Celebrating 40 years of Contra Vision
Perfect Vision: Celebrating 40 years of Contra Vision®
From a squash court to the world – 2025 is our 40th year in business. But how did we get here and what does the future hold?
The early years
Contra Vision founder, Roland Hill, a keen squash player, noticed how difficult it was for spectators to follow the sport, known for its containment inside 4 walls. The idea of one-way vision technology was born, and the appetite for further uses grew.
Fast-forward a couple of years to 1985, Contra Vision Ltd was officially launched, and worldwide patents were secured for this innovative technology, with near-endless uses being imagined, from advertising displays to privacy and security glass.
News spread fast and Contra Vision secured licenses with 3M and Avery Dennison to utilise our world-leading technology across global advertising campaigns.
Founder Roland Hill received a ‘Prince of Wales innovation award’ in 1986 and was featured on BBC Tomorrow’s World, showcasing the original one-way vision concept named Contra Vision® XR™ with the future King of England. You can watch that here.
The wheels on the bus
From a squash court to a New Zealand bus – the Contra Vision journey has taken some unexpected and wonderful turns in our forty years.
1991 saw the world’s first total bus wrap. Contra Vision technology was used to promote the Pan Pacific Hotel in New Zealand, igniting the transit advertising industry. As the saying goes, you wait ages for a bus, then two come along at once.
Crystal Pepsi produced the first digitally printed bus wrap using Contra Vision one-way vision technology in 1993. This digital approach transformed the industry and is still used as effective OOH advertising in towns and cities across the globe today.
You can learn more about the importance of Bus Wraps and Transit Advertising here.
Wrap artist award
Over the years we have sponsored several ‘Wrap Artist™ competitions, giving a chance to showcase the best see-through advertisement and decoration. One of our all-time favourite entries, and winner in 2000, featured Dutch football superstar Edgar Davids to promote the upcoming Euros 2000. Fun fact – Edgar Davids was larger than the Statue of Liberty!
A few of our favourites
Looking back over four decades of business, our unparalleled range of perforated window film technology has been used in countless projects across the globe. From schools to stadiums, city centre offices to museums, we’re proud to help some of the world’s biggest companies and brands show off.
It’s a joyful day in the Contra Vision office when we discover more of our product out in the wild, for millions to see. Here are a few of our favourite case studies over the past few years.
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Nissan Canada Head Office
Japanese automotive giant, Nissan, were looking to freshen up their Canadian Head Office in Vancouver, to align with their new ‘Institute of Thrillology” campaign.
Our Performance White on Black in 40% transparency provided a striking visual graphic on the approach the building, while still allowing natural light to flood the hallways and offices of the headquarters.
The Shoebox Project
Contra Vision provided a four-storey canvas for a Downtown Toronto art installation back in 2021.
Daniel Mazzone’s “Maria” was brought to life by our Performance Translucent White in 30% transparency, in collaboration with our Canadian distributor, ND Graphics, to help spotlight the impact of homelessness on local women.
Milwaukee Bucks
Reaching an important game is what fuels sports fans, so when the Milwaukee Bucks reach the NBA playoffs, the city was hyped up.
#FearTheDeer was splashed across a Milwaukee River Bridge with the help of Contra Vision Performance Clear, and Mandel Graphic Solutions, in preparation for the showdown.
With the sound of the final buzzer still ringing out, our specialist adhesive formulation ensured a quick and clean removal, returning the bridge to it’s normal state.
Stratford Station
2012 – the summer when the world came to London. Weeks before the Super Saturday of Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill and Sir Mo Farah, we collaborated on a project for Lloyds TSB, transforming Stratford Station into an eye-catching masterpiece. Over the course of the games this building wrap was seen by an impressive 7 million visitors.
Awards
Over the last decade, we’re proud to have been awarded a hat-trick of Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, in 2014, 2015 and again in 2020. Not only do they look shiny on the shelf, but these accolades also motivate us to continually innovate and grow.
“Celebrating 40 years of innovation and leadership in one-way vision technology is an incredible achievement! Having been part of Contra Vision for the past 10 years and now as a director, I’ve seen firsthand how our commitment to groundbreaking solutions has shaped the industry.
This milestone is a testament to the dedication of our team, the trust of our customers, and the strength of our partnerships. The future looks even brighter, and I’m excited to see what the next 40 years will bring!”
– Adam Paget, Director of Sales
What does the future hold?
Recent efforts have seen a doubling down on the success and demand in our products for transit advertising. Having recently introduced Contra Vision® Autograph™ to elevate the quality of product used to wrap vehicles, we’re excited to continue to break new ground in this space in our 40th year.
Did you know – as well as providing stunning visuals to a vehicle, our perforated window film also holds environmental benefits? Wrapping with our products reduces solar heat gain, air conditioning load, fuel consumption, carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions.
We are long term advocates of implementing energy saving and green initiatives. As we move forward, the advocacy for sustainable practices grows ever stronger. You can find out more about our sustainability policies here.
Moving from a squash court, to an Auckland bus, to clients in over 100 countries, a lot of progress has been made in the past forty years, however we’re not ones for standing still.
We’re excited to be developing new products ready for launch in the coming 12 months, to further elevate the diverse needs of our growing customer base.
“For 40 years, Contra Vision has been built on a foundation of innovation and a commitment to excellence. As a family-run business, we take pride in fostering a close-knit environment while leading the market with groundbreaking solutions. I’m excited to see how we can continue to push the boundaries of innovation and strengthen our position as industry leaders in the years to come”
– Nick Rigg, Product Manager
Be sure to follow us across social media and online as we celebrate our 40th year of business in 2025, and kickstart the next exciting chapter of the Contra Vision story.
See an inspiring piece of advertising out and about? Tag us on socials.
A few of our favourites
Looking back over four decades of business, our unparalleled range of perforated window film technology has been used in countless projects across the globe. From schools to stadiums, city centre offices to museums, we’re proud to help some of the world’s biggest companies and brands show off.
It’s a joyful day in the Contra Vision office when we discover more of our product out in the wild, for millions to see. Here are a few of our favourite case studies over the past few years.
Old Trafford
We helped Emirates Airline put their stamp on Old Trafford Cricket Ground, following their 10-year investment and sponsorship deal with Lancashire County Cricket Club.
Nissan Canada Head Office
Japanese automotive giant, Nissan, were looking to freshen up their Canadian Head Office in Vancouver, to align with their new ‘Institute of Thrillology” campaign.
Our Performance White on Black in 40% transparency provided a striking visual graphic on the approach the building, while still allowing natural light to flood the hallways and offices of the headquarters.
The Shoebox Project
Contra Vision provided a four-storey canvas for a Downtown Toronto art installation back in 2021.
Daniel Mazzone’s “Maria” was brought to life by our Performance Translucent White in 30% transparency, in collaboration with our Canadian distributor, ND Graphics, to help spotlight the impact of homelessness on local women.
Milwaukee Bucks
Reaching an important game is what fuels sports fans, so when the Milwaukee Bucks reach the NBA playoffs, the city was hyped up.
#FearTheDeer was splashed across a Milwaukee River Bridge with the help of Contra Vision Performance Clear, and Mandel Graphic Solutions, in preparation for the showdown.
With the sound of the final buzzer still ringing out, our specialist adhesive formulation ensured a quick and clean removal, returning the bridge to it’s normal state.
Stratford Station
2012 – the summer when the world came to London. Weeks before the Super Saturday of Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill and Sir Mo Farah, we collaborated on a project for Lloyds TSB, transforming Stratford Station into an eye-catching masterpiece. Over the course of the games this building wrap was seen by an impressive 7 million visitors.
Awards
Over the last decade, we’re proud to have been awarded a hat-trick of Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, in 2014, 2015 and again in 2020. Not only do they look shiny on the shelf, but these accolades also motivate us to continually innovate and grow.
“Celebrating 40 years of innovation and leadership in one-way vision technology is an incredible achievement! Having been part of Contra Vision for the past 10 years and now as a director, I’ve seen firsthand how our commitment to groundbreaking solutions has shaped the industry.
This milestone is a testament to the dedication of our team, the trust of our customers, and the strength of our partnerships. The future looks even brighter, and I’m excited to see what the next 40 years will bring!”
– Adam Paget, Director of Sales
What does the future hold?
Recent efforts have seen a doubling down on the success and demand in our products for transit advertising. Having recently introduced Contra Vision® Autograph™ to elevate the quality of product used to wrap vehicles, we’re excited to continue to break new ground in this space in our 40th year.
Did you know – as well as providing stunning visuals to a vehicle, our perforated window film also holds environmental benefits? Wrapping with our products reduces solar heat gain, air conditioning load, fuel consumption, carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions.
We are long term advocates of implementing energy saving and green initiatives. As we move forward, the advocacy for sustainable practices grows ever stronger. You can find out more about our sustainability policies here.
Moving from a squash court, to an Auckland bus, to clients in over 100 countries, a lot of progress has been made in the past forty years, however we’re not ones for standing still.
We’re excited to be developing new products ready for launch in the coming 12 months, to further elevate the diverse needs of our growing customer base.
“For 40 years, Contra Vision has been built on a foundation of innovation and a commitment to excellence. As a family-run business, we take pride in fostering a close-knit environment while leading the market with groundbreaking solutions. I’m excited to see how we can continue to push the boundaries of innovation and strengthen our position as industry leaders in the years to come”
– Nick Rigg, Product Manager
Be sure to follow us across social media and online as we celebrate our 40th year of business in 2025, and kickstart the next exciting chapter of the Contra Vision story.
See an inspiring piece of advertising out and about? Tag us on socials.
