trust of our customers, as well as the dedication and strength of our franchise network. It has been a wonderful journey so far and as we look ahead, we remain committed to innovation, growth, and providing exceptional service to our communities.”
Fully Promoted plans recognize some of its longest-standing franchise owners and reflect on the company’s journey at its upcoming brand convention taking place March 29-31, 2025 in Fort Worth, Texas. Fully Promoted is part of the United Franchise Group family of affiliated brands and consultants.
This article was originally published by Apparelist
by UFG | Apr 25, 2025 | News
Vehicle wraps are the most cost-effective advertising you can buy, and when you factor in their visual impact, they’re a can’t-miss choice. They elevate a simple logo or design to a truly special piece of signage.
Let’s start with cost: You can wrap the average sedan for $3,500 to $4,000. If you take off the wrap in three years, that’s a mere $3.19-3.65 a day for a rolling ad that gets around 30,000-50,000 impressions a day. You can’t reach that large an audience with traditional advertising for that price anywhere! Wraps also protect the vehicle’s finish from scratches and fading, which helps maintain vehicle value – a real plus for companies that lease their cars or trade them in frequently. They offer so much more than advertising for you and your client.
One of our most memorable wrap projects came from two brothers who wanted to honor their late father’s memory. The father was being inducted posthumously into the West Virginia Drag Racers Hall of Fame and, for the ceremony, they asked us to bring his car back to the former glory of his racing days in the 1960s. The car was originally red, but had been painted white when his sons started racing in his stead. We wrapped it in the original red, then added die-cut, layered decals to resemble the hand-painted badging from its original look. Bernard asked if they could bring their mom to see it for the first time when we revealed it; she hadn’t seen it like that since he raced it. It was a very emotional reveal, and we were proud and honored to be part of it.
We’ve won awards for another exciting project: wrapping the Marshall University “We Are Marshall!” football equipment tractor/trailer. We are very proud of our designers’ ability to transform the outdated digital wrap on the university’s vehicle into a rolling work of art which demonstrated their skill and creativity.
Trends in Vehicle Wraps
The wrap and graphics space has gotten more creative, and there are many more options today compared to when we started offering them in 2017. Eco-friendly vinyl, UV-resistant, and weather-resistant vinyl materials are gaining popularity, as well as newer colors and finishes. We have seen an increased demand for chameleon colors, matte and textured finishes such as carbon fiber, brushed metal, leather, reflective, glow-in-the-dark and chrome vinyl.
On one hand, we have seen designs move toward bold colors and gradients, while on the other, minimalist designs that roll toward retro are making a big comeback. We have also seen layering and overlays, with these different finishes and materials, being employed quite often on some of our more customized wrap designs. Our designers have even offered more seamless integration of their designs with the existing lines and features of the vehicles, making them works of art and marketing masterpieces.
Another rising trend is the use of QR codes on business wrap designs, which make the advertisements more interactive for observers. This will also yield valuable marketing analytics for the companies who employ them, because they can track when and where their target market is engaging with the ads.
Tips for Budget-minded Clients
• Offer free wrap removal when it’s time to change the design. We offer this to clients who get their wraps changed in three years. It keeps our customers coming back and makes the wrap easier to remove, saving time and money.
• Suggest partial wraps and decal graphics, which yield the same marketing benefits of a full wrap but at a more economical price.
Tips for Design and Sales
• Remember the 3 C’s of messaging: Clean, crisp and (high) contrast. Stick to a single message about what your client offers – just enough to grab prospective customers’ attention in the 15-20 seconds of visibility when the vehicle is in motion. Contact information should be big enough for them to read and remember.
• Keep the team up to date. Make sure they’re staying current on the latest installation techniques and designs. Have your team take advantage of continuing education from larger manufacturers, distributors and professional organizations. Being recognized as experts adds credibility with customers and presents unique marketing opportunities for attracting new business.
• Stay on top of the market. You and your team will get invaluable insight and networking opportunities from trade shows and conferences like the PRINTING United Expo, ISA show, SEMA, Graphics Pro Expo, Wraps Con, SARCON, Wrap Fest, and FESPA Global Print Expo.
• Subscribe to leading industry publications and online training with companies that make them available to your employees.
• Discuss opportunities regularly with your sales force and production team. Look at where your top markets are and identify the industries you’d like to grow your business within, so you know where you need to focus your marketing attention, and where you can dial it back.
Unwrap the Potential
Vehicle wraps can bring you a lucrative client segment with great potential for repeat business. And don’t forget your own company vehicles. We get quite a bit of business from our wraps, especially the one on Bernard’s truck. It is meant to be very flashy and eye-catching to draw attention to it – and it does. Bernard gets stopped every day at gas stations, traffic lights and parking lots with questions about our wrap business. We re-wrap it every 2 years to keep it fresh with the latest design concepts and materials, and it’s proven to be one of our most successful marketing strategies.
This article was originally published by Wide-Format Impressions
by UFG | Apr 25, 2025 | News
Following a year of strategic expansion and program development in 2024, Signarama®, the world’s leading sign and graphics franchise, is poised for continued advancement and systemwide success in 2025.
After kicking off 2024 with three franchise deals renewed for another 35 years each in Huntington, NY; Norwalk, CT; and Doylestown, PA, Signarama ended the year with 72 new franchise agreements and the opening of 15 new locations in markets including Lubbock, TX; Arlington, TX; and College Station, TX.
Beyond its development success, Signarama continued to prioritize ongoing education for franchisees through engagement programs such as the P3 (Peer, Profit, Performance) Program, a training resource designed to facilitate the sharing of best practices among Signarama owners in similar life-stages of their franchise journey. The brand also continued its Masters Academy program, which provides hands-on training in essential areas including production efficiency, sales techniques, and profit optimization, resulting in measurable performance improvements for participating franchisees. This year, Signarama will expand its P3 Program with the addition of at least two new peer groups, fostering deeper collaboration among franchisees, and host two seasonal Masters Academy workshop sessions in the spring and fall.
“Our network’s remarkable performance in 2024 reflects the strength of our franchise system and our unwavering commitment to innovation,” said A.J. Titus, President of Signarama. “Through our enhanced training programs and technology integration, we’re equipping our franchisees with advanced tools to streamline operations, boost productivity, and deliver superior customer service. This year, our focus on AI implementation and peer learning will further accelerate growth and profitability across our network.”
The company’s 2025 strategy centers on leveraging artificial intelligence to transform key business operations. Planned AI initiatives include automated design assistance for faster customer turnaround, smart inventory management systems, and predictive analytics for targeted marketing campaigns. As part of the AI integration process, Signarama will provide franchisees with practical training on implementing these tools to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve customer satisfaction.
With a focus on continued development in 2025, Signarama projects significant domestic expansion, targeting 400 U.S. locations by the end of this year. The network will also celebrate significant franchisee milestones, including a 27th anniversary for Signarama Troy, a 25th anniversary for Signarama North Dallas, alongside several 20-year celebrations including Signarama locations in Redding, CA; Sacramento, CA; Frisco, TX; Piscataway, NJ; Baton Rouge, LA; Woburn, MA; Fargo, ND; Ridgeland, SC; Miami, FL; and our location in Sydney, Australia. Additionally, our Master License Partner in South Africa is celebrating its 25th anniversary, which they will commemorate at their upcoming conference. These long-term partnerships exemplify the enduring success of Signarama’s franchise model and highlight the brand’s commitment to providing comprehensive support throughout a franchisee’s journey. The achievements of these veteran owners serve as inspiration for newer franchisees and a testament to the robust peer network that has become a cornerstone of the Signarama system.
Signarama is part of the United Franchise Group (UFG) family of affiliated brands and consultants, giving its clients access to the resources and expertise of a global network and almost four decades of experience in the franchising industry.
For more information, visit www.signarama.com and www.signaramafranchise.com.
About United Franchise Group
Led by CEO Ray Titus, United Franchise Group™ (UFG) is home to an affiliated family of brands and consultants including Signarama®, Fully Promoted®, Transworld Business Advisors®, Exit Factor™, Accurate Franchising Inc.™, Franchise Real Estate™, the Vast Coworking Group™ division comprised of Venture X®, Office Evolution® and Intelligent Office®, and Big Flavor Brands™ with The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill®, Graze Craze® and Cannoli Kitchen Pizza®. UFG affiliated brands include over 1,800 franchises in more than 80 countries, with consultants that have helped develop over 350 brands into franchises with more than 2,500 franchisees. With over three decades in the franchising industry United Franchise Group offers unprecedented leadership and solid business opportunities for entrepreneurs.
About Signarama
Signarama®, the world’s leading sign franchise, offers branding and messaging solutions in addition to comprehensive sign and graphic services to consumers and commercial customers – from business signs, vehicle wraps, and digital signs, to advertising and marketing services. Signarama is a member of the United Franchise Group™ family of affiliated brands and consultants. As part of a $49-billion-plus worldwide sign market, Signarama has been at the forefront of the sign industry for over three decades. For more information, visit www.signarama.com. For more information on the Signarama franchise opportunity, visit www.signaramafranchise.com.
This article was originally published by International Franchise Association
by UFG | Apr 25, 2025 | News
The sign franchise unveiled plans for AI innovation & strategic programming in 2025.
Following a year of strategic expansion and program development in 2024, Signarama, a sign and graphics franchise, announced it is “poised for continued advancement and systemwide success in 2025.”
After kicking off 2024 with three franchise deals renewed for another 35 years each in Huntington, New York; Norwalk, Connecticut; and Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Signarama ended the year with 72 new franchise agreements and the opening of 15 new locations in markets including Lubbock, Texas; Castle Rock, Colorado; Arlington, Texas; and College Station, Texas.
Beyond its development success, Signarama continued to prioritize ongoing education for franchisees through engagement programs such as the P3 (peer, profit, performance) program, a training resource designed to facilitate the sharing of best practices among Signarama owners in similar life stages of their franchise journey.
The brand also continued its Masters Academy program, which provides hands-on training in essential areas including production efficiency, sales techniques, and profit optimization, resulting in measurable performance improvements for participating franchisees. This year, Signarama will expand its P3 program with the addition of at least two new peer groups, fostering deeper collaboration among franchisees, and host two seasonal Masters Academy workshop sessions in the spring and fall.
“Our network’s remarkable performance in 2024 reflects the strength of our franchise system and our unwavering commitment to innovation,” said A.J. Titus, president of Signarama. “Through our enhanced training programs and technology integration, we’re equipping our franchisees with advanced tools to streamline operations, boost productivity, and deliver superior customer service. This year, our focus on AI implementation and peer learning will further accelerate growth and profitability across our network.”
The company’s 2025 strategy centers on leveraging artificial intelligence to transform key business operations. Planned AI initiatives include automated design assistance for faster customer turnaround, smart inventory management systems, and predictive analytics for targeted marketing campaigns. As part of the AI integration process, Signarama will provide franchisees with practical training on implementing these tools to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve customer satisfaction.
With a focus on continued development in 2025, Signarama projects significant domestic expansion, targeting 400 U.S. locations by the end of this year. The network will also celebrate significant franchisee milestones, including a 27th anniversary for Signarama Troy, a 25th anniversary for Signarama North Dallas, alongside several 20-year celebrations including Signarama locations in Redding, California; Sacramento, California; Frisco, Texas; Piscataway, New Jersey; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Woburn, Massachusettes; Fargo, North Dakota; Ridgeland, South Carolina; Miami, Florida; and its location in Sydney, Australia. Additionally, its master license partner in South Africa is celebrating its 25th anniversary, which they will commemorate at their upcoming conference.
These long-term partnerships are said to exemplify the enduring success of Signarama’s franchise model and highlight the brand’s commitment to providing comprehensive support throughout a franchisee’s journey.
“The achievements of these veteran owners serve as inspiration for newer franchisees and a testament to the robust peer network that has become a cornerstone of the Signarama system,” stated the company in a press release.
This article was originally published by GRAPHICS PRO
by UFG | Apr 25, 2025 | News
Following a year of strategic expansion and program development in 2024, Signarama is poised for continued advancement and system-wide success in 2025.
After kicking off 2024 with three franchise deals renewed for another 35 years each in Huntington, NY; Norwalk, CT; and Doylestown, PA, Signarama ended the year with 72 new franchise agreements and the opening of 15 new locations in markets including Lubbock, TX; Castle Rock, CO; Arlington, TX and College Station, TX.
Beyond its development success, Signarama continued to prioritize ongoing education for franchisees through engagement programs such as the P3 (Peer, Profit, Performance) Program, a training resource designed to facilitate the sharing of best practices among Signarama owners in similar life-stages of their franchise journey. The brand also continued its Masters Academy program, which provides hands-on training in essential areas including production efficiency, sales techniques, and profit optimization, resulting in measurable performance improvements for participating franchisees. This year, Signarama will expand its P3 Program with the addition of at least two new peer groups, fostering deeper collaboration among franchisees, and host two seasonal Masters Academy workshop sessions in the spring and fall.
“Our network’s remarkable performance in 2024 reflects the strength of our franchise system and our unwavering commitment to innovation,” said A.J. Titus, President of Signarama. “Through our enhanced training programs and technology integration, we’re equipping our franchisees with advanced tools to streamline operations, boost productivity, and deliver superior customer service. This year, our focus on AI implementation and peer learning will further accelerate growth and profitability across our network.”
The company’s 2025 strategy centers on leveraging artificial intelligence to transform key business operations. Planned AI initiatives include automated design assistance for faster customer turnaround, smart inventory management systems, and predictive analytics for targeted marketing campaigns. As part of the AI integration process, Signarama will provide franchisees with practical training on implementing these tools to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve customer satisfaction.
With a focus on continued development in 2025, Signarama projects significant domestic expansion, targeting 400 U.S. locations by the end of this year. The network will also celebrate significant franchisee milestones, including a 27th anniversary for Signarama Troy, a 25th anniversary for Signarama North Dallas, alongside several 20-year celebrations including Signarama locations in Redding, CA; Sacramento, CA; Frisco, TX; Piscataway, NJ; Baton Rouge, LA; Woburn, MA; Fargo, ND; Ridgeland, SC; Miami, FL; and our location in Sydney, Australia. Additionally, our Master License Partner in South Africa is celebrating its 25th anniversary, which they will commemorate at their upcoming conference. These long-term partnerships exemplify the enduring success of Signarama’s franchise model and highlight the brand’s commitment to providing comprehensive support throughout a franchisee’s journey. The achievements of these veteran owners serve as inspiration for newer franchisees and a testament to the robust peer network that has become a cornerstone of the Signarama system.
Signarama is part of the United Franchise Group (UFG) family of affiliated brands and consultants, giving its clients access to the resources and expertise of a global network and almost four decades of experience in the franchising industry.
For more information, visit www.signarama.com and www.signaramafranchise.com.
This article was originally published by Sign Builder Illustrated
by UFG | Apr 25, 2025 | News
Digital boards have made tremendous progress over the years and serve a significant role in business communications, but they are not without challenges.
Digital boards are direct descendants of the marquee sign that spells out its message with zip letters that have to be replaced by hand.
While the marquee is still in use, digital boards and advanced technology gives customers more convenient and customized choices to choose from today. Ten years ago, if a school wanted to highlight a student or a venue had a new event to promote, someone had to go out to the sign and switch the letters — it was not an easy job, especially in bad weather or if their supply of letters came up short.
One of the main benefits of using a digital board is that digital content can be modified from anywhere and scheduled months in advance, with flexibility to highlight specific elements for maximum attention.
Boards have evolved dramatically in the last decade, in both quality and clarity.
- Functionality: Until recently, boards required a Wi-Fi connection or had to be hard-wired. Now, everything can be run with a cell-based modem and the end user can update the board anytime, anywhere.
- Design: They can stream video and use motion graphics. Even a small board can offer impressive visual effects thanks to a tighter pixel pitch that makes the text and graphics pop.
- Routine Service and Repairs: It’s easier to service the boards on the backside; the manufacturer can also report on the boards and notify the shop or their client when the board needs to be serviced. This streamlines the repair process, with automatic diagnostics to identify any issues.
End users have evolved in how they deploy digital signs, too. Sports bars and brew pubs are using them to broadcast sporting events; so are colleges, but in a much larger format. Shopping centers are renting out digital space on their boards to tenants. Commercial and industrial facilities use them to highlight safety tips and other information for employees and visitors. Churches and schools are frequent customers looking for this technology; they tend to have a lot of constantly changing information to announce and need a dynamic medium for communicating it.
As digital boards have evolved, the competition has increased but compliance with standards hasn’t always kept up. Less ethical manufacturers are luring people with pricing that undercuts above-board shops. These lower quality boards usually cost customers even more money and stress down the road, and they end up paying for a nicer board the second time around.
Here’s what to keep in mind as you offer customers this high-quality option.
- Understand local permitting requirements. During the discovery process, take time to figure out considerations like permits, rules and graphic limitations, including if the board will be in a historic district. It’s important to be fully transparent and set expectations up front on sizing, content and other design elements.
- Use a demo sign. Bring a digital board with you to client meetings so you can show them what the sign will look like in various sizes or designs. We’ve even taken clients for a drive-by in the car so they can see what the sign looks like to people passing by on the road.
- Consider partnering with a local digital board manufacturer for simpler maintenance and repair. The partner can continue servicing the boards throughout its warranty period, relieving you of a process that can be a hassle.
- Use DIY software for simpler designs. There are a variety of applications people can use to create their own content, like Canva and Microsoft. Some manufacturers even sell content packages, which customers often like to explore. Depending upon the nature of the company and aesthetic of the sign, it might be best to hire a good graphic designer, to save time and money while avoiding mistakes.
Digital boards have made tremendous progress over the years and serve a significant role in business communications, but they are not without challenges. They need refurbishment, regular maintenance and repair and as the technology continues to evolve, sign shops have to adapt and stay current.
At the end of the day, they’re an excellent product offering for certain segments of your customer base and it is important to understand what you are recommending and why, then have a process in place to set expectations and support your client through the design phase, installation and upkeep.
This article was originally published by Digital Signage Today
