Every year the LA Convention Center flips a switch and downtown suddenly feels different. The LA Auto Show brings in automakers from around the world and an energy you can feel as soon as you reach Figueroa. It’s one of those events that doesn’t stay contained inside the building. It spills into the plaza, across the neighborhood, and onto every social feed in the city.
For a show that big, visuals have to do some heavy lifting. That’s where large-format print steps in. CR&A Custom helped shape the look of this year’s event, producing the kind of oversized graphics that set the mood before guests walked through the entrance. The work ranged from exterior mega-banners to interior displays and even a full stair wrap that turned a busy staircase into a photo moment.
If you want to explore more about how we build this kind of work, check out our pages on large format printing and building wraps.
Oversized Building Banners That Set the Tone
Some of the largest pieces we produced were the Hyundai building banners stretching across the convention center’s iconic glass facade. These displays didn’t just advertise the new Palisade Hybrid. They announced the event from blocks away.
Printing graphics at this scale requires materials that can hold color in direct sunlight and withstand outdoor conditions without warping. Our production team printed the banners on reinforced mesh built for exterior tensioning, then stitched and finished them for a perfect fit across the grid structure. The final piece looked crisp from street level and from a distance. This is something not every printer can pull off.
A Curved Welcome Wall With Serious Impact
Above the main entrance, another Hyundai banner delivered a powerful message: “Welcome to more.” This section of the building is curved, which creates a whole different challenge. Curves change the way graphics are read from different angles, so the artwork had to be laid out carefully to stay consistent across the entire surface.
We installed the panels one by one across the radius of the structure. The alignment had to be exact, because even a subtle misplacement becomes noticeable when people photograph it from the plaza. Once everything locked into place, the entire welcome wall became a natural focal point for guests arriving at the show.
Interior Messaging With a Softer Story
Inside the LACC, Hyundai used another banner to make a different kind of statement: “Even the ones that don’t exist yet.” It was a moment that invited people to think about the future of automotive design.
SPARQ AI commissioned a full stair wrap that combined vintage car culture with modern tech. When viewed from the base of the staircase, the artwork aligned perfectly to create a single image. Producing this kind of installation requires precise panel mapping because stair geometry varies slightly from riser to riser.
Our finishing team measured each tread and riser, mapped the artwork by hand, and trimmed each piece for exact placement.
If you’re curious about this type of work, CR&A Custom also offers a look at experiential environments.
Big Visuals, Big Crowds, Big Payoff
Events as large as the LA Auto Show need visual anchors. They help guide guests, set mood, and turn huge spaces into cohesive environments. From exterior banners that stretch across the skyline to stair wraps that become social moments, these elements do more than decorate the space. They define the experience.
CR&A Custom had teams working across multiple days to install, inspect, and adjust every piece. It’s the kind of work that requires technical skill, collaboration with the venue crew, and a lot of pre-planning. When the doors opened and the crowds started pouring in, the graphics delivered exactly what they were designed to do: transform a massive event into something immersive.
The LA Convention Center and the LA Social District created another standout year, and we were proud to help bring the visual side of it to life.
If you’re planning an event and need building banners, branded environments, or a photo-friendly moment that stops people in their tracks, CR&A Custom can help. Explore more of our work at cracustom.com
