Yesterday I drove past a business that had put up a large inflatable duck in front of the business, along the road. The utter incongruousness of the duck and the business struck me, but I remembered all of the other inflatables, and other gimmicks (e.g. people waving signs while in costume, walking sandwich boards, etc.) I have seen over the years and that's what brought on a frown for the rest of the day.
As with so much in life, there is a point where you can go right over the wall. Let's take these inflatables, as they are relatively popular. On the one hand, I can almost see some value in a person hired to, say, wear a Statue of Liberty costume and wave at people to promote a business called "Liberty Tax Preparation". It's a silly come-on but I did remember the business later and there was some (albeit limited) connection with the brand equity of the business. But let's say you are a realty office and you decide to put out an inflatable dancing person. Is this "look at me!!!!" impact overwhelmed by the brand misfit? or the chance it made the realty company look cheesy and "low rent"? I am a person very sensitive to brand equity and anything that could enhance or damage the same.
Let's put this another way. The business I passed may have spent a great deal of time and money cultivating a brand that conveyed an image of professionalism, knowledge, and class. And then one day they put out an inflatable duck. This guy now suspects the managers of that company of being fools: they certainly thought so little of their target customer that they supposed an inflatable duck would attract new business.
Bottom Line: I urge any small business owner to use gimmicks like this with extreme care. Be wary of what subconscious message is broadcast that could impair your precious brand.
Showing posts with label signage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label signage. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Exhibition Signage Always Demands Thought
Over the weekend I was part of a nonprofit and small business exposition in our metropolitan area. This event, as they usually do, offered insights on some promotional trends and techniques. This time, I was especially interested in signage.
Stand-up (vertical) banners have become very popular with exhibitors. They are colorful, sturdy and don't depend on walls and cords. They do occupy some floor space which is often allocated sparingly by expo planning committees. What was striking to me was how many of these there were and how they no longer allow someone to stand out...the bulk of the herd uses them, too!
A few exhibitors used older-style banners designed to be suspended in some way. As always, there is almost never a way to suspend them! Some tried using them to front tables (where they disappeared behind legs) or on walls. Of the rest there was a mix of signs on table stands, signs-in-the-form-of computer screens, or nothing at all.
I was drawn most to the table stand signs and those others that were colorful but clear (abstract shapes, hard-to-read logos and text, and random colors all failed with me).
It is clear that the mission to stand out in the crowd is both eternal and challenging. At any given point in time the successes can change from the time before. That means only that we need to be vigilant and observant--watching how it is done successfully now and think ahead to what may be more successful next time.
The Bottom Line: Exhibition signage can't be dusted off each time with the same expectation of success. Can something be rethought that will help you stand out? And remember to stay faithful to your brand--always use signage that reinforces the brand in all of its forms. Good luck at your next expo outing!
Stand-up (vertical) banners have become very popular with exhibitors. They are colorful, sturdy and don't depend on walls and cords. They do occupy some floor space which is often allocated sparingly by expo planning committees. What was striking to me was how many of these there were and how they no longer allow someone to stand out...the bulk of the herd uses them, too!
A few exhibitors used older-style banners designed to be suspended in some way. As always, there is almost never a way to suspend them! Some tried using them to front tables (where they disappeared behind legs) or on walls. Of the rest there was a mix of signs on table stands, signs-in-the-form-of computer screens, or nothing at all.
I was drawn most to the table stand signs and those others that were colorful but clear (abstract shapes, hard-to-read logos and text, and random colors all failed with me).
It is clear that the mission to stand out in the crowd is both eternal and challenging. At any given point in time the successes can change from the time before. That means only that we need to be vigilant and observant--watching how it is done successfully now and think ahead to what may be more successful next time.
The Bottom Line: Exhibition signage can't be dusted off each time with the same expectation of success. Can something be rethought that will help you stand out? And remember to stay faithful to your brand--always use signage that reinforces the brand in all of its forms. Good luck at your next expo outing!
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
Signs May Point in the Wrong Direction
It isn't hard to find a great deal of advertising signage in a good sized metropolitan area. From the lowly yard sale sign to clever "mobile" ads, there are many applications. My city is very strict and restricts signs from most locations. I tend to see them only on electric service poles, at interstate intersections, and (in sandwich board form) in front of the relevant business.
Some of my clients tell me signs get results for them, a claim I do find astonishing. I'm wired to be annoyed at these ragamuffin signs -- perhaps too many "We Buy Homes" have soured me.
But more to the point, signs tend to be weak servants for a business. They can only disclose a very small amount of information beyond a phone number and a call to action. They are usually relegated to sketchy locations (along with the scammers). And they rarely boost brand equity. A few get away with success by dint of unusual circumstances, like the mobile billboards towed through city streets, or the "For Sale" signs of a real estate company.
Can roadside signs work for your business? It's certainly possible, but in the broader perspective is this a superior technique to an alternative? If you are lofting the proverbial "Hail Mary" pass with a streetside sign it may be time to reassess the target market or some other fundamental.
Bottom Line: Look at streetside signage with a critical eye. If this is a method others in your field have used with success, be sure to produce ones with the best production value, a solid call to action and a reinforcement of your brand values. Be careful of local zoning laws. And think hard about alternative forms of advertising.
Some of my clients tell me signs get results for them, a claim I do find astonishing. I'm wired to be annoyed at these ragamuffin signs -- perhaps too many "We Buy Homes" have soured me.
But more to the point, signs tend to be weak servants for a business. They can only disclose a very small amount of information beyond a phone number and a call to action. They are usually relegated to sketchy locations (along with the scammers). And they rarely boost brand equity. A few get away with success by dint of unusual circumstances, like the mobile billboards towed through city streets, or the "For Sale" signs of a real estate company.
Can roadside signs work for your business? It's certainly possible, but in the broader perspective is this a superior technique to an alternative? If you are lofting the proverbial "Hail Mary" pass with a streetside sign it may be time to reassess the target market or some other fundamental.
Bottom Line: Look at streetside signage with a critical eye. If this is a method others in your field have used with success, be sure to produce ones with the best production value, a solid call to action and a reinforcement of your brand values. Be careful of local zoning laws. And think hard about alternative forms of advertising.
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Streetside Advertising Created Doubts
Not long ago I had the opportunity to volunteer at a location which was across the street from a small shopping strip. None of the businesses in that building actually faced the street and therefore store signs were not readily visible. Two of the business owners remedied this situation by setting up sandwich board ads on the sidewalk. Good idea?
I swill skip past the problem that both were inherently unreadable by passing motorists (well, one had a readable logo at least). I'll also gloss over the fact that these signboards in concert created a somewhat "littery" vista for that section of the street. One sign came in the form of a professionally printed "poster" and the other was badly handwritten. The later was for a restaurant. And I am afraid that for me, the signboard did not inspire confidence in that restaurant. My visceral reaction was that if they were that careless in a street ad, they were likely not attentive to quality in the kitchen, either.
The lesson is that even the little things can impact brand perception. What seemed like a perfectly harmless sandwich board for a restaurant created doubts for at least one consumer. And I am surely not alone. How are we impacting our brand perception with our signage, advertising, and even personal appearance? Don't let the little things damage your good work!
I swill skip past the problem that both were inherently unreadable by passing motorists (well, one had a readable logo at least). I'll also gloss over the fact that these signboards in concert created a somewhat "littery" vista for that section of the street. One sign came in the form of a professionally printed "poster" and the other was badly handwritten. The later was for a restaurant. And I am afraid that for me, the signboard did not inspire confidence in that restaurant. My visceral reaction was that if they were that careless in a street ad, they were likely not attentive to quality in the kitchen, either.
The lesson is that even the little things can impact brand perception. What seemed like a perfectly harmless sandwich board for a restaurant created doubts for at least one consumer. And I am surely not alone. How are we impacting our brand perception with our signage, advertising, and even personal appearance? Don't let the little things damage your good work!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)