So next up with our Jimny 5-door build project is vehicle branding, and for this, we turned to our good friends at FAST KTM in Alberton who have a subsidiary company named “Empire Graphic Company” that compliments the world of off-road motorcycles.
They first came onto our radar back in July when we spotted what we thought at the time was an MY25 KTM 1390 Adventure in spy-Zebra pattern livery riding around Alberton, having gotten close up we realised we’d been had as it was ‘actually’ the boys from FAST who had pulled off a clever marketing stunt using an MY24 1290 Adventure R that they had cleverly replaced the standard graphics with spy-Zebra graphics—inspired by the European spy shots seen at Erzberg where the 1390 Adventure was first teased to the public earlier this year.
We were so impressed by the quality of their work, that we knew right there and then that we wanted to partner with them on our upcoming Jimny build for later in the year.
So who is ‘Empire Graphics’?
We chatted with Luke Reece Meyer from Empire Graphics to find out more, and this is what he had to say…
“Our slogan at Empire Graphics is ‘where innovation meets tradition in the world of printing’. With years of experience in the industry, we pride ourselves on delivering high-quality print solutions tailored to meet the diverse needs of our clients.’
“From vibrant MX sticker kits to 3D fabricated signs, our state-of-the-art technology and skilled team ensure exceptional results every time. We are committed to excellence, sustainability, and customer satisfaction, making your vision come to life with unparalleled precision and creativity”. Said Luke.
Chatting further with Luke he explained to us that Empire Graphics specialises in the following services:
- Bike Sticker Kits
- Vehicle Branding
- Signage Manufacturing
- Labels
- Business Cards, Flyers & Posters
- Graphic Design Services
- Laser Cutting
- Digital Printing
Back to the Jimny, our brief was simple, we wanted to have a clean look where our branding was visible with some subtle ghosted adventure-inspired graphics. We know from having many of our business vehicles wrapped over the years that going for a partial wrap rather than a full wrap was going to meet our desired look—and so did the team at Empire Graphics.
Their Graphic Designer then drew up some mock designs which consisted of a matt black roof with a similar matt black band along the bottom of the doors, the idea was to break the Jungle Green paint by adding this darker tone, which does two things; firstly our branding would stand out on the black background, and secondly, the roof would be protected. Out of experience, having the roof wrapped when you are planning to install a roof rack (which we plan to) is a clever idea, as it protects the roof from scratches for when the inevitable happens—ask my last Jimny.
The team at ‘Empire’ read my mind when it came down to the rear side doors and the bonnet graphics of our vehicle, with a clever ghosted effect. A ghosted-out compass was meticulously applied to the rear half—all adventures start with an intended direction.
And then on the bonnet, their inspiration came from Husqvarna’s Norden and its adventure-themed ‘topographic’ design, a feature many people seem to stop and stare at.
We were so impressed with the overall flow of working with Empire Graphics, they were very professional throughout the entire process which was reflected in the quality of the finished product—their attention to detail was top notch and that’s coming from someone who has severe OCD.
Here are some examples of pricing on what a graphics kit might set you back…
- 125-450 MX Semi Custom Kit = R2050
- 125-450 Enduro/MX Custom Kit = R2700
- Basic Vehicle Branding Starting from = R3500
Overall, I am very happy with the end product and I certainly would recommend Empire Graphics to anyone who is looking for some vehicle branding or wants to personalise their motorcycle.
For more information contact…
Empire Graphic Company
Upper floor Alternate ARC Building, Louis Trichardt St, Alberton (next to FAST KTM).
Website – Facebook – Instagram – Luke Reece Meyer – 082 687 8663
