‘Love Your Melon’-on wheels

Zachary Quinn and Brian Keller, students at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minn., launched a class project to fight pediatric cancer called “Love Your Melon.” The “Buy one, Give one” strategy involves asking people to buy a knit hat and donate another, which are then distributed with good humor to children hospitalized with cancer. The project grew into a nonprofit foundation, and Love Your Melon co-founders planned to distribute 2,500 hats during an awareness-raising bus tour with 16 stops across the eastern United States. The project attracted the attention of home-town company 3M, and 3M™ Commercial Graphics sponsored the tour by donating films and technical service to wrap the foundation’s bus with mobile advertising. “A great visual presence makes a big difference for an organization like Love Your Melon,” says Dave Deiss, technical service manager at 3M.

Vomela, a St. Paul, Minn., print firm, developed and printed the bus wrap, which was applied by United Application Standards Group (UASG) installers. Both groups volunteered substantial time to the project. The bus was wrapped using 3M Envision™ Print Wrap Film 480Cv3, 3M Envision Gloss Wrap Overlaminate 8548G, 3M Scotchcal™ Perforated Window Graphic Film IJ8171 and 3M Scotchcal Optically Clear Overlaminate 8914. Vomela incorporated Love Your Melon’s existing navy color scheme and logo to capitalize on the foundation’s existing brand recognition. The tour wrapped up and the students continue to blog about the results.