Get More For Less: The Importance Of Commercial Sign Display Contexts

When it comes to marketing, we all want more for less, and SignCraft and Graphics can help you get it!

Reviewing new research from the Interdisciplinary Journal of Signage and Wayfinding, today’s post explains how we can get you more returns on your commercial sign display without blowing the budget on high-traffic locations.

And it’s really quite simple—the key is to consider the commercial sign display context.

Read on or call (972)-428-3200 to speak directly with a commercial sign specialist in Carrollton, TX.

The Importance Of Commercial Sign Display Contexts In Carrollton, TX

In a new study published by the Interdisciplinary Journal of Signage and Wayfinding, titled Location, Location, Location: The Effect of Clutter on the Evaluation and Aesthetic Judgement of Off-Premise Signage, authors Jennifer Hong & Mathew Isaac foreground the importance of commercial sign display contexts, offering an “an “eye-opening challenge to the assumption that commercial signs have their greatest impact in high-traffic locations” (Hong & Isaac, 2020, p. 26).

As the title of their study suggests, location is “a critical factor that determines the effectiveness of both on-premise and off-premise signage” (p. 26). Unsurprisingly, past research has uniformly agreed that high-traffic locations are best for commercial signs, since they maximize the number of potential impressions. Accordingly, these high-traffic locations come with a hefty price tag, one that is often prohibitive for small businesses trying to break into the advertising game.

But are high-traffic locations really all they’re cracked up to be? And are they worth the dent they leave in your marketing budget? Maybe; but maybe not.

What new studies show is that location is only one factor we must consider to optimize commercial sign results. Sign display context is another critical factor, and it might even be more impactful for your bottom line than the traffic level of a given location!

Here’s what Hong & Isaac’s study showed:

• High-traffic locations are frequently cluttered with commercial signs. “High-traffic areas tend to have a high density not only of people but also of various forms of commercial signs,” write Hong & Isaac (2020, pp. 26-27). This not only increases the commercial sign competition, but also makes the entire signscape less appealing to passersby, who may opt to tune out the entire stretch of signage rather than try to untangle the mess of messages.

• Empty spaces (i.e. thin signscapes) are good for business. “Research in consumer behavior documents that the presence of white space in print advertisements, shelf space, and logos improves aesthetic judgements, which in turn increases consumers’ evaluation of brands and products,” write Hong & Isaac (2020, p. 28). Echoing these findings, Hong and Isaac’s study showed that consumers found commercial signs to be more pleasing when they were located in low-clutter areas, whose signscapes boasted more “white space.”
• Low-competition, low-clutter, low-traffic locations deserve your attention. “Across two studies, we provide converging evidence that consumers evaluate commercial signs more favorably when they are displayed by themselves,” conclude Hong & Isaac (2020, p. 26). Clearly, then, high-traffic, high-competition, high-clutter locations aren’t always worth the price tag.

So what can we take from all this?

Location is important, but commercial sign display context is king. For some businesses, mounting commercial signs in low-traffic, low-competition, low-clutter areas will yield much higher returns than you’d get forking over thousands of dollars to cram your sign into an overstuffed signscape.

If you’re unsatisfied with your marketing returns, but you don’t want to break the bank buying out high-traffic commercial sign locations, we can help you find a cost-effective solution. Our commercial sign experts will assist with site surveys to pinpoint conspicuous, low-competition, low-clutter locations in Carrollton, Texas, so your signage stands out, fosters positive impressions, and impacts your audience.

Free Commercial Sign Quote And Site Surveys In Carrollton, TX

Call (972)-428-3200 or request a consultation via the SignCraft and Graphics website.

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