A national graphics rollout can look straightforward on paper. In reality, when the same project has to reach hundreds of locations, every store brings its own details, access requirements and installation considerations.
That was the challenge behind Project Magenta. ITG- Inspired Thinking Group approached ARC UK to support the delivery of interior and exterior descriptive graphics across every Carphone Warehouse in the UK. With 535 stores involved, the project called for much more than large-scale print production. It needed accurate surveys, detailed store information, careful logistics and a nationwide installation programme that everyone could work from.
The timing made the project even more demanding. Conceived during the pre-Covid lockdown period, Project Magenta faced unforeseen delays and supply and demand challenges as it progressed. Close communication and a strong working relationship between ITG and ARC UK became essential to keeping the programme moving.
ARC UK managed the project from initial consultation and surveying through to production, delivery and application of the graphics, supported by detailed manuals for every location.
| Parameter | Project Snapshot |
| Industry | Retail |
| Client | ITG – Inspired Thinking Group |
| Campaign Partner | Carphone Warehouse |
| Location | 535 stores across the UK |
| Main Service | Retail Graphics Installation |
| Project Type | Nationwide Retail Graphics Rollout |
| Graphics Produced | 11,000m² of printed vinyl |
| Key Challenge | Coordinating surveys, production and installation across 535 stores |
| Key Outcome | Delivered the rollout on time and on budget |
ITG- Inspired Thinking Group was responsible for coordinating a major nationwide programme for Carphone Warehouse. The brief involved bringing printed interior and exterior descriptive graphics to every branch across the UK, with each location requiring its own site information and fit-out details.
For a rollout of this size, consistency had to be supported by good information. Every store needed to be understood before production and installation could begin. ARC UK therefore produced individual survey and fit-out manuals for each location, giving the project teams the information needed to deliver the graphics accurately.
The scale of the programme also meant that ITG and ARC UK needed to work closely throughout. The authentic case study highlights the trust and close cooperation between the two teams as an important part of the challenges that emerged during the project.
The brief was national, but the delivery had to work at store level. ARC UK needed to gather accurate information from all 535 locations, understand their individual requirements and turn that information into clear instructions for production and installation.Alongside the graphics themselves, the project also included planning for site access applications and permissions.
Then came the production challenge. Thousands of square metres of printed vinyl had to be manufactured, handled and distributed before installation could begin.
And all of this was happening against the backdrop of the COVID-19 period. The project had been started during lockdown, bringing unexpected delays and supply and demand pressures into an already complex national programme.
The project therefore depended on:
The solution had to make hundreds of individual locations manageable without losing sight of the bigger picture.
ARC UK started with consultation rather than jumping straight into production. The team first established the exact chance and requirements, then developed a delivery process that connected surveying, information management, production and installation.
A key part of the process was PlanWell Projects, ARC UK’s cloud-based project platform. It provided secure access to project information for designated members of the ITG and ARC teams, with agreed authorisation levels and daily status reporting built into the programme.
This gave both teams a shared view of what was happening across the project and helped keep the information gathered from individual stores connected to the wider rollout.
The result was a single, coordinated process rather than hundreds of separate jobs.
Understanding the Requirements
The project began with an exploratory consultation to establish the scope of work and understand exactly what ITG needed from its delivery partner. Once the requirements and commercial proposal had been agreed, both teams signed off the scope and the project received its “Green for Go” status in February 2020.
Surveying Every Location
The next stage was the biggest information-gathering exercise of the project- 535 site surveys.
ARC UK used these surveys to establish the specific requirements of every store. The information was then collated and uploaded to the PlanWell Cloud Projects information management system.
The turnaround was particularly demanding, ARC UK produced 535 survey manuals in three weeks, averaging 178 manuals every week.
Turning Survey Data into Production Information
With the individual site requirements documented, the project could move into production with a much clearer understanding of what each location required,
The manuals contained the layouts and fit-out information for each store, providing a practical reference for the teams responsible for delivering the graphics.
Producing the Graphics at Scale
Production then moved into full swing. Across four weeks, ARC UK’s production team manufactured 11,000m² of printed vinyl with matt lamination. The volume required 180 rolls of vinyl and 180 rolls of specialist UV laminate, with the materials delivered on 30 pallets.
Coordinating the National Installation
Getting the graphics to the stores was only half the job. They then had to be applied across the UK.
ARC UK coordinated 44 two-person installation teams, working alongside the wider project team to manage the rollout. Designers, production, procurement, customer services and senior management were all involved, contributing to a total of approximately 3,500 man-hours across the project.
Keeping the Teams Connected
With so many people and locations involved, regular communication remained central to the project.
The relationship between ITG and ARC UK developed into a genuine collaboration, with both teams working closely to deal with the challenges that arose throughout the programme. The original case study specifically credits this cooperation, trust and regular communication as key factors in the successful delivery.
Results & Business Impact
Project Magenta was ultimately delivered on time and on budget, despite the scale of the rollout and the challenges surrounding the project period.
Behind that result was a delivery model designed to keep hundreds of locations moving in the same direction. Accurate surveys gave the teams the information they needed. Detailed manuals translated that information into practical installation guidance.
Centralised project management kept the information accessible, while coordinated production and installation brought the programme together on the ground.
For ITG, the value was not simply in the finished graphics. It was in having a delivery partner capable of taking responsibility for the many moving parts involved in a nationwide rollout.
Delivered interior and exterior descriptive graphics across 535 Carphone Warehouse stores.
“The collaboration between ITG and ARC UK was a defining part of the project. ITG’s project team praised ARC UK’s knowledge,professionalism and ability to provide confidence throughout the implementation process, while the case study highlights the trust established between both teams from the outset.” ITG – Inspired Thinking Group
A project involving hundreds of locations needs more than the ability to produce graphics. It requires a partner who can see how all the individual pieces fit together.
ARC UK’s capabilities include:
For large retail rollouts, the ability to coordinate these stages through one joined-up process can make the difference between a programme that feels fragmented and one that moves with purpose.
Project Magenta was a huge undertaking, but its success came down to getting the details right.
Every one of the 535 Carphone Warehouse stores had to be surveyed. Every location needed the right information. Every graphic had to be produced, delivered and installed as planned. Behind it all was a large team working across design, production, procurement, customer service, management and installation.
By bringing those teams and processes together, ARC UK helped turn a complex national programme into a coordinated rollout- delivered through close collaboration with ITG from the first consultation through to completion.
Whether you are rolling out a new retail campaign across multiple locations, refreshing an established store network or managing a nationwide graphics programme, ARC UK can bring together the surveying, production, project management and installation expertise needed to keep everything moving.
