Subway Signs

I love how this company utilized a type of sign that is seen everyday in subway stations, into a hip and contemporary piece of art.













http://www.underground-signs.com/

Creative Carport Design

This is probably one of the most creative designs I've seen for carport signage. I first saw this about a year ago and am still impressed with it. Designed by Axel Peemoeller for a carport in Melbourne, this design is legible only when standing at the right position. There truly is nothing better than great design functioning perfectly.

Brought to you by the letter Z...

Zoo Signage: Zoo Signage is probably the most complex types of signage projects you can find. Several things must be achieve at once for a project of this scope to be effective. Not only must the signage be directional and easy to follow, but it also must be interesting visually while maintaining a compelling theme on a grand scale. Below are images for a zoo project designed by Martinsintegrated.com that gets it right...

Monarto Zoo is a 1,000 hectare open range sanctuary and zoological park, located 45 minutes from South Australia's capital city, Adelaide. Martins Integrated was commissioned to design and produce a new interpretive, directional and way-finding sign system.

As well as being able to clearly direct visitors to major attractions and key locations by foot and vehicle, the signage design needed to remain in keeping with the parks stunning natural environment.

The brief also called for a number of signs to provide the general public a photo opportunity along side a full size animal profile as well as providing a range of experiences that offer a high level of interest and educational opportunities.
Martins Integrated designed and produced over 70 signs in Stage One and look forward to commencing Stage Two in the near future.

Mistakes in Typography

A great article on typography... Totally agree with the quote: “My font nerdiness makes me have bad reactions to things that spoil otherwise pleasant moments.”



Mistakes in Typography Grate the Purists

By ALICE RAWSTHORN

Published: November 15, 2009

Dirt. Noise. Crowds. Delays. Scary smells. Even scarier fluids swirling on the floor. There are lots of reasons to loathe the New York City subway, but one very good reason to love it — Helvetica, the typeface that’s used on its signage.

Nicole Bengiveno/The New York Times

Seeing the clean, crisp shapes of those letters and numbers at station entrances, on the platforms and inside the trains is always a treat, at least it is until I spot the “Do not lean ...” sign on the train doors. Ugh! There’s something not quite right about the “e” and the “a” in the word “lean.” Somehow they seem too small and too cramped. Once I’ve noticed them, the memory of the clean, crisp letters fades, and all I remember are the “off” ones.

That’s the problem with loving typography. It’s always a pleasure to discover a formally gorgeous, subtly expressive typeface while walking along a street or leafing through a magazine. (Among my current favorites are the very elegant letters in the new identity of the Paris fashion house, Céline, and the jolly jumble of multi-colored fonts on the back of the Rossi Ice Cream vans purring around London.) But that joy is swiftly obliterated by the sight of a typographic howler. It’s like having a heightened sense of smell. You spend much more of your time wincing at noxious stinks, than reveling in delightful aromas.

If it’s bad for me (an amateur enthusiast who is interested in typography, but isn’t hugely knowledgeable about it), what must it be like for the purists? Dreadful, it seems. I feel guilty enough about grumbling to my friends whenever I see this or that typographic gaffe, but am too ignorant to spot all of them, unlike the designers who work with typefaces on a daily basis, and study them lovingly.

“I think sometimes that being overly type-sensitive is like an allergy,” said Michael Bierut, a partner in the Pentagram design group in New York. “My font nerdiness makes me have bad reactions to things that spoil otherwise pleasant moments.” One of his (least) favorite examples is the Cooper Black typeface on the Mass sign outside a beautifully restored 1885 Carpenter Gothic church near his weekend home in Cape May Point, New Jersey. “Cooper Black is a perfectly good font, but in my mind it is a fat, happy font associated with the logo for the ‘National Lampoon,’ the sleeve of the Beach Boys’ ‘Pet Sounds’ album and discount retailers up and down the U.S.,” Mr. Bierut explained. “I wouldn’t choose it as a font for St. Agnes Church even as a joke. Every time I go by, my vacation is, for a moment, ruined.”

Choosing an inappropriate typeface is one problem. Applying one inaccurately is another. Sadly for type nuts, movies often offend on both counts. Take “Titanic,” in which the numbers on the dials of the ship’s pressure gauges use Helvetica, a font designed in 1957, some 45 years after the real “Titanic” sank. Helvetica was also miscast in “Good Night and Good Luck,” which takes place in the early 1950s. “I still find it bizarre to see type or lettering that is wrong by years in a period movie in which the architecture, furniture and costumes are impeccable, and where somebody would have been fired if they were not,” said Matthew Carter, the typography designer based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The same applies to TV shows, including the otherwise excellent “Mad Men.” It is rare to find a review of the show that does not rave about the accuracy of its early 1960s styling, yet the “Mad Men” team is woefully sloppy when it comes to typography. Mark Simonson, a graphic designer in St. Paul, Minnesota, blogs about typographic misdemeanors on his Web site, www.marksimonson.com, and he once catalogued the flaws in “Mad Men.” The 1992 typeface, Lucida Handwriting, appears in an ad in the opening titles. Gill Sans, a British typeface designed in 1930 but rarely used in the United States until the 1970s, is used for office signage. A lipstick ad features one wholly appropriate 1958 font, Amazone, but two incongruous ones, 1978’s Balmoral and 1980’s Fenice. He noted lots of other clunkers too, but admits that he has spotted fewer new errors in the most recent episodes of “Mad Men.”

“I guess they must be doing a better job,” Mr. Simonson said, adding that the same applies to other TV shows and movies, with the unfortunate exception of the animated feature film “Up,” in which he espied Verdana, a font designed by Mr. Carter in 1996 specifically for use on computers, in scenes set in the 1930s and 1940s. “But I’m not sure how picky you should be with a cartoon.”

Yet another common blunder is the misuse of the individual characters in a typeface that includes obscure versions of letters and numbers as well as more familiar ones. These gaffes often occur when lazy designers confuse one character with another, thereby making the typographic equivalent of a spelling mistake.

The British typography designer, Paul Barnes, remembers seeing one on a poster in a Gap store. “It was set in Adobe Caslon and was supposed to say ‘Your first clothes,”’ he recalled. “Rather than use an ‘f’ and ‘I,’ they decided to use a long ‘s’ and dotless ‘i,’ thus spelling ‘sirst’ rather than ‘first.’ ” He is equally irritated by similar errors in the use of historic fonts, like the archaic black letter typefaces that date back to the invention of the printing press in the 15th century.

That said, even the type-savvy Mr. Barnes claims to have become more tolerant — or less intolerant — of such howlers over the years. “I’m not sure if it’s a case of growing older, or maybe I have lower expectations,” he explained. “In France recently, I drank some nice Côtes du Rhône wine with a fairly dreadful typographic dress. I was less bothered than I used to be; after all, it’s the wine that’s important!”

Courtesy of Swiss Dots

A still of Helvetica metal type from the film "Helvetica."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/16/arts/16iht-design16.html

Brought to you by the letter Y...

Yellow Signs: Yellow sign backgrounds work best in visual crowded environments, for architectural and psychological factors yellow is often used. Yellow with black lettering sends out a clear information message which is needed in such an environment.

Also traffic and airport signage yellow works good as background color in combination with black lettering. In a outdoor situation, yellow stands out from its background giving a clear message. In many European countries yellow is chosen as background color.

Advisable work areas: Airport signage, road signs, public spaces, indoor & outdoor usage.

Wraps 2.0

This German company has put together a collection of garage wraps, door wraps and window wraps:

http://www.style-your-garage.com/.

A clever way to utilize standard vinyl graphic materials (the same stuff we use to wrap vehicles) to decorate a boring space!

The following is an excerpt from an interesting study...

Effects of Signage and Floor Plan Configuration on Wayfinding Accuracy

Michael J. O'Neill

Interior Environments Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

Signage is commonly employed to enhance wayfinding efficiency, especially in buildings with complex floor plan configurations. The study examined the influence of floor plan complexity and several types of signage on wayfinding within a series of buildings on a university campus. The study used a 5 x 3 factorial experimental design. The first factor, complexity of floor plan configuration, is defined through five alternatives. The second factor, signage, has three conditions: no signage, textual signage, or graphic signage. The results showed that as floor plan complexity increased, wayfinding performance decreased. Graphic signage produced the greatest rate of travel in all settings, but textual signage was the most effective in reducing wayfinding errors, such as wrong turns and backtracking. Overall, the addition of signage resulted in a 13% increase in rate of travel, a 50% decrease in wrong turns, and a 62% decrease in backtracking across the five settings. However, plan configuration was found to exert a significant influence regardless of signage, because the wayfinding performance of participants with access to signage in the most complex settings remained equivalent to, or significantly poorer than, those in the simplest settings with no signage.

Brought to you by the letter X...

X shaped signs: Used in cautionary traffic signs, primarily Railroad crossing signage. The image here is called a "Crossbuck sign". These are found at highway-rail intersections and tell the driver to yield. Railroad crossbuck signs are found at most crossings. If there is more than one track, the sign below the crossbuck will show the number of tracks at the crossing.

Brought to you by the letter W...

Wall Mural: An advertising display applied directly onto the exterior surface of a building. Painting directly onto the surface is the most common application method; however, a painted or printed vinyl substrate can also be applied to a wall surface, depending on the location.

Wave Posting: A concentration of poster showings in a succession of areas within the market, usually coinciding with special promotions in the designated areas.

Wayfinding Signage: A term used to describe the task of finding one’s way to a given location using information found along the travel path. A unified system of signs for a single facility that aid in the task of finding one’s way to a given location using information found along the travel path and identification of specific destinations within the facility. Signs include building and room identification signs, directional and informational signs and regulatory signs. In the US, all such systems must comply with the ADA.

Window Signage: A sign that is painted on, attached to, or suspended directly behind or in front of a window or the glass portion of a door.

Brought to you by the letter V...

Variable-Message Sign: A sign that includes provisions for message changes. Also called changeable copy panel, changeable-copy sign, time-and-temperature sign, electronic message center, or menu board.

Variance: Special administrative procedure by which one may obtain an exception to zoning rules such as height, setback, and type of use.

Vinyl (Flexible Face): A substrate upon which an advertising message is rendered, either by computer production or hand painting.

Brought to you by the letter U...

UL: Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., a nationally recognized testing laboratory. Always look for this acronym when purchasing illuminated signage to guarantee the best quality product.

Under-Canopy Sign: A sign mounted underneath a canopy.

Brought to you by the letter T...

Temporary Sign: Any sign not intended for permanent installation. Generally, these signs are intended to be used for a limited period of time for purposes such as announcing special events or sales, announcing the sale or rental of property, supporting political positions, or presenting other miscellaneous or incidental information or instructions.

Trade Show Signage: Retractable banner stands, table top displays, table runners, floor graphics and 10' tall backdrop displays are just a few of the various types of signs available for trade shows.

Transformer: Electrical equipment that converts input voltage and current to a different output voltage and current.

Brought to you by the letter S...

Sandwich Board/Sidewalk Sign: A sign not secured or attached to the ground or surface upon which it is located, but supported by its own frame and most often forming the cross-sectional shape of an A.

Signage: A system of place-based communication devices and graphics intended to impart information or the largest number of outdoor advertising signs.

Signcentric Design: Building or site design that makes the on-premise signage the prominent visual feature of the building or site.

Street Furniture: Advertising displays, many which provide a public amenity such as bus benches, positioned at close proximity to pedestrians for eye-level viewing or at a curbside to reach vehicular traffic.

Brought to you by the letter R...

Raceway: An electrical enclosure that may also serve as a mounting structure for the sign.

Readability: That which enables the observer to correctly perceive the information content of letters, numbers or symbols grouped together in words, sentences, or other meaningful relationships on the sign. Readability is the character of a sign which leads to comprehension of its intended message, and depends on Section 1127 (1988).

Return: The sides of a channel letter.

Reveal: An indented detail on a sign.

Right of Way (ROW): The land on which a public thoroughfare is located and certain lands adjacent thereto. Permanent commercial signs are generally located on private land adjacent to the public right of way.

Brought to you by the letter P...

Pan Face: A plastic sign face molded into a three-dimensional shape. Also called molded face, molded and embossed face, or molded and debossed face.

Parapet Sign: A sign mounted on top of the parapet of a building. (See building-mounted sign.)

Post and Panel Sign: An unlighted sign which uses one or more visible posts to support the sign body.

Push-Through: A letter or logo that is cut out of a backing material as thick or thicker than the sign face material, and then mounted on the inside of the sign face so that the backing material’s thickness extends flush with or through and beyond the front plane of the sign face.

Pylon Sign: A freestanding sign with a visible support structure, which may or may not be enclosed by a pole cover.

Brought to you by the letter O...

Off-Premise Sign: A sign directing attention to a specific business, product, service, entertainment event or activity, or other commercial activity that is not sold, produced, manufactured, furnished, or conducted at the property upon which the sign is located. Also known as a third-party sign or outdoor advertising, and considered out-of-home media.

On-Premise Sign: A sign whose message and design relates to a business, profession, product, service, event, or other commercial activity sold, offered, or conducted on the same property where the sign is located. Signs in the on-premise category are not considered out-of-home media.

Open Channel Letter: A dimensional letter that has no face and, if illuminated, has a visible light source. A clear face for physical protection of internal components may be used.

Brought to you by the letter N...

Nonconforming Sign: A sign that was legally erected and maintained but does not comply with subsequently enacted sign restrictions. Under the Highway Beautification Act (HBA), removal or acquisition of legal nonconforming outdoor advertising structures requires the payment of just compensation (that is, cash). Amortization is not a permissible form of compensation under the HBA.

Neon Sign or Tube: A sign utilizing a cold-cathode-gas discharge tube produced in straight or formed configuration; generally referred to as a neon-gas discharge tube, whether filled with neon or a mixture of two or more other inert gases (argon, helium, krypton, or xenon). Neon-tube lighting is a custom designed, optimally visible lighting system that may be shaped to form letters, parts of letters, skeleton tubing, outline lighting, and other decorative elements or art forms, in various colors and diameters. The cold-cathode tube can operate for many years, while the hot-cathode fluorescent lamp is limited to a relatively short life, as is the incandescent bulb.

Brought to you by the letter M...

Marquee Sign: (1) A sign mounted on a permanent canopy. (2) A traditional industry term for the variable-message section of a canopy sign. (3) An integral sign and permanent canopy.

Message Area: The area within the sign panel describing the limits of the message.

Message Center: An electronically or mechanically variable-message sign enabling changes to be made from locations other than at the sign.

Monument Sign: A ground sign with low overall height.

Brought to you by the letter J... L...

Just Compensation: The full monetary value to be paid for property taken by the government in accordance with the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Just compensation is generally determined by obtaining an appraisal.




Legibility: The physical attributes of a sign that allow for differentiation of its letters, words, numbers, or graphics, which directly relate to an observer’s visual acuity. Legibility is considered an objective stimulus. (See conspicuity.)

Light-Emitting Diode/Display (LED) and Liquid Crystal Display (LCD): Electronic devices that channel light through tubes to create patterns that can produce changing video displays. (Used instead of neon today.)

Listed Sign: A sign labeled to indicate that the manufacturer of the sign is identified on a list published by a nationally recognized testing laboratory as producing signs in conformance with the applicable American national standard.

Logo: A design or symbol that represents a product, identity, or service.

Brought to you by the letter G... H... I...

Ground Sign: A freestanding sign with no visible support structure.



H Channel Letter: A dimensional letter with baffles at the center of the cross-sectional shape for support of neon tubing and mounting of transformers.

High-Rise Sign: A tall freestanding sign, usually of pole design and construction.



Incandescent Bulb: A lamp that produces light through the application of electrical energy to a wire filament, which glows as it is heated. Its application is limited because it is a point source light, not easily diffused. It generates considerable heat, and its life span is limited by the filament degradation factor. Unlike neon tubing, it can be mass produced. (See fluorescent lamp; neon sign.)

Interior Signs: Signs that are located inside a building or other facility.

Illuminated Sign: A sign with electrical equipment installed for illumination at night or in early morning darkness, either internally illuminated through its sign face by a light source contained inside the sign or externally illuminated by reflection of a light source aimed at its surface.

ISA: International Sign Association. Trade association representing manufacturers, installers, users, and suppliers of on-premise signs and products. Located in Alexandria, VA.

Brought to you by the letter F...

Fascia Sign: A building-mounted sign.

Flat Cut-Out Letter: A dimensional letter cut from sheet or plate stock.

Freestanding Sign: A sign that is not attached to a building.

Front-Lighted Letter: An illuminated channel letter with a translucent face.

Full-Service Sign Companies: Sign companies that complete the entire signage project, including site survey and sign design, engineering, manufacture, permitting, installation, and maintenance. (AKA... Insignia!)

We are going to interrupt our regular program for... FLICKR!

Please see the link below for the beginnings of our flickr portfolio. Thank you!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/insignia1/

Brought to you by the letter E...

Electronic Message Center: A variable-message sign that utilizes computer-generated messages or some other electronic means of changing copy. These signs include displays using incandescent lamps, LEDs, LCDs, or a flipper matrix.

Embellishments: Letters, graphics, mechanical devices, fiberoptics, lighting, cutouts, extensions, structure coverings, vicinity landscaping, or any other special-effect addition to a sign that will enhance its appearance and ability to effectively communicate its message.

Extensions: The area of design made as a cutout that extends beyond the basic rectangular space of a sign face or message.

Exterior Illuminated Sign: A sign that is illuminated by a light source that is directed towards and shines on the face of a sign; also called direct illumination.

Brought to you by the letter D...

Daily Effective Circulation (DEC): The average number of daily potential exposures to a display or group of signs. DEC is determined by counting only those vehicles traveling toward the face of the sign and then multiplying that number by the average number of people per car during the hours the sign is visible. Pedestrian and mass-transit circulations are not included. This is the basic measure in establishing cost-per-thousand exposures on signs. The basic traffic numbers can usually be obtained from state departments of transportation.

Dimensional Letter: A cut-out, cast, fabricated, or molded material such as metal or plastic, in the shape of a letter, logo, or symbol.

Directory Sign: A sign that identifies the names and locations of tenants in a multi-tenant building or in a development made up of a group of buildings.

Brought to you by the letter C...

Cabinet Sign: A sign structure consisting of the frame and face(s), not including the internal components, embellishments, or support structure.

Changeable-Copy Sign: A sign or portion thereof on which the copy or symbols change either automatically through electrical or electronic means (for example, time and temperature units), or manually through placement of letters or symbols on a panel mounted in or on a track system.

Channel Letter: A fabricated or formed three-dimensional letter that may accommodate a light source.

Brought to you by the letter B...

Backlighted Letter: An illuminated reverse channel letter with an open or translucent back so that light from the letter is directed against the surface behind the letter, producing a halo lighting effect around the letter; also referred to as silhouette- or halo-lighted.

Ballast: An electrical device required for operating fluorescent lamps.

Banner: A temporary sign of lightweight fabric or similar material that is mounted to a pole or a building. Promotional banners include those used to announce open houses or grand openings, or to advertise special events. Ornamental banners use images or colors of a decorative nature.

Bench Sign: A sign located on the seat or back of a bench or seat placed on or adjacent to a public right-of-way; a type of street furniture.

Billboard: A large, standardized third-party/off-premise structure displaying advertising intended for viewing from extended distances, generally more than 50 feet. Billboard/outdoor advertising displays include, but are not limited to, bulletins, wall murals, wrapped posters, 30-sheet posters, and eight-sheet posters.

Brought to you by the letter A...

ADA Signage: A type of interior signage used by architectural, construction, and signage industries with the advent of the Americans With Disabilities Act, or ADA. ADA Accessibility Guidelines, or ADAAG, require much more than just braille and raised characters on some signs. In general, almost every sign that would be considered an "architectural" sign must comply with one or another of the ADA Guidelines. In other words, if a sign identifies a permanent room or space of a facility, including exits, directs or informs about functional spaces of the facility, or identifies, directs to, or informs about accessible features of the facility, it must comply. Signs for advertising and marketing purposes, temporary signs, company logos and names are examples of signs or sections of signs that do not have to comply. The general rules for signage covered by the law can be found at http://www.access-board.gov/.

Alumicore, Alubond, Aluminum: Various substrates comprised of aluminum used for fabricating outdoor signs. These come in many sizes and thicknesses depending on the application.

Awning Sign: A building-mounted sign that provides additional functionality as shelter.

Insignia's Favorite Movie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTgO18G5zjI

Signposts Blog

Signs of Distress in L.A.

~ Jun2 David Hicky, ISA Director of Government Relations

A highly contentious battle rages in one of our nation’s most prominent cities, threatening huge consequences for the sign industry. In Los Angeles, California, the city council is considering a proposal to completely ban all new digital signs, and greatly restrict the number, size and height of new signs all over the city.

This proposed ordinance overtly attacks on-premise signs and the businesses that depend on them for their livelihood. With our economy in a state of crisis, now is definitely not the time for any city to take away the ability of local retailers and national franchises to effectively and inexpensively identify their business and advertise their goods and services.

What does this sign code mean for any sign companies that do business in the Los Angeles area? Obviously business will suffer, not only because the biggest and most technologically-advanced types of signs would be reduced or banned altogether, but because the code will harm the ability of retail shops and other customers of the sign industry to remain economically viable or start up new businesses.

But it won’t just be sign companies that conduct business in the southern California region that will be adversely impacted. Other cities are looking at what happens in Los Angeles and may consider adopting similarly restrictive sign code provisions in their own communities. After all, we’ve seen legislation that begins in California spread like wildfire to other states. Many cities across America are looking for justification to ban electronic message centers; the Los Angeles proposal could serve as an example for these localities to follow.

This sign code was originally introduced in January 2009, without sign industry input or consultation, but if local officials thought that it would be an easy or quick process, they were mistaken. Thanks to the California Sign Association (CSA) and other groups, opposition was immediately mobilized against the proposed code. Here it is, six months later, and the city’s new sign code has been effectively picked apart and publicly opposed. Hearings in front of the city’s planning commission, the Planning and Land Use Management Committee and the full L.A. City Council have resulted in significant challenges and delays. In fact, no further action will be taken by elected officials until September 2009 in order to allow staff to work with stakeholders and other affected groups over the summer.

The situation the sign industry faces in Los Angeles is dire, but some progress has been made throughout the last few months. Whereas the original proposal was drafted without any input from sign companies, now representatives from CSA have been heavily involved and end user groups such as the International Franchise Association are alerting their members about this critical issue. Several other groups have come out in opposition to the proposal, including local unions, the L.A. and regional chambers of commerce, the hotel/motel/restaurant associations, the L.A. Dodgers, NBC/Universal Studios, and the Motion Picture Assn of America, among others. Whereas it once appeared that passage of the sign code would receive a rubber stamp from the city council, now council members are becoming more aware of the impact that it will have on small businesses and their constituents. In late May, one city councilwoman even spoke out against the proposed code. This is definitely progress! With the continued input of the sign industry and our constituents, we can help Los Angeles devise a sign code that is reasonable, effective and beneficial for the entire community.

.........................................................................................................................

Insignia is keeping up to date on the latest going on in the industry!

Insignia's Mascots

Mascot 1Mascot 2

Insignia can help any builder with their 'green' projects

"Green" Signage

As the issue of global climate change and new regulations for environmental protection increasingly impact manufacturers in North America and around the globe, guidelines have been developed to certify the compliance of new and existing, commercial buildings to "green" standards. In 2000, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council to promote sustainable building and development. Construction and renovation projects are rated according to a point system and the LEED score indicates the project’s overall “green” rating. In recent years, architects and developers have applied these guidelines to an increasing number of projects.

Under the LEED rating system, guidelines have been developed in two categories of concern to sign manufacturers:

1. Low-emitting materials: These are materials that do not emit significant amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or other toxic substances into interior spaces. For example, the LEED guidelines may be applied to sign substrates and related paints, inks or coatings.
2. Materials incorporating substantial recycled content: Under these guidelines, preference is given to recycled and recyclable plastics, aluminum certain composites and natural, renewable materials such as bamboo.

For the most part, the LEED rating system is strictly voluntary. But in many states and local jurisdictions, the number of new construction projects that specify "green" building standards is increasing. For this reason, sign manufacturers need to be aware of these guidelines and the importance of developing sources of LEED-compliant, sign materials.

By Bill Dundas, ISA Director of Technical & Regulatory Affairs

Looking for companies...

...who have a logo/identity change!

We love helping clients unveil their new logo and identity. We work hard to determine how to make it a memorable part of our clients' re-branding process. From the simplest logo change to the most complex (with exact color matching to font consistency) we are able to go above and beyond our clients' expectations.





Other companies we are looking for are those who are relocating...

We love working with clients to figure out what they need to best market their new space. Giving your new location curb-appeal is our specialty.

If you ask me what I recommend for a sign, here are just a few of the things I consider!

The Right Sign for Your Business

Successful signage involves more than creating an attractive arrangement of logos and slogans. It is also a blending of complex elements such as marketing, demographics, an understanding of visual acuity, conspicuity, and obliquity. Complicating the task is the fact that the reader is usually moving, and the sign must be seen, read and understood in an instant. No matter how good your product or service is, if your sign does not make people stop and shop, you will not be able to compete. In our highly competitive and media-rich world, an investment in professional sign design is worthwhile. Trained designers understand how to get the consumer's attention. Most importantly, they know how to get the consumer to respond. Remember, every major chain that exists today started out as a small business. Your long-term success can be shaped by the effectiveness of your street presence if it is professionally designed from the very beginning.The right sign for your business must send the right message to your potential customers.

Elements of Good Signage

How well a sign works for your business depends in large part on how easy it is for people driving by to see and read it. Following is a step-by-step guide for making sure your sign can be seen and read in time for potential customers to react and stop at your business.

Placement

TABLE 4 Minimum Required Legibility Distances in Varying Situations
Speed (MPH)	With lane change (in feet)	Without lane change (in feet)
25-30	410	155
35-40	550	185
45-50	680	220
55-60	720	265
>65	720	280

Table 4 shows what researchers learned about how far a car at different speeds will travel from the time a driver first sees the sign until the car safely comes to a stop. This assumes the sign is mounted perpendicular to the roadway and includes the amount of distance needed to read a typical sign and make a decision to stop. If the sign is mounted on the front of the building parallel to the roadway, research shows it needs to be at least 70% larger than the sign mounted perpendicular to the roadway, or it cannot be read in time. Note that if a sign has unfamiliar words or lots of words, it will also take longer to read. The figures in the table can help determine whether your prospective business site will be visible to customers. For example, if the speed of traffic in front of the site is 30 mph, and the street has two lanes in each direction so that a lane change is needed, your customers will need to be able to see and read your sign from 410 feet away. If your customers would not be able to see your business sign from that distance, you should consider another location.

The Right Size

Assuming the sign can be seen from the distance listed in Table 4, the next step is to figure out how large the letters on your sign need to be so that your message can be read. Experts recommend designing signs with letters a minimum of one-inch tall for every twenty-five feet of distance. This makes them readable for all legal drivers. In our example, then, the smallest letters on a sign would be 16.4 inches in height if it were to be read from 410 feet away (assuming 30 mph traffic moving in two lanes in each direction). Note that if your sign is using fancy lettering that is more difficult to read, the minimum letter size must be increased significantly. To figure out the smallest possible size your sign can be and still be readable, figure each letter in the message will take up one square. In our example, that would be 16.4 square inches, or 1.37 square feet, for each letter. That allows for space between lines and words. If the sign read, Lydia's Beauty Supply, its 18 letters would need a minimum of 25 square feet just for the words. For optimum clarity, an additional 40% of empty or white space would be needed, for a total of 35 square feet. That would be the absolute minimum size for a perpendicularly mounted sign with no graphics and very plain, easy to read lettering.

Most businesses are not going to be well served by a small, plain sign with no graphics. The lettering style, the ability of graphics and logos to be easily recognized, whether or not the words on the sign are familiar and easy to read, the lighting methods used, and even the colors used all impact people's ability to see and read a sign.

Height

Now that you know where your sign will be placed and how large it needs to be the next question is how tall the sign needs to be. The further away the sign will be read, and the further it is from the road, the taller the sign must be to be visible from a car. Freeway signs intended to be read from great distances should be very tall; signs located in a business district with 30 mph traffic only need to be tall enough that parked and moving vehicles will not block them from view.

Table 5
Speed Limit	Number of Traffic Lanes	Sign Height (to top of sign face)
25 mph	2	12 feet
25 mph	4	12 feet
35 mph	2	20 feet
35 mph	4	20 feet
45 mph	2	35 feet
45 mph	4	35 feet
55 mph	2	50 feet
55 mph	4	50 feet
Urban Freeway	N/A	75 feet

Although the length and content of a sign's message generally dictates the overall sign dimensions, Table 5 sets out generally accepted sign height guidelines. They assume that the sign is mounted perpendicular to the roadway, that the size of the letters meets the minimum size standards listed in Table 4, and that the sign is mounted within 5-10 feet of the nearest edge of the public right-of-way. Note that although the table lists heights measured to the top of the sign face, the height from the ground to the bottom of the face should always measure a minimum of 7 feet so the sign is not blocked from view by passing or parked vehicles.

Illumination

Lighting is essential for most signage. It allows your sign to be visible and readable day and night, in all kinds of weather. When a sign is illuminated, drivers can read it more quickly. Another benefit of an illuminated sign is that 24-hours a day it is advertising your business. Even when your business is closed, that constant reminder helps build memory of your business. Signs are generally illuminated by one or a combination of three basic methods: by lamps mounted outside it and oriented to shine on the sign's face, by internal illumination that shines through the sign's face, or by illuminated elements such as exposed bulbs, LEDs, or neon-style tubing. A wide variety of illumination methods are available, and rapidly developing technology is creating a virtually unlimited variety of possibilities, many of which are very economical to install and maintain, as well as being energy-efficient. When you select the color scheme for your business, you should consider your sign's illumination options at the same time, because the illumination you choose can have an effect on the sign's appearance. Some businesses want their sign's colors to match their print and other media advertising exactly. Some forms of illumination are much better than others at accurately displaying color. If accurate portrayal of your business's colors is important, you should choose an illumination source with a high Color Rendering Index (CRI) rating. A properly lighted sign should be bright enough that it can compete with other signs in the area without being annoying. Many cities are beginning to impose limits on brightness, so before designing a sign you should check to see what those limits might be to determine whether your sign will be visible at night.

Borrowed from the International Sign Association at www.signs.org. Table 4 from Richard N. Schwabs' book entitled Safety and Human Factors: Design Considerations for On-Premise Commercial Signs, cosponsored and published by The Signage Foundation for Communication Excellence Inc. and the International Sign Association (1998).

Need signs for your next golf outing?

Signs as Marketing

Signs are so widespread we hardly notice them. That is until we're looking for one and then we only note that in passing. We don't realize their effect on us, which is one reason why they're so effective. However, it is precisely because they are so commonplace that many merchants take them for granted. Obviously, most small business owners know they need a sign but they think of them as merely a marker identifying the business. As a result they are unaware of and underutilize the earning potential of signage. In order for the independent merchant to fully realize the potential earnings of signage, he or she must look at signage not just as a way of marking the business but also as a way of marketing the business.Your on-premise sign should identify your business, mark its location, and convey the right image of your company. But, the most important thing it should communicate is what you are selling.

The ABCs of Signage

At a minimum, your sign should Attract new customers, Brand the business and Create impulse sales.

Attract New Customers

Research indicates that 85% of your customers live or work within a five-mile radius of your business. But according to the U. S. Census Bureau, 18.6% of the population relocates annually. Which means every year you're losing customers that you must replace with new customers, just to break even. Who's in business just to break even? If you only want to sustain your business then just maintain your customer base. But if you want to grow your business, you must increase your customer base. The quickest, easiest and most economical way to attract new customers is with signage. If you'll recall from the previous section a small, 7% increase in sales produced over 124% increase in profit. It is for this reason that attracting the new customer is essential to your profitability.

Brand the Business

When your business is the first one that comes to mind as a place to find a product or service, you have achieved what is called "top-of-mind awareness." Top-of-mind awareness is built and reinforced through repetition. As mentioned, 85% of your customers live or work within a five-mile radius of your business. When driving to and from work, school and shopping, they pass your location some 50 to 60 times a month. Your sign should be designed so that it commands their attention every time they pass. That's how signs help build top-of-mind awareness and brand your business. To further this effort, make sure your sign is included as part of your overall marketing strategy. For example, a Volvo dealership in Portland, Oregon always includes in its radio ads its address, followed by the phrase "under the big blue Volvo sign." When people see the big blue Volvo sign they remember the commercial. Additionally, the name of your business, your logo, company colors, catch phrase, etc., should be consistent on your sign, your letterhead, business cards and print ads. All these coordinated efforts build recall and recognition and help brand your business in the mind of the consumer.

Create Impulse Sales

Even though many of today's consumers have the financial ability to spend money, few have the time in which to do that spending. They're certainly too busy to search for you or wander around comparison-shopping. They are more likely to stop at the first convenient place they see that seems to be selling what they need. Who hasn't been driving down the street, stopped at a store and made a purchase, merely because they saw the sign? Best Buy discovered that about 17% of its customers were people who did not intend to stop there but did so specifically because they saw the sign. Another example of how signs can be very effective at influencing a customer's buying habits is the Belmont Auto Spa in southern California. The business was profitable but not as much as expected. Unfortunately, the original sign, although expensive and well placed, was poorly designed. Its lack of color contrast prevented it from standing out from the background and it couldn't be seen or read at a distance. Further, since the sign didn't have any of the characteristic visual features one would expect for a car wash, drivers didn't recognize it as one and drove right on by. The owner invested $15,000 in a new pole sign that was well-designed. The strong, first-read pictorial graphic immediately identified Belmont as a car wash and the colors were contrasting and lively. A reader board was also added to highlight specials such as detailing. In its first year, the new sign produced a 15% increase in overall business, which translated into an additional $135,000.00 – nearly nine times the cost of the sign.

Marketing to your Customers

Different types of businesses have different signage needs because they serve different purposes and reach out to different customers. To make sure your signage is specifically marketing to your customers you must first determine your category of business. At one end of the business category spectrum are companies that satisfy specific and infrequent customer needs. At the other end are businesses that fulfill general and frequent needs. An effective sign will employ different marketing strategies depending on the type of business and the needs of its customers. When businesses fall in between the two extremes, they will need to use a combination of methods.

Infrequent needs branding sites

Businesses that offer products or services that meet specialized or infrequent needs must develop top-of-mind awareness so people remember the business when those needs arise. Examples of this kind of business include veterinarians, , appliance and electronics stores, locksmiths, medical and dental offices, real estate offices, and accounting and bookkeeping firms. These businesses must focus on branding their site. To reinforce this effort, the signage itself must be designed to project the right image for the business and have that image be recalled. When a customer walks through the door of one of these businesses, it is likely he or she has already noticed the business's sign, developed an opinion about the business, and remembered the business when it was needed. Studies show that electronic message centers and variable message displays increase memory of a business. People are curious to see what the sign will say each time they pass it, so they keep looking at it. When a sign is a source of information people want, it takes on more significance in their memory, branding your site.

Frequent or Impulse Needs

Businesses designed to meet frequent or impulse needs must reach out and pull people in on the spot. Examples of these include grocery stores, gas stations, hotels, video stores, restaurants, convenience stores, and car washes. Many of these business's customers need to make a quick decision to stop. Therefore, their signage should be eye-catching with a brief, simple message that can be read and understood quickly. The businesses must be noticed and recognized at precisely the right time by those ready to buy. Often these businesses rely heavily on attracting tourists and need to be sure those unfamiliar with the business can tell right away what is sold there. The typical McDonald's is a good example. The "golden arches" are such familiar icons that the McDonald's sign can be easily recognized long before the sign's lettering can be read. This gives a driver plenty of time to notice the sign, make a decision to stop, and safely maneuver through traffic. An independent fast food restaurant with a poorly-designed sign that is hard to see, hard to read, and hard to understand, will have great difficulty competing for the frequent need customer even if the food, service, and pricing are superior. If your sign is going to convince the impulse customer to stop at your business, it must be designed so that the important information is easily recognized at a glance. People driving down the street can take in a great deal of information. Seventy-five percent will pick out the key word on a sign the first time they pass it. Make sure the first time someone reads your sign they immediately understand the most important information – what you are selling. Any additional information should be designed to keep your repeat customers interested in your sign and your business so they remember to come see you again. Because we read from the top down and left to right, the key word, graphic, or logo should be located at the top of the sign and read from left to right. Otherwise, the reader can get confused and take longer to understand the sign's message. This delay can mean the person who is seeing the sign for the first time is unable to read and react to it before driving past your business.

Borrowed from the International Sign Organization which Insignia is a member of. For more information check out: www.signs.org

Concept to completion

Some of my favorite projects start as a simple sketch on a piece of paper. This donor wall for instance at St. Anne Place is just such an example.
From design, to production and installation we work hard to bring our clients' dreams to life!

Brendan's Pick

The Following are pictures from one of my favorite projects.

Above i am working on heating the vinyl and stressing it into place around each rivet.
This was very time consuming since there were a lot of rivets. But using 3m's Premier cast vinyl really helped to speed along the process (this is the same material we use on full color wraps for vehicles, boats and more!

There were three planes all together, all of them had the main Ingenium logo on the left wing and the three different sub-company logos were applied to the right as you can see below.

And the final result:::