Showing posts with label signage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label signage. Show all posts

Wednesday, 23 January 2019

Creating Signs That Attract Customers

The world we live in is increasingly dominated by technology and when it comes to marketing and advertising, people tend to look at online and mobile publicity avenues as the way to go. However, while electronic media does play a major role in business promotion, the signboard is still a key factor in attracting customers.This is something that all business people have discovered. While the type of sign may vary, its importance cannot be disputed. According to a recent survey, over 60% of small business owners in the age group of 18 to 34 place value on creativity and uniqueness whereas those of the older age group give more value to the content of the sign. Either way, the importance of creating signs that attract attention to a business cannot be argued upon. There are 3 key factors that need to be taken into account when creating signs.

Image Courtesy : Pexels
Color

Color is a critical ingredient in a sign. Think of any well-known company and there is a color associated with it – “McDonald’s yellow” is a good example. The continued use of a pattern of colors will, over a period of time, make those hues part of a business’s identity. If a hardware store uses black and gold for its signage, both outdoor and indoor, these colors will become part of its identity and customers will be reminded of it when they see this color combination – black and gold means hardware. However, choosing the colors is something that requires careful planning. It may be tempting to use “trendy” colors but trends do not last and a color scheme that is trending today could be old fashioned tomorrow.

Readability

A sign conveys information and this means that there will be text. Choosing the right font is important. A flowing, artistic style of lettering will not convey the image that a security company wants to convey. For this business, the font should be strong and clear. Color plays a role here too. The contrast between the background colors and that of the text must be such that the text is clearly visible, while at the same time not clashing with the background. A sign with a green background and light blue lettering will not be easy to read. Size is the third factor to consider. The text must be large enough to be easily read while not overwhelming the total image that the sign aims to create.

Size

Size matters, but bigger is not always better. A sign must be large enough to catch the eye of those passing by, but not so big that it stands out like a sore thumb and dominates the place in which it is located. This will create a negative impact with people thinking that the sign, irrespective of how good it is, is ugly and out of place.

Combining these elements to create signs that work, requires expertise in design and knowledge as to what type of sign should be used for which application. That is why the process of designing, fabricating and installing a sign is best left to a professional sign making company which will be able to strike the right balance and produce signs that work in terms of bringing in customers.

Friday, 28 December 2018

How Marketing and Technology Trends are Shaping Signage

Signage has evolved rapidly since the 1990s in lockstep with advances in technology and business models. Newer business models and more companies entering the fray automatically call for more aggressive, unique and insightful marketing. Signage has evolved from a mere necessity around the premises, to an important component in the advertising story. Various influences from technology and marketing trends are shaping modern day signage..

Image Courtesy : Pexels
Marketing trends shaping signage
  • Simple designs: Clunky signage with a lot of messages crammed into it is becoming extinct. Simple and short messages in unique, elegant and modern fonts are the rage. They stand out from the clutter and scream “class” from a distance. Backgrounds and borders are also more refined to help the text and imagery stand out.
  • Vintage designs: Vintage designs from the world war era have an antique value and bring a smile on viewers’ faces. This is being exploited cleverly by advertisers in industries where the offerings are simple, and trust is important while buying. Hand-lettering, aged timber, the worn-out look and various other techniques help recreate the vintage look.
  • Newer printing techniques: Wide-format printers, flatbed printers and UV-resistant ink have all made it easy to generate attractive and long-lasting signage, that can be used for outdoor advertising such as banners, hoardings, vehicle wraps and signage at event venues.
  • 3D Printing: 3D Printing has come a long way from being merely used to create models for architects and medical institutions since the 70s. Today, it is revolutionizing signage with its ease of generating unique, odd-shaped and intricate designs that hugely differentiate advertisers from their competititors!
Technology trends shaping signage
  • LEDs for Neon lighting:  Neon lighting which so far has been using gas tubes at its core, is now being replaced by LED lights. The LED lights give Neon signs more flexibility, making it easy to generate signage that is unique in their look and feel. LEDs are also less expensive and more energy-efficient compared to Neon-gas cores, thereby reducing the overall cost to advertisers.
  • Digital signage: Digital signage maximizes the space available and capital invested in the signage space by allowing messages to change constantly. This alone is driving many advertisers to migrate to digital signage. Further, digital signage is evolving rapidly by incorporating newer technologies that makes it more effective. Some of them are interactive and self-service screens, touch screens, data analytics, 3D screens etc.
  • Programmable DOOH: Digital Out of Home (DOOH) advertising which includes digital signage, radio and TV advertising has also evolved with time. Unlike traditional DOOH which requires a lot of human intervention and management, programmatic DOOH uses advances in wireless communication, data analytics, smart software and special screens to program the content to be displayed from time to time. This helps advertisers push messages with considerable insight while reducing the overall cost and hassle.
  • Responsive and dynamic content: Interactivity is the buzzword everywhere. Touch screens which display actionable messages help consumers make bookings or download information such as brochures and data sheets. They can also choose to view more details on the screen, play a different video, or listen to a testimonial in the background. All of these help shorten the time to purchase.
Conclusion

Signage will keep evolving with time in order to stay relevant and reflect contemporary trends. This opens up a world of possibilities for advertisers and helps them maximize returns from their advertising spend. It helps achieve what marketing and advertising Guru Peter Drucker hinted at, when he said “The aim of marketing is to make selling superfluous”.

Tuesday, 23 October 2018

Easy Ways To Enhance Your Event Experience

When you are organizing an event or a part of it, you have a lot to think about it from a branding and signage point of view. Whether it is your banner, counter sign or kiosk, there are several ways to attract customers to your booth or event. One of the most important aspects to keep in mind, is the ease of finding signage and visual graphics that entice customers to your booth.

Image Courtesy: Pexels
Signage options to attract customers to your event:

Floor Graphics:
Floor graphics or Floor signs are an extremely effective way of catching customer attention. Whether it is a decal at the entrance or a set of arrows that lead them directly to you, these are often a first touch-point for customers and will leave a lasting impression. More importantly it makes things easier for the customers to find you.

Digital Signs:
Keep your audience informed with the help of digital directories or interactive displays.  Stand-alone kiosks or wall mounted screens can display multiple messages during your event. Giving regular and real-time updates on activities, event schedules, offers and other visitor information makes it much easier for a customer to come right to your kiosk, booth or event.  

Table Graphics:
Every office space, store space or facility has tables. These are great opportunities for you to showcase your brand and keep reinforcing your message. They also add life to otherwise dull tables and are wonderful differentiators. Watch, as you start seeing Instagram posts of your tables! They can also help identify areas of the office, and the use of those particular tables in a more personalised manner as required.

Structural Signs and Graphics:
Highlight the power of existing structures at the event venue. Whether it’s a wall, floor, staircase or elevator, these areas are often more crowded in any event. After all, everyone has to come through these to get to you. If you show people the way and direct them to your booth, you will surely see a tremendous improvement in leads generated at the event.

Wearables:
It is incredibly important that people should easily identify your event staff and security guards. Give your staff event-branded T-shirts, hats and badges so that attendees can easily find them, and know from whom to ask for help or directions if needed.

Window Graphics:
Window graphics can be used to extend branding to the exterior décor and can have a practical use in blocking the sun or areas that you don’t want outsiders to see. Displaying contact information and exhibiting products or service photographs in action can make your business find more reach.

Choosing the right mix of signage for your event:

Depending on whether your event is an outdoor or an indoor one, your options can vary. Weather also plays an important part if it is an outdoor event. Take care to thoroughly inspect the venue and identify the best options for signage placement. If the venue has multiple entry points, or if customers need to access the main area through staircases and elevators, then these areas are great vantage points. In the case of an outdoor event, you will have floor areas that can be emphasized with structural signs around the area, to maximize footfall.  

Conclusion:
Multiple options exist while choosing the right mix of signage to improve your event experience. Opting for the right one begins with a clear understanding of the layout of the venue. Identify key areas where you can feature path-bearing signs to direct traffic to your event, booth or kiosk.

Monday, 23 July 2018

Getting The Right Signage for Your Business

Whether you are an established business that has been around for decades or a new business that is just in the process of establishing itself, the first thing you would need to attract customers to your office is signage. This speaks volumes about your business at first glance. Bystanders and passers by will immediately take notice if you have catchy or elegant looking signage. Your prospective customers get a sense of pride walking into an office where the signage outside spells success. 

Image Courtesy:https://www.pexels.com/
Types of Signs

There are several ways to brand your business. The signage industry has gone through significant innovation in materials, offering options for all budgets. Depending on the type of business you run here are a few options to keep in mind:

Window Decals- If your business has a lot of windows to the outside world, then this is a must-have. Decals make good use of your windows by applying a simple sticker material. It makes for great visuals and will ensure your premise is not missed by any customer or passerby.

Digital Signage- While you can have a traditional board and poster signage printed on acrylic to highlight the space above the doorway of your business, you can add a digital signage below it. Digital signages allow you to share easy updates or unique messages on a real-time basis. This makes it interactive for visitors and prospective customers.

Banners- These can be used all year round and can hold up larger standing banners. Their weighted bases allow them to withstand wind and extreme changes in weather and are easy to move around if you want to rush them indoors.

Vehicular Graphics- These can be all year round, as a lot of bright and eye-catching wraps on vehicles. They are easy to get done, relatively moderate on the pocket, offer mobile branding and are certain to raise a few eyebrows.

Vinyl-Given the durability and ease of use of vinyl, it is always one of the best choices. It can withstand extreme heat, rain and cold and hence is ideal all year round as well. It is relatively easy on the pocket as well.

A-Frames- A-frames or pavement signs can adorn your patio, sidewalk or be kept at your door. Depending on your ad or campaign, you have multiple shapes and sizes to choose from.

Materials used in signage

There are several options that exists in the market today. Some of the more common materials are wood, metal, acrylic and glass. Wood and metal generally are more long term and maintenance free. With an all-weather quote of polish on wood, it will last a lifetime. Metal comes in various shapes and forms and with powder coating, color options exist to liven a space up. Acrylic and glass may require a little bit more care from a cleaning standpoint to keep them looking new.

Conclusion

Several signage options exist in the market today. Depending on the budget, type of business and location, a good mix of signage can be extremely beneficial.

Friday, 22 June 2018

Signage Tips to Maximize Brand Visibility


Even as the world braces itself to enter the third decade of the new millennium, which may bring more disruption in our lives, one of the things that has not changed much is the use of signage to promote brands and services. Sure enough, there have been several innovations in the signage industry but the basic premise for the use of signage has not changed. Whether it’s commercialspace in the CBD (central business district) or the downtown, or digital signage that keeps you updated on the latest happy-hour deals, there are some basic principles that must be followed to maximize your brand’s exposure and effectiveness.

Image Courtesy:https://www.pexels.com/
Must-have elements of good signage

As a marketer, brand visibility is key and a lot of thought and effort goes into every design and choice of medium. When it comes to signage, here are some important basics to bear in mind:

Keep it Simple- Yes, the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) principle will always hold good. Think very carefully on the choice of words andkey messages and keep it relatively easy to read and process for the audience.

Good Design- While a variety of free online tools and software exist today to help most marketers create their own designs, the importance of a good designer should not be forgotten. It may well be worth hiring a designer to create a long-lasting impression.

Call to Action- Answer the question, ‘What would you like the audience to do after seeing your signage?’ That would be your call to action. Make sure to include the easiest ways for the audience to contact you or your brand.

Ideal location and placement- You may have found a perfect space for your signage but also make sure that it is visible from almost every angle. Watch out for trees, buildings, ducts etc. that may hamper complete visibility and leave you feeling short-changed.

Invest in quality- Signs speak volumes about your brand. In most cases, it is the first impression of your brand in the mind of the customer. Hence, investing in good quality signage, whether its indoor, outdoor or even simple directional signs, will make a world of difference.

Additional tips to enhance your signage

Now that the basics have been adhered to, give your signage that little extra zing to stand-out from the competition. Keep some of these thoughts in mind:
      
  • Be Unique- Do your homework to learn of what the latest materials and options are for signages. Find the right blend for your brand to capture attention and set yourself apart from the rest.
  • Refresh Content- Whether it is digital signage or outdoor traditional signage, make sure your content is fresh, and changes at regular intervals. While this may not always be easy to do with outdoor signs, it might be well worth the cost to change a sign if its been idling for more than a few months.
  • Treat Print and Digital Differently- You may have an award-winning campaign and ensuing signage for your outdoor campaign, but that may not work well for your digital signage. Make sure to keep target audience and behavior patterns in mind when making the distinction.
Conclusion

The world of signages may have undergone innovation over the past few decades but the basic principles of their design will always remain the same. Capturing as many eyeballs as possible in the target audience is always the priority foranybrand; some basic principles however, must be followed to increase effectiveness.

Wednesday, 23 May 2018

Entice customers and boost business, with Window Graphics

Businesses, establishments or spaces that offer services or products require branding in order to attract visitors or potential customers. While there are several ways to brand your services or products to capture the attention of the target audience, you can be certain that the space will have a door and a minimum of one window in it. These doors and windows provide tremendous visibility from a brand perspective and are a powerful tool for marketers to consider.

Image Courtesy : https://www.pexels.com/
Types of Window Graphics and Lettering

According to research by Werremeyer, an award-winning creative communications agency, over 50% of customers learn about your business or services from in-store or on-premise branding or signage. And window graphics and lettering are an integral part of such on-premise branding.

Popular types of window graphics and lettering:

·   Vinyl: Cut-vinyl lettering are a good low-cost option for branding and offer multiple colours with white being the predominant color. Perforated vinyls have little holes to allow people on the inside to look out.

·    Frosted Effects: These offer an extremely elegant look with film or letters. They give an etched-glass look allowing light to enter but at the same time are not see-through.

·   Cling: Cling films come in white and clear and are most commonly used by car service or car washes to stick on the back of a car window. These are ideal for short-term needs.

·    Digital Prints: Digital prints give you the freedom to use graphics or images with relative ease. Coupled with cut-vinyl, these can be very striking in terms of imagery and boldness of letters and colors.

·   Window wraps and murals: Wraps can transform any window into a billboard with high-quality displays. Use these to make a statement with intricate designs and complement your text.

How to use window graphics to enhance your premises?

Depending on the type of window graphics being used, various materials are used to affix the graphics onto windows or doors.

In the signage industry, window stickers are referred to as window decals and are generally a one-time use material. Decals are more permanent and once fixed cannot be repositioned. Window decals have adhesive that is used to stick to the window or door surface. These adhesives are industrial-grade and resistant to water, heat and other elements making them long-lasting. Once you stick the decal onto the surface, you can make minor adjustments to position it immediately. However, once left for longer than 20 mins, they become extremely hard to move as the adhesive’s effect kicks in.

Clings, on the other hand, do not have adhesive to affix to the surface. They stick to a surface through a static charge between the cling film and the window. The advantage with this material is that it can be repositioned and moved as and when needed, giving room for change.

Conclusion

Window Graphics and Lettering offer a powerful way to attract visitors and customers to premises. These can be in various forms such as window decals of various types or cling films of various types. Depending on how often these need to be changed, marketers can determine their choice. While decals are more permanent, clings give you the freedom to change often, as they are stuck through static charge as opposed to an adhesive. Either way, window graphics are an essential tool for businesses to communicate and attract walk-incustomers. 

Monday, 23 April 2018

Channel Letter Signage enhances your Brand Recall


Signage is an indispensable component in a commercial enterprise. Done correctly, signage can entice customers even from far, and complement the Marketing efforts. Signage also helps in memory recall, which is an important parameter in branding. This is why there are various signage options available to business owners in the US today. Among these, Channel Letter Signage has emerged as the most popular option in recent times.

Image Courtesy : http://www.burcinreklam.com/

What are Channel Letter Signs (CLS)?



Channel Letter Signs derive their name from the fact that aluminum channels are used to fabricate the letters, numbers or symbols (collectively called ‘letters’) that make up the signage. Further, each letter has its own source of light for illumination, and appears like a channel of light. These signs provide a 3–dimensional effect and are hence also called as Dimensional Letter Signs. Further, Channel Letter Signs are quite flexible by design, and so you can experiment with different fonts, colors and sizes.

Channel letters are primarily made up of:

·    Face: this is a translucent sheet of acrylic, if there is a desire to illuminate the letters. Else, the face is an aluminum plate which can be painted in the desired colors. 

·   Trim cap: This is a mechanism to clasp the face to the body of the letter, usually made of a durable plastic.

·     Return: The sides of the letters, made of aluminum which is bent using CNC machines.

·      Back: Usually closed with an aluminum plate if it is regular illumination of the letters; else, if a halo effect kind of illumination is desired, the back is a translucent sheet of acrylic.

·      Lighting: LED lamps fitted inside the letters are the most popular option.

Types of Channel Letter Signs

·    Front-lit:With a LED-lamp inside, and a colored acrylic face outside, light emanates towards the viewer, making the letters glow.

·    Open-face: Instead of an acrylic face, the front is covered with plain plastic to keep pests away. As a result the interiors of the letter as well as the lamp are visible.

·   Reverse-lit: The face is a dark-colored acrylic or an aluminum sheet painted in a dark color. The back is a colored, translucent acrylic sheet, so that the light emanates out towards the background creating a halo effect around the letters.

·   Front-Reverse combine: When the signage has many letters and is fairly large in size as used on the top of multi-storeyed buildings, a combination of front-lit and reverse lit is used. In this case, both the front face and back are made of translucent acrylic sheets. 

When to Use

·     As one can imagine, Open-face is the most inexpensive and is ideal for smaller shops or eateries which do not require too much advertizing.

·  Front-reverse combination is costlier and is ideal for large companies, with offices in multi-storeyed buildings. The signage is typically atop the building or on the face of the building at a good height.

·    Front or Reverse lit signs cost in-between the above 2 types and are ideal for every other type of commercial enterprise.

Conclusion

Channel Letter Signage is more sophisticated looking compared to older types of signage, and can be a game-changer for small businesses. Engage the right agency and you can have a neat job done within your budget and timelines. 

Friday, 22 December 2017

The Importance of Property Management and Real Estate Signs

Walk or ride down a residential or commercial neighborhood in any city or town worldwide, you are bound to come across at least one signboard along the way. Signage is still one of the leading ways for promotion of businesses, cities and even property owners to advertise products and services, or simply communicate with their stakeholders. 

Image courtesy: https://www.pexels.com/photo/architecture-building-business-buy-259098/


Outdoor signs

High-quality outdoor signs leave on passersby a lasting impact. Innovation in the signage industry heralded with a bang high-resolution graphics, which could be printed on a variety of surfaces ranging from cloth and canvas to vinyl.

Durability and resistance to the elements are two key factors that determine the choice of the right kind of material for making a signage. The material for high-quality outdoor signage must be tough enough to withstand constant UV radiation from sunlight. It also needs to be durable enough to weather rain, heavy gusts of wind and vast changes in temperature.

Real estate and property management signs

Whether it is for a commercial or a residential building, a clear and captivating sign goes a long way in giving information about the property along with a call to action, if possible. Irrespective of the need or the utility, these signs are generally outdoor displays; primarily, they have to grab attention, and secondly they should be durable enough to weather the elements.

Commercial signs are generally larger as they target a larger audience. Most often, they are characterized by larger letters or numbers and are less graphically inclined. The idea here is to give core details of the property such as seller information and possibly showcase a few offers or salient features to spur buyer interest.

Residential signs are often more temporary: essentially, they need to communicate information about the property and its seller. These signs can even have directional symbols to indicate precise location; often they carry graphic images of the property itself.
  
Materials used for indoor and outdoor signs

The most common materials used in the signage industry are aluminum, corrugated plastic (coroplast), and medium-density overlay panels (MDO) made from plywood.

Aluminum composite panels available in several colors are extremely durable and they grab instantly your attention. Owing to their eye-catching nature and ability to endure UV radiation and harsh weather conditions, they are an ideal solution for long-term signage.

Coroplast is more cost-effective, durable, sturdy, light and resilient in nature. These corrugated plastic sheets are waterproof and can weather the elements reasonably well. They are ideal for residential properties, temporary signs, or offers, as they are easy on the pocket.

Medium density overlay panels are made of plywood and work well both indoors and outdoors; they suit well non-illuminated signage. They are UV-treated, resistant to fair amounts of weathering and can support a variety of graphics on their surface.

Irrespective of the type of property, commercial or residential, signage must be durable, eye-catching and cost-effective to the extent possible. Depending on the budget, marketers can choose from a variety of options such as aluminum composites, corrugated plastics or medium density overlays on plywood, to suit their realty advertizing needs.


Sunday, 23 April 2017

Tradeshow Collateral : Getting them Right

Across industry sectors, tradeshows are the most important weapon in the arsenal of Sales and Marketing departments of small and mid-sized organizations. They provide an opportunity to study in a quick and convenient manner the level of competition, the emerging trends in the business, and the cream of prospects.

No wonder, tradeshows are big business in the US; in 2015 alone, they consumed a whopping amount of 12.6 billion USD (source: Statista.com).

Addressing tradeshow challenges through collateral


Despite their popularity, tradeshows are not without their share of challenges, some of which are listed below:


  • Booth Management: The first major challenge is to arrive at the right number-and-profile mix of competent people that would operate effectively the booth.
  • Outsourcing or not: While it has become a trend to outsource booth staff, it doesn’t work well for every type of business.
  • Effective Communication for Conversion: Clearly, the most important aspect of the tradeshow is to convert warm prospects that visit the booth into hot leads for sales. This requires effective communication and meaningful interaction.

Booth graphics have emerged as a common and dependable solution to address these challenges. A judicious blend of fixed and mobile signage elements of different sizes would be handy: they can answer graphically frequently asked questions of prospects, impress them with stunning imagery, and coax them into a decision by presenting insightful data.

Getting right tradeshow collateral elements

  • Logo or Header Banner: Tradeshow exhibitors today junk away the simple nameplates provided by tradeshow organizers, and replace them with custom-made, large-sized banner or panel with the company’s logo, tagline and impressive imagery. These are backlit or frontlit to stand out from a distance and attract visitors. Some companies have even gone on to replace this with an LCD screen that plays videos and animated graphics.
  • Booth Wall Graphics: Also called backdrop panels, booth wall graphics can occupy either part of or the entire wall space provided by the organizers. These are usually vinyl rolls, which can be rolled and carried in a canister. The panel banner can reflect spotlights all around and can be distracting; but rolls that have a pebble finish surface can solve this problem by deflecting part of the light.
  • Standees or Banner Stands: Since the late 1990s, collapsible standees or banners have become the rage at tradeshows. This is because they are retractable rolls that can fit neatly into a metal container. Unlike booth graphics, these are mobile enough to move around and ease human traffic, or entice visitors when kept at booth entrances. These can feature eye-catching imagery and thought-provoking copy.
  • Signage: Signage could be hanging posters and banners that carry little nuggets of information about the company, or products. These can feature attractive images and could be given away as souvenirs.
  • Tabletop Displays: In addition to brochures and printouts given to prospects, tabletop displays too could be small, foldable paper knick-knacks that contain useful information, prizes, offers or coupons. These can charm prospects and incentivize them into making a decision.

Booth Graphics can make or break your tradeshow participation by alluring or turning off prospects. Engage a competent professional agency that can develop high-quality booth graphics and other tradeshow collateral, which can make prospects spend more time in your booth. This in itself is a big victory for you and goes a long way in increasing sales.

Wednesday, 23 November 2016

The use of Humor in Signage

The American humorist Mary Hirsch once said, “Humor is a rubber sword. It helps you make a point without drawing blood”. In an increasingly stressed world, humor brings fresh perspectives, makes interesting observations, breaks long-established stereotypes, and helps lighten the mood in a social gathering. The huge popularity of stand-up comedians, comedy talk shows, and TV channels dedicated to comedy, is ample proof that people are seeking more and more humor in their daily lives.

Using humor in signage

Signage is one of the most important, yet a highly undervalued aspect of marketing and advertising. Though signage requires neither much real estate nor expenditure, advertisers have often downplayed its role in advertising. Another reason is the increased use of online advertising, and the proliferation of businesses that can bring to your front door everything from a pizza to a car.

Yet, signage is very significant as it is the first and foremost aspect of a business that you notice, even if you don’t step in to transact any business. Aesthetically designed signage can in fact attract people from afar, a point of advantage well exploited by rooftop and rotary neon signboards.

Humor can add an extra zing to signage, as it creates an instant connect with the audience. A touch of humor creates differentiation and improves brand recall: a funny logo, or a funny tagline below the company name, is bound to be recognized and talked about by consumers repeatedly.

Industries best suited for humor in signage

However, not all businesses are equally suited for using humor in signage. The inherent nature of some businesses makes them too complex, too intricate, or too serious to use humor in their signage. Accordingly, some businesses are more suited than others are.

Retail: In the deluge of brands, and unimaginative advertising of the vast majority of retail businesses, the few standout companies exploit humor as the cutting edge marketing tool.

Travel, Tourism and Hospitality: This segment can afford the comfort of a generous budget, and so can experiment with humor, as it targets huge revenue from international tourists.

Marketing & Advertising: Marketing and Advertising Agencies help improve the image of several businesses; they can use humor imaginatively to improve their own business.

Transportation & Logistics: Given the tense nature of the activity of this business, the use of humorous signage, can make things easier for everyone involved.

Clothes, Footwear and Personal Accessories: In the luxury segment of this sector, consumers show a taste for the finest things of life, and so can appreciate humor better.

Food, Confectionery and Beverages: Here again, in the face of tough competition, innovative entrepreneurs can make significant headway with the tool of humor in their ad campaigns including signage.

Construction, Architecture & Decor: This is also high budget sector, where humor is well appreciated.

Service businesses in general: A service company can project a sophisticated image of its services;  it can succeed in marching ahead of the pack by using humor in its promotional activities including signage.

Humor in signage is a great marketing strategy, no doubt; however, beware! It can be a double-edged sword: get it wrong, or belabor it, you are very likely to dismay your prospective and existing customers. It’s important, therefore, to engage a professional signage agency who have the expertise and experience for creating funny, effective and engaging signage for your business.

Sunday, 23 October 2016

Wall Graphics: Get it Right

Wall graphics are a great way to showcase your organizational identity, culture, and values. It makes for a great first impression on visitors, clients, customers and employees every time they enter your office.

No wonder, interior decorators, construction companies and brand marketing agencies integrate graphical elements into homes and offices, in order to give the enclosure a unique identity. Inside a home, wall graphics can be used to present the residents’ taste and outlook to life.

Wall graphics win attention

Homes and offices have abundant wall and column surfaces, often left unused. This is a precious thing that can be utilized to convey necessary information, engage people in a lively manner, and promote business or homeowners’ passion in subtle ways.

Wall graphics aim at the focused attention of prospects, clients, employees and vendors, to enable ‘top of the mind recall’. However, to ensure that wall graphics are very effective, they must be designed to serve a clear purpose, and to blend nicely with the external architecture as well as the interiors.

Types of wall graphics

Wide ranging multiple elements:

Wall graphics range from miniature wall borders and cutouts to more complex wall decor that covers entire walls. They may contain elements of logo, photographs, text, motifs and sculptural elements in various shapes and sizes.

Non-PVC options

Smart technology has created a range of non-PVC wall graphic made from a finely woven fabric, and a tape that sticks at the back. It does not wear and tear, peel, or stretch, and can be used repeatedly, or moved around.

Decals

Decals are adhesive stickers, which you can peel off the template, and apply onto the wall easily. Popular versions of wall decal have motifs, animals or elements of nature in the design.

Essentials of wall graphics

Wall graphics poorly designed are a waste of money and of no purpose. Here are some essentials of wall graphic design: 


  • Tell your story: Tell your organizational story effectively to convert viewers to your services/products.
  • Project your vision and values: The wall graphics should project the vision and values of your business.
  • Personalize: Reproduce photos of great events and turn them into murals.
  • Try bold positioning: Experiment with bold positioning of wall graphics in unexpected and secluded places.
  • Use decals instead of artwork: The latest trend is to put wall decals into frames to make them look like paintings. A series of framed decals can give the look of a museum gallery.
  • Separate wall graphics from art pieces: Never put wall graphics alongside your art pieces; the former can steal the spotlight from the latter.
  • Avoid over use: Avoid the temptation to use too many wall graphics. That would turn people off and take the edge off your brand name.

Considering the fact that wall graphics reflect your brand identity or unique personal image, they must be designed with care; this is what specialist-painting agencies excel at. They make use of custom tools and materials in order to create skillfully the designs and execute them efficiently on desired surfaces. You would do well to entrust your requirements to experts with considerable experience.