Summing up everything that makes Northern Ireland unique is a challenge that eludes many, yet Ulster Bank has managed to visually capture the essence of our cultural fabric in the space of two bank notes. At the notes’ launch event last week, the striking new vertical layout certainly brought smiles to the event’s attendees and passing public alike. Two easels featured enlarged versions of the new notes, set to release next year, with their new nature-inspired imagery that is unapologetically local and familiar by design.
During the launch presentation Ulster Bank representatives explained how enthusiastic the bank was to launch such unquestionably home-grown bank notes that has local innovation literally and figuratively woven into its polymer. They proudly reinforced that the notes “were designed essentially by and for the people of Northern Ireland – so academics, photographers, horticulturalists – to get the true look and feel of something that was authentically Northern Irish”.
The iconic notes, it was explained, share a ‘Living in Nature’ theme, with the five pound note focusing on the migration of people and the ten pound note celebrating local growth and agriculture. While innovation was a key factor in the design process, the real marvel is the appreciable difference in both note longevity and security afforded by its new material. Sync NI interviewed Colin MacKinnon of RBS at the launch event to learn more about the rationale behind the change to polymer notes and the technological benefits of the switch for Ulster Bank.
One of the paramount concerns when it comes to bank notes is the prevention of counterfeiting due to the crime’s appreciable impact on both customers and issuing banks. Intricate production techniques and innovative design reduces the viability of counterfeiting, so MacKinnon was swift to point out that security is at the very heart of the new note’s makeup, starting with its new substrate.
“Your main security feature is the note, the actual polymer substrate itself. It needs to be treated; they need to be able to get that ink to actually stay on the note.” MacKinnon joked that “if you’ve ever taken a pen and written on a piece of clear plastic, you’ll see it rubs off”, which makes clear the fundamental problem the polymer note technology has solved.
The process of treating and producing the note is rather guarded to prevent easy replication, but MacKinnon did mention that the process involves many layers of both the polymer and the various inks needed for its design. After an involved process, the end product is a durable, more environmentally conscious bank note that has far greater pocket appeal than its cotton counterpart.
“They last longer in the public domain: They last two-and-a-half to three times longer than our cotton banknotes. In terms of actual destruction of the new notes, we won’t destroy these as often as the cotton bank notes. Therefore, we are also reducing our carbon footprint, so these are actually better for the environment. When we destroy these notes, they get made into pellets, which then go on to make garden furniture, plant pots… they make lots of things with them. So you never know, you could be growing your plants out of something made out of an Ulster Bank five pound note a long time down the line!”
When asked about the other innovative security features packed into the new polymer notes, MacKinnon gladly demonstrated each feature and discussed how the design and security checks blended together within the substrate. The examples were marvellous and numerous: Images that appeared only under UV danced out from the polymer with the briefest shine of a torch in the same places as a beautiful flora patterns were drawn in bold colour, and layered with that again was iridescent ink that caught natural light beautifully. Magnetic ink-filled orbital flares act as both bold branding and yet another publicly recognisable security feature, while microprint designs simultaneously help with machine reading and build up the background art featured on each note.
Pairing such eye-catching security features with a novel orientation has helped Ulster Bank create notes that spark discussions and fire up public interest, which is exactly the intention of the designs. MacKinnon noted that many of the notes’ best artistry and innovation lies in their “public recognition features” that not only help the public spot counterfeit currency more accurately, but also drives brand recognition and customer confidence. The pride taken in the production of Northern Ireland’s most innovative bank note to date was palpable when talking with MacKinnon and the opportunity to create a note that has been designed with Northern Ireland in mind was not lost on him, despite him jokingly pointing out his own early reservations when the vertical design was first discussed.
“It was a chance for us to refresh the bank note, it was a chance for us to do something different, and it was a chance to just really show off the Ulster Bank brand. They’ve grown on me, and I’d like to think they’ll grow on the Northern Ireland public too”.
