Welcome to Today’s Edition of Sign Snippets.

We’re always reviewing what works, what doesn’t, and making changes to improve the value we deliver. This week, there’s a big change to the newsletter.

You might notice our featured resources section is missing.

After reviewing the feedback from recent editions, we realised these weren’t having the impact we’d intended. So, while we loved highlighting materials, tools, and equipment, we want every section of this newsletter to deliver something useful to you.

So it’s gone. But we’re replacing it with something much more valuable.

Next week, we launch the long-awaited Sign Snippets Global Industry Directory. It’s been nearly a year in the making. We’ve built it, scrapped it, and rebuilt it from scratch (several times), all to create something we’re proud of.

And once it’s live, we’ll be featuring two different companies from the directory in every edition of this newsletter. A fresh way to connect readers with the industry’s best.

So what will you find in the directory?

• Sign manufacturers & wide format printers

• Design agencies & wayfinding consultants

• Trade-only / wholesale manufacturers

• Material & equipment suppliers

• Specialist contractors

• Training providers

• Software solutions

• And more…

As of today, we’ve already got some brilliant partners on board from different areas of the world, now we’re opening it up to everyone.

If you’d like to be listed, or just want a sneak peek at who’s involved before launch, hit the link below.

You’ll also get:

• An exclusive discount code for your listing

• A preview of who’s already on board

• A reminder on launch day

Our readership is broad, from architects to experiential designers, through to brand and marketing teams for known brands, as well as those in the sign industry itself.

This directory is the first-of-its-kind platform designed to bring our entire industry together on a global scale - clients, partners and suppliers alike.

Todays Must See Projects

An Idea to Keep in Mind

Logos Don’t Belong on Every Sign.

When a brand takes on a new space, or rebrands they have a tendency to go over the top.

Never mind splashing their brand colours on every wall, their logo also seems to appear everywhere; including signage.

From the wayfinding directories, to the toilet signage and even onto safety signage. Plastering the logo onto every surface is often viewed as ‘branding’.

Initially, the approach appears to work. It’s consistent. It’s polished. Yet, look a little closer and something will feel off.

Think about it like this…

You’ve walked through the lobby, you’ve made your way to the 8th floor and you’re in the beating heart of the finance department. Does the sign on the door to the toilets really need to have the company logo on it? You know, the one you’ve seen for the 50th time by 10am.

In reality all this becomes is visual noise. The key information the signage is trying to communicate is lost underneath the branding. People start to ignore the signs entirely, no matter how important their message is.

You see, the brand team has fallen into a common trap; confusing consistent branding with constant branding. 

In high-traffic, busy environments signage needs to be read in seconds. Logos have their place in the right places, but aren’t necessary all the time. To make matters worse, they can cause distraction, confusion and delay for users.

Put simply:

• Repetition doesn’t always lead to recognition, it can just be clutter.

• Every second counts, especially in fast moving or pressuried environments.

• Signage should always put function over branding.

So where should logos be used?

• Key entrances

• Transition points

• Brand moments

Do this, and leave functional signage to be clean, purposeful and easy to understand at a glance.

It’s about balance. Use branding intentionally. Not relentlessly.

Because when signage works, communication is seamless.

When a space communicates, the brand experience is memorable.

Even if the logo isn’t plastered on every possible surface.

Thanks for reading!

What did you think of today’s edition?