Avery Graphics Vinyl Used to Wrap Motor Coach for Historic Inauguration Trip

360 Wraps Installs Graphics for Three-Fifths Countdown to History Tour

(Painesville, OH) July 24, 2009 – The Avery Dennison Graphics & Reflective Products Division was proud to be part of the historic Three-Fifths Countdown to History bus tour that took a documentary filmmaker and eight De Soto Middle School students from Dallas to Washington, D.C., to celebrate the election of President Barack Obama.  

Eric Williams, a documentary filmmaker and high school teacher, financed the excursion through donations, including a customized wrap of the bus featuring images of President Obama during his presidential campaign.  360 Wraps, based in Dallas, designed the graphics, printed the wrap and installed it on the motor coach.  Avery Dennison donated more than 800 square feet of Avery MPI 1005 Easy Apply RS™ and DOL 1360 Gloss overlaminate for the wrap.

“We were proud to provide our services and support for this worthwhile and historic trip,” said Tommy Strader of 360 Wraps. “We asked Avery Dennison to partner with us and donate their popular vehicle wrap products, and they were very accommodating.”

The tour’s name refers to the constitutional compromise between Northern and Southern States in 1787 that stated that only three-fifths of the population of slaves would be counted for purposes such as the distribution of taxes and apportionment of members of the U.S. House of Representatives.  The tour name recognizes the historic precedence of President Obama being the first African-American president of the United States.

It is estimated that 4 million people saw the President Obama bus wrap, donated by Avery Dennison and 360 Wraps, during the more than 1,900-mile trip.  Stops were made at a number of historic sites related to African-American history including New Orleans, Little Rock High School, the King Center in Atlanta, and stops along the Underground Railroad. The students interviewed people at the various sites for a video project about the historic significance of President Obama's election. 

Not only did the bus ride raise awareness for the Three-Fifths: Countdown to History documentary, but it served as an educational experience for the students.  The classroom on wheels was designed to coincide with De Soto’s integration of instruction using industrial technology.  While traveling, the students were given the opportunity to experience the art of documentary filmmaking. Williams taught them how to film, edit and use special effects techniques.

Avery MPI 1005 Easy Apply RS™ and DOL 1360 Gloss overlaminate are popular vehicle wrap products that enable vehicles to act as moving billboards.  Avery MPI 1005 Easy Apply RS™ is a high-quality cast vinyl film that conforms to complex curves, rivets and corrugation – making it ideal for wrap projects. Avery Dennison Easy Apply RS™ Technology allows wrap installers to adjust the vinyl and remove it without damaging the original paint. Avery DOL 1360 delivers a high gloss, paint-like finish with ultimate conformability, and is guaranteed by the Avery Graphics ICS Performance Guarantee/ICS Fleet Warranty.

“Avery Dennison was pleased to donate our vehicle wrap products to showcase the tour and the students’ efforts throughout the trip,” said Joel Ross, Marketing Communications Manager at Avery Dennison Graphics & Reflective Products Division.

360 Wraps is a one-stop shop for vehicle wraps, graphics and marketing servicing Dallas,

Ft. Worth, Arlington and the surrounding areas.  More information can be found at http://www.360wraps.com/.

Eric Williams teaches students how to direct, edit and star in videos in a mobile classroom in the Dallas area. Additional tour sponsors included 97.9 The Beat, Out the Box Entertainment and Green Room Productions.

For more information on Avery Graphics products and where to find a local Avery Dennison distributor, printers and sign shops can contact the Avery Dennison AnswerLine at 800-443-9380. Information is also available online at www.averygraphics.com.