Ziebart Introduces Z-Shield® Paint Protection Film – Designed Specifically To Help Protect Your Vehicle’s Appearance

TROY, Mich., June 29, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Ziebart International Corporation, the global leader in automotive appearance and protection services, is proud to announce their latest in vehicle protection, Z-Shield® Paint Protection Film. Z-Shield® is now available throughout the United States, as well as various parts of the world. The are more alternative options to consider, having to choose the right products for car paint protection in Melbourne can be a pain in the neck somehow.

Z-Shield® Paint Protection Film is custom fit to your vehicle’s specifications, without impacting the appearance or paint color. The film can easily wrap around surfaces such as mirrors or bumpers and works to prevent damage caused by a wide assortment of scratches, scrapes and stone chips brought on by the road. Backed by an industry-leading warranty, Z-Shield® Paint Protection Film is guaranteed to leave your vehicle looking as good as the day it was applied.

“This is the next step for automotive protection and appearance,” says Thomas E. Wolfe, President/CEO, Ziebart International Corporation. “There is no other automotive film that comes with the guarantee we offer. We offer an industry-leading warranty because we know how strong and durable Z-Shield® is.”

With the costs associated with vehicle repairs continuously growing, it’s time to avoid the damages, rather than fix them. Concerns for vehicle repair often lie within the mechanical realm, however, appearance protection can play a major role in terms of value and resale power.

J.D. Powers and Associates has reported that since 2013, vehicle appearance has increased in importance for vehicle buyers. A vehicle’s appearance was the third-most-frequently cited reason in terms of purchasing decision.

“Prevention is cure,” says Larisa Walega, Director of Marketing. “Our Z-Shield® Paint Protection Film allows for drivers to have peace of mind when driving. With our new protective film, they won’t have to worry about loose stones and cement kicking up and damaging their vehicle’s appearance. Additionally, the film itself is optically clear, allowing for a type of affordable undetected defense from whatever the road throws at you.”

Ziebart International Corporation is headquartered in Troy, MI, representing a global franchise network of vehicle protection and appearance services for over 57 years. The company was founded on rust protection in 1959 and operates approximately 400 licensed locations with 800 processing centers in 33 countries. Ziebart is the world’s leading name in automotive services that renew, protect, preserve, and enhance the appearance of cars and trucks. Ziebart offers a full line of appearance and protection services for both the interior and exterior of vehicles, including professional detailing, Genuine Ziebart Rust Protection, Undercoating and Sound Deadener, Z-Shield® Paint Protection Film, Window Tint, Vehicle Wraps and Vehicle Graphics, Rhino-Linings® Spray-on Bed Liners, and much more. Visit www.ziebart.com for more information.

Beat The Salesman With These Car Shopping Tips

When you are looking for a new car, keep in mind that you should have the very best you can find. Don’t let past bad luck color your new car experience. Now, you should try things a different way. Read on for some great information about getting the very best deal when purchasing a car. Be informed with the new car wash products that Detailcentral.com.au is offering in their store that will help you choose what is best for your vehicle.

When negotiating, concentrate on the final price rather than the monthly payments. Dealers can alter monthly payments to fit your budget, but that doesn’t mean the car is costing you any less. By concentrating on the total vehicle price and financing rates, you are doing yourself a favor. Once you have done that, determine what the monthly payments will be.

Do not go car shopping alone. This person can act as another set of ears, and they might be more reasonable about walking away from a deal if it isn’t in your best interest to accept it. This person can be a friend, relative or spouse.

Whenever you’re in the market for a car, understand that you are going to spend quite a bit of time at the dealership. You may feel rushed if you have plans later on that day. Plan on spending a whole afternoon in one dealership. If you do not have a lot of time, you can always come back.

Consider the mileage a car gets before buying it. For instance, you may want an automobile with a V-8 engine and the ability to tow. You should keep in mind that you may not need the towing feature that frequently, and you may not need a vehicle that makes that much power.

If you already have a pretty expensive car, do not drive that to the car dealership to make a purchase. No matter how good you are at negotiating, they will reject any lower offers you put forth. If you are going to trade in that nice car, then that is the only reason you would bring it with you.

You should be aware of what you can afford first and foremost. You must know how much you can afford for a car. You need to be aware of what you can afford on a payment. Perhaps you should even put off car shopping until after you have secured a pre-approved loan.

Do not expect to get the vehicle of your dreams, especially if you are shopping on a budget. Perhaps, you can’t get the exact features or color that you are looking for. Not getting a heated seat shouldn’t break the deal you’re trying to get, if you don’t need it.

Check for used cars online. You don’t have to visit a dealership in order to buy a car in modern times. Try looking at online classifieds or auction sites, if possible. It is possible to get a great deal and sidestep the high pressure tactics of traditional dealers.

Spend time doing your homework on used cars before you commit. It is not hard to find out what the model you want is worth. Kelly Blue Book is a great resource to determine the value of a car. If your dealer is offering prices higher than the blue book value, you should go to a different dealership.

The goal of a salesperson is to make the highest commissions. While this is a given, you may forget this fact when confronted with a strong salesperson. Keep your eye on extra charges. Sometimes, you may face many charges that can jump up into the thousands.

If you feel like the salesperson if pressuring or intimidating you, leave. Even if a salesperson wishes for you to stay, just go. Don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself. You need to leave right away. There are many other options, and if a salesperson feels the need to intimidate you, they probably need to make up for the low quality of their vehicles.

Check out car prices online, both in your city and in nearby cities. You will find different prices in different zip codes, so driving to another city may get you a better deal. If you look up prices online you might find a great deal close by.

You should take your time when you are buying a car. You generally pay more based on how new the car is. Let the cost go down some before buying it.

Before you shop, find out if any rebates are available. Rebates are popular at dealership sites, as they make sales more likely. Dealerships that aren’t that ethical may not even tell you about this rebate and take that cash without ever telling you about it.

Now, you should be well prepared to find your next vehicle. The process of negotiating with a dealer need not be miserable. The tips above will really serve to help you.

Can Brand Management Help Artists Be Commercially Successful?

After diving headlong into the Sept/Oct edition of Australia Vogue Living – New Generation article, which highlights some of the brightest crop of design, art and architecture talent, it was interesting to see the very different paths the artists had taken to get the well deserved recognition. In the advent of the technology storyboard artist Sydney uses computer in creating the storyboards, they add animations as well.

There is a plethora of great talent in the visual arts, but so few are long-term commercial successes. If some retail brands worked half as hard as some artists, they would be top sellers. So should artists look to some good old fashion branding skills?

Miranda Skoczek, also featured in the New Generation article, has had her work featured in Cool Hunter, the Design Files, Vogue, Belle, exhibitions at the renowned Edwina Corlette Gallery and more. She says that her first international show 4 years ago in Hong Kong was ‘pretty cool”.

The Skoczek style has become contagious. So, is her rise in popularity due to a well-connected PR agent? No she’s never had one, only her dealer – other than that she does it all herself. She says, “By promoting ‘myself’, I’m promoting my ‘style’; my dress, my home, almost all facet’s of my life are an extension of my practice.” Her art is partly influenced by fashion, interiors and design, and therefore, imbued with a certain sense of ‘the now’, which keeps things relevant to today’s consumers – just like a good brand. Even though she borrows from the history of image making, she certainly has her eye on what society is responding to.

Miranda’s one piece of advise to emerging artists: “Work hard, be familiar with what others are doing, but DON’T compare yourself to them. Be true to your vision.”

London based artist Martin O’Neil has certainly had his share of ups and downs, but is now one of London’s most coveted illustrators.

He admits that it took him a long time to realise that ‘he’ was the brand and clients came to get the ‘O’Neill blender’ as he calls his collage style. He has an agent in London and one in Toronto, both he has worked with for over a decade, they drive 40% of his commercial work. The other 60% is all word-of-mouth – a healthy combination.

“I strike a balance between being a commercial artist for hire and being a ‘traditional’ artist who shows and sells. Social media works well for both and has brought my work to people all over the world. But I still think traditional marketing techniques are the best. I send out invites by post and have real art in real spaces.” His most exciting exhibition was a show called ‘PAIN’ in a dental surgery in Hackney’.

His advise to emerging artists is to; “Look further afield to more obscure subject matters and your references will be richer. If you can see a bandwagon you’ve missed it.”

An emerging artist who has found her unique style within the labyrinthine paths of Fine Art, is Debbie Mackenzie. Having studied Design before moving into the Ad agency world, she has come well equipped for the branded artist journey. She says her key challenge as an emerging artist is creating awareness – which she is doing through social media – and getting connected to the right people. She plans on engaging a PR agent shortly to help build her brand.

At the outset of any business cash flow is the tightest and never so much so as an artist. Debbie says, “My work mainly comes from private Commissions, Art Shows and word of mouth. I’ve found this is the most profitable way at the moment, galleries charge anywhere from 40 – 50% commission so it’s a big chunk of earnings.” She splits her time between her commissioned style as well as an abstract range, which she feel is her advertising background looking for satisfaction to please a marketable audience.

Whilst most artists would shiver at the word ‘management’ – it is a reality to gain commercial success. The core attributes of any great brand, is to have a fantastic offering, a clear core essence (the one thing that everything must relate to), be believable and trusted (don’t be a one night wonder) and challenge the status quo (don’t be like the others). And, these are all attributes any good and potentially commercially successful artist, should look to have too.

Also, there is something about the desperate artist that is part of the appeal – the drunken prostitute-loving Toulouse Lautrec, the poverty stricken and love lost Van Gogh – we want artists to live a life that is so markedly different to our own commutable-nine-to-five, a life that stems from a deep passion.

People remember stories not facts; hence all great brands have one that connects them with their consumers. Maybe the next emerging artist can imbue more of the misunderstood, anti-establishment troubled soul story into their brand!

Ellie Hansen for ishimodo

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