Windows Make Big Impact
I love walking by window graphics.
So much to ponder: Who handled the design? What were the goals of the installation? Are results being tracked?
You’re thinking: great Jon, but you work for a printing company – bit of bias there, yes? I can understand. That being said, 87% of the customers who have increased investment in their brand have experienced benefits such as more sales and new customers.
Consider a scenario: you and a competing brand are on the same block, with same size windows. You have colorful graphics with intentional messaging. They don’t. Which storefront will appeal to potential customers?
If the shape of a logo can influence a consumer decision, think about the impact of branded graphics. By no means should window signage be the only part of your strategy. Chances are you are using search engine optimization, event marketing or distribute an email newsletter. Double-down on what’s already working and keep your brand consistent across platforms – it could make a positive impact on revenue. If it can take 5 – 7 impressions before someone will remember your brand, consider all offline and online channels.
And think about the power of window graphics: how often can you generate thousands of guaranteed impressions? You can do this with your place of business! Once installed graphics don’t get shut off. Well designed, they keep you top-of-mind.
Igniting Brand Impressions!
In 2019, Cushing printed and installed window graphics for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Creative and colorful, we reached out to learn more about the intent behind the installation. Kristine Brown is the Director of Marketing and Branding at Big Brothers Big Sisters Metro Chicago. She shares insights on why window graphics impact branding and how the project came together.
What were some project goals or outcomes you were hoping for with this installation? Connecting with the larger community? General brand awareness? Both?
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Chicago recently opened its first regional office, which is located in a high-traffic area in Englewood. Our goal with this office is to have an increased presence in the community and to also recruit more Southside volunteers. The windows are some of our biggest opportunities to create a presence, introduce our organization and bring in community members. The window graphics were one of the first things we wanted to make an impact as we moved into this new location.
How did you create consensus to move forward with your project?
We focused on our greatest need as an organization, which is to serve more kids. Right now, we have a waitlist of over 350 children and the majority of those children live on the South Side. We wanted to bring this need front and center, so we used images of children who are on our wait-list. We tied the signage to a business objective, which was to increase youth served, as well as to an organization challenge, which is the need for more mentors on the South Side. We knew that increasing our visibility in this area would have a huge impact on our ability to bring in more mentors and serve more kids.
Window Graphics Have Stopping Power
It also helped tremendously to be able to show mock-ups of the imagery to our leadership and Board. Cushing did an excellent job showing exactly how our windows would display.
How do the window graphics fit within ongoing branding or marketing efforts?
Big Brothers Big Sisters went through a nationwide rebrand in late 2018. We wanted these windows to really showcase our new branding, and articulate that together with the community – our volunteers, donors, staff & families – we can defend the potential of our youth.
Share Your Message
How did you feel about the outcome of the installation?
The windows have a stopping power, which is exactly what we wanted to see. You are immediately drawn to the building by the graphics and want to know more. We hope it will continue to inspire individuals to step up and want to know more about what they can do in their community.
How will you use these insights to impact your marketing? Share in the comments and please visit the Big Brothers Big Sisters website and learn more about this terrific organization.
