Shape up your signageShape up your signage

Laura

There’s no business like new business. Not only is new business good for current operations, it’s also vital for your future.


One of the least expensive ways to court new business is signage. Unlike an advertisement, which will pass out of consumers’ consciousnesses in a matter of weeks, a good sign will keep attracting customers for decades, and sometimes even longer.



Get horizontal


Many restaurant signs fail the “visibility test” because their shapes are wrong.


Regardless of how far away from your sign your prospects are, you are much more likely to capture their attention if your sign is horizontal in shape.


With two eyes, a person’s field of vision is horizontal, roughly 
2 1/4 units wide by one unit high, or an aspect ratio of 2.25 to 1. In other words, design your signage to fit the eyes. 


Circles, such as those used by Burger King, and squares, as used by Domino’s Pizza, are popular sign shapes, but they are not nearly as visible as horizontal shapes like the Subway sign. 


Even worse is a vertical sign, such as Arby’s logo. Vertical signs, especially if you get too close to them, can actually be visually disturbing. It’s like trying to focus on a vertical unit in a horizontal windowpane.


Try watching a movie on television while lying down with your eyes stacked perpendicular to the floor. It’s not a pleasant experience. 


Two seconds to register


Keep in mind that your sign has just a moment or two to register its message. At 35 miles an hour, the typical speed limit for a retail area, an automobile will pass 100 feet of retail space in less than two seconds.


The higher the percentage of the consumer’s field of vision occupied by your sign, the greater the likelihood of capturing his or her attention.


The television industry has recognized the importance of matching the shape of the TV screen with the optical field of vision of the average consumer. The aspect ratio of TV sets was initially set at 4 by 3, but today most televisions have aspect ratios of 16 by 9, much closer to filling the viewer’s field of vision, though still not quite there.


I think television aspect ratios should be even wider — more like 20 by 9 — which is approximately the 2.25 by 1 proportion we have been recommending to our 
clients. 


The ancients also appreciated the aesthetic value of a horizontal shape. The “golden rectangle,” with an aspect ratio of approximately 1.6 by 1, was considered particularly pleasing. 


Mathematically, a golden rectangle might be pleasing, but I think a more effective shape for a sign matches the prospect’s approximately 2.25 to 1 field of vision. 


The importance of color


When consumers rent a car at an airline terminal, they usually head for a color instead of a name:


• Yellow for Hertz,


• Red for Avis,


• Green for National.


What color is Enterprise Rent-A-Car? If you’re a regular Enterprise customer, you know that Enterprise is green. But most consumers don’t know that.


The Enterprise signage is mostly black, a non-color, except for the small “e” trademark, which is green. 


Enterprise is violating a cardinal law of color: A brand needs to pick a color that is distinct from its major competitors. Green is “owned” by National. For years National gave out S&H Green Stamps to car-rental customers, a marketing move that also helped associate the National name with the color green.


Even worse is the use of multiple colors. What color is Dunkin’ Donuts? I’ve dunked at Dunkin’ Donuts many times, but I had to look up their website to remember that the colors on their signage are pink and orange.


Multiple colors might get signage designers points for artistry, but single colors win the battle for memorability. Consider:


• The Golden Arches of McDonald’s,


• The blue boxes at Tiffany & Co.,


• The red cans of The Coca-Cola Company,


• The pink ribbons of Susan G. Komen for the Cure,


• The brown trucks at UPS.


By the way, what color is FedEx? If you’re a regular FedEx customer, you probably know that FedEx is purple and orange. But how many casual customers know that?


Typography doesn’t matter


Typefaces come in thousands of styles and weights, but customers are only dimly aware of the differences. To paraphrase David Oglivy, no one says, “I would have bought that detergent except that they went and set the headline in Karnack Bold.”


What typeface does Rolex use in its logotype? Ralph Lauren? Prada? Are they serif or sans-serif?


What’s important is the legibility of the typeface. The actual typefaces used to set the words can help or hinder the communication process, but only slightly.


Shape, color and legibility are three important characteristics of an effective sign. Then, too, there’s the need for perhaps the most important characteristic of all — a visual hammer, or an image and brand message that work together for maximum effectiveness.


Laura Ries is president of Ries & Ries, a marketing consulting firm in Atlanta. She can be reached at [email protected]. 


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