‹ Back to All Blog Posts

Signage, Sunlight and Making it Work

Signage, Sunlight and Making it Work 1 Street Signage 201x300

What types of signage do you see walking the streets of Chicago?

Signage comes in a variety of sizes and specifications.

Picking the brains of our production staff, I’ve been learning about important weather-related factors every marketer should consider.

For instance, did you know heat can affect signage? What about humidity? Having worked in number of marketing & creative departments, these concerns can be overlooked.

So here’s a handy list of items to consider.

Choosing Your Media
Did you know most material needs to be room temperature before it can be printed to? That means if something was delivered in the middle of a polar vortex or broiling heat, you can’t just pop open the box and send it to the flatbed.

In the words of Goldilocks, you don’t want the material too hot or not too cold, it needs to be “just right.” (Forgive me, I have a daughter about to turn three.)

We love talking media – call us and we’ll assist to pick the right one.

Signage, Sunlight and Making it Work 2 Adhesive Vinyl with Matte Laminate 300x168

Work with your printer to choose proper material

Here Comes the Sun
Some materials can last up to 100 years in “gallery conditions” – yep, you guessed it – inside. Sunlight causes damage and fading.

Putting up printed awnings, exterior graphics and outdoor signage?

Most inks and laminates these days are formulated to last against harmful UV rays, but no sign is sunproof!

Location Location Location
Not a lesson in real estate but the human element! Print companies do their best to ensure your final product is scratch resistant, but we can’t stop curious kiddos from peeling at vinyl stickers or shopping carts!

High traffic areas are an incredible opportunity to promote your brand – so by all means your messaging belongs here. Just remember: your cool graphics catch the eye and those curious folks may just poke and pull (while interacting with your brand).

Signage, Sunlight and Making it Work 3 Wayfinding Graphics 225x300

Where are your graphics being installed?

Which leads me to my next point …

One Time Sign or Marketing Campaign?
Savvy marketers know the value of environmental graphics and the role it can play in keeping your brand top-of-mind.

Have you considered a seasonal marketing campaign instead of one, ultimate sign? Rotate your signs, use different messaging and increase the life of your print outs.  You’ve already budgeted for the signage and volume printing almost always helps bring the price down.

While there are a number of factors to consider, these tips can keep costs down and hopefully, headaches to a minimum.

As always, the Cushing team of printing consultants is available for questions and to ensure your next project is fulfilled without major issues.

Do you have any weather print tips? We’d love to hear them!

Jon Davis

Jon Davis is Cushing’s Marketing Manager. From blogging to online communications, Jon writes about client developments, environmental branding, and much more. Connect with him on LinkedIn.

Leave a Reply