Giant Flying Frodo Scoops Second Award

Giant Flying Frodo Scoops Second Award... In Just One Month

Air New Zealand's giant flying Lord of the Rings billboard has further strengthened its position as one of the most innovative graphic ideas in the New Zealand market, with the second print award within a month.

At the 10th annual Pride In Print Awards, held in Christchurch, the printing industry recognised the technical excellence of the Boeing 747-400 decal which sports the image of hobbits Frodo and Samwise Gamgee.

The award was made to Hamilton-based graphic and signage specialist AdMark Visual Imaging, whose team took more than 450 man hours to print and apply the giant decal.

Stretching 36 metres along the fuselage from the rear door to over the wing, the image reaches almost 8 metres in eight and runs down both sides of the aircraft.

The hobbit image forms one giant, digitally printed jigsaw stuck to the curved canvas of the Boring 747 fuselage.

Weighing 60 kilograms the decal, made of specialist aviation marketing film, experiences temperatures ranging from -60C through to +60C between high altitude cruising and sitting on hot airport tarmacs in mid-summer sun.

Tested by the US Air Force, the marking film is perforated to allow for pressurisation changes in the aircraft and designed to withstand speed of up to 1,000 kilometres per hour.

The award-winning Boeing 747-400 is a third of the way through its own epic journey of almost four million kilometres during the 12 months it will carry the Frodo image - that's the equivalent of 96 times around the globe. It will visit London approximately 45 times during the year, Los Angeles, 165 times, Sydney 50 times and Japan 56 times.

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