Getting the Most From Your Signage and Billboards

By John Gumas

Just about every company in this industry invests in some form of outdoor advertising. This includes billboards, banners, building signage, on- and off-site signage, bootlegs and other similar signage designed to get a message out.

We have found that most outdoor advertising does not produce the expected results. It's not that the signage was poorly designed or produced. In fact, most of what we see is very expensive to produce. The problem lies in understanding the dos and don'ts of outdoor advertising and what this potentially powerful medium should deliver.

EFFECTIVE SIGNAGE

Let's take a closer look at some of the creative and graphic design elements that are essential to effective billboard and signage development.

The design of your outdoor advertising has two primary objectives. First, it must generate attention. Second, it must help the target audience quickly and easily absorb the information presented. The average outdoor advertising unit has about three to four seconds to attract the eye of the target and get them to absorb your message. So, billboards need to be treated differently than conventional collateral materials.

But what makes outdoor graphic design effective? Here are the components we consider most critical when producing billboards and signage.

1. Have One Dominant Feature: An effectively designed unit has one dominant feature, typically an image or a headline, which catches your eye and draws you in. Keep it simple; when you try to emphasize too much, you end up emphasizing nothing. A good rule to remember is to keep the verbiage to no more than seven words. This allows your message to be read quickly, and your benefit is remembered.

2. Minimize Typeface Variety: Use one, maybe two, typefaces - total. Type style is very important to the overall readability and effectiveness of your outdoor advertising. For example, you can use typeface in bold for the headline and nonbold for other text to create visual appeal without it becoming too busy or hard to read.

3. White Space Is Good: Don't be afraid of white space. You don't have to fill every inch with copy and pictures. Sometimes, saying less makes a bigger impact than saying more.

4. Keep Your Concept Simple: All signs must be simple to understand and easy to read. This may be one of the most critical aspects of your strategy; so don't take this area lightly. Don't use typefaces that are "too fancy" or may cause confusion. Don't use visuals that are hard to see or understand quickly. Remember that you only have about three to four seconds for your message to be absorbed.

5. Use Relevant Images: Images in outdoor advertising and signage must help support your message, not confuse the target audience.

One main image typically works better than multiple supporting images. Remember that your target audience is usually on the move when they see your outdoor advertising. So, make your image relevant and obvious so you can drive home your sales message quickly.

6. Make It Readable: We have found that a largely overlooked problem lies in the sign's inability to be read at a distance. Before you begin the design of any outdoor advertising, make sure you know where it will be posted and what the approximate viewing distance will be.

To help you maximize your signage and its viewing effectiveness, try using this handy viewing distance chart that we've developed to help our clients get the most from their signage. Optimum audience viewing distance is listed below, followed by the minimum recommended letter height for maximum readability.
100 feet = 4 inches
250 feet = 10 inches
360 feet = 16 inches
500 feet = 22 inches
1,000 feet = 43 inches
1,320 feet = 57 inches

Remember that these numbers represent the minimum recommended height. Factors that may require you to bump up the size include color scheme, font selection and sign placement.

Outdoor advertising can be a very powerful tool when used properly. Don't let your out-of-home promotional message get lost simply because you didn't know these proven dos and don'ts. Follow these layout tips and size recommendations, and your signage will deliver maximum results.

May 2008 Builder Architect Edition Issue

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