The Challenge:
The launch of IndyGo’s Purple Line, a 15.2-mile Bus Rapid Transit route connecting downtown Indianapolis to Lawrence, was a major milestone for Central Indiana. For such a big day, IndyGo wanted to wow their guests with more than just big speeches and big scissors. They were looking for something interactive and memorable for all community guests, with a take-home item that attendees would actually keep and love. That’s where Tactive came in.
IndyGo asked if we could bring our printing expertise to the event to create custom Purple Line posters on-site. While we usually rely on our trusty digital presses for paper printing, those machines are massive and definitely not road-trip friendly. Thankfully, screen printing was the perfect solution. Typically used for apparel, this method is portable, engaging, and works beautifully for on-the-spot printing.
IndyGo’s designers came to Tactive for guidance on the poster art, and our marketing team suggested a one-color design to make the printing and drying process as quick as possible, as well as give the poster the look and feel of a collectible art print. We conferred with our expert graphic designers and experienced screen printers to ensure the design could be successfully screen printed. After a bit of trial and adjustment to make sure even the finest details would look great on paper, we were ready for the main event!
The Solution:
On the day of the ceremony, we rolled up, set up, and got to work live screen printing right next to the guest of honor: one of the special Purple Line buses! Using a specialty poster printing ink and a heat gun to speed up drying, our Tactive event team printed at least 150 posters in real time, turning the process itself into an exciting part of the celebration.
Guests loved watching the process unfold, seeing their commemorative keepsakes come to (real) life right before their eyes. And the design wasn’t just for posters—it also appeared on t-shirts, which were seen on the IndyGo staff and the various local high school marching bands, or as a takeaway perk for guests who donated to the IndyGo Foundation. All of these materials were printed by Tactive before the celebration!
The interactive activation was a popular element of the event, giving attendees more than just a poster—it gave them a lasting memory of the celebration and a tangible connection to the transformative Purple Line every time they see the print.
