Today's advertising mediums are constantly changing and evolving. Using brilliant eye-catching colors and well-known product logos on custom vinyl wraps is an advertising staple of the sports world. From extreme snowboards to monster trucks, any flat surface is fair game for logo placement.
The key elements to consider are:
• Location
• Content
• Exposure
• Impression
• Retention
Finding a completely unique location for a sign is unlikely; however, finding underutilized areas isn't difficult. Locating a pristine surface to display your ad or logo is possible; however, you can count on that surface being used by your competition if it is effective. Floors, walkways, and ceilings are all areas that should be considered underutilized. Skylights are especially effective, as they can be backlit or use ambient light to illuminate your message. Etched or stained glass creates an air of elegance and permanence that is rarely matched by vinyl. Artists have used glass as a medium for centuries, modern decals and transparencies have made windows much more accessible as an advertising tool.
Your content must be what separates your sign from your competitors. Using combinations of unique colors and logos invokes a positive and lasting memory of your business. For example, the UPS logo on milk chocolate brown is instantly recognizable from a distance and doesn't need any supporting text.
Exposure means both visibility and how many people are able to view it. Exposure is enhanced by location and instant recognition of the content. A sign may have high visibility but if it is in an area with low traffic, is does not create good exposure. Good exposure is also missed if a sign is placed in on a street with high traffic, but the lettering is too small to read while driving.
Impression also has a dual meaning. In advertising, an impression is created by exposure to your sign. It also means a single person seeing your message one time. Multiple impressions come from constantly changing views of your content. A sign seen in one location leaves a different impression when viewed in a different location. This is one reason why vehicle or mobile graphics are so effective.
Retention is how long an impression is remembered or how easily it can be recalled. All of the qualities described above have a direct impact on retention. Can they remember the service and how to contact you? When they see your advertisement, are they reminded of a current need for your goods?
When a potential customer needs a product or service, they need to be able to recall the message conveyed by your graphics and call you instead of your competition.
