Richard Bass is a certified appraiser in Sarasota, Florida. During his more than 30 years in business, he has testified in court as to how a sign’s value can be appraised. In a presentation for The Signage Foundation, Bass outline three case histories where the absence of a sign could be measured economically. Planners, Signs […]
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What Does “Conspicuity” Mean for Signage?
Conspicuity for signage is determined by the contrast between the sign and its background. A sign must be conspicuous first, because, without it, the sign’s legibility and readability are moot points. While the appropriate size for signs is addressed on this website under the heading “How big should a sign’s letters be?”, conspicuity includes factors […]
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Do Wall Murals Benefit Small Towns?
The Walldog Festival movement began more than two decades ago when more than 100 signpainters descended upon Allerton, IA, on July 30- August 1, 1993. In addition to restoring an eight-year-old painted wall mural, they created seven other hand-painted murals. Currently, the vast majority of non-electric signs are created with computer-cut vinyl or digitally printed […]
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What Has the Supreme Court Said About On-premise Signage?
Supreme Court cases that involve on-premise signage The 1st Amendment Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. […]
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Penn State Study Provides Optimum Lighting Levels
Illuminating signs, including electronic message centers (EMCs), at inappropriate lighting levels hurts everyone. If the LEDs that light the sign aren’t bright enough, then the sign won’t be legible at night, and the sign loses its nocturnal value. The energy used to light the sign is wasted. Conversely, if the LEDs are lit too brightly, […]
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Study Documents the Importance of On-Premise Signs To Shoppers
Better Homes & Gardens magazine conducts annual surveys with its subscribers as part of The American Grocery Shopper Study™. Over a three-year period (2011-2013), University of Cincinnati professor Dr. James Kellaris added questions about the importance of on-premise signage. Here are the three-year summaries (presented chronologically) of “yes,” “no” and “don’t know” responses to specific statements: “One of […]
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How Big Should a Sign’s Letters Be?
Signs need to be legible and readable, for both pedestrians and motorists. But the safety consideration becomes paramount for the latter. Consequently, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) sets minimum standards for the letters that appear on the interstate signs that say “Cincinnati” and “Second St.” and “Next Exit.” These standards are outlined in the FHWA-produced […]
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Are On-premise Signs Important to Shoppers?
Better Homes & Gardens magazine conducts annual surveys with its subscribers as part of The American Grocery Shopper Study™. Over a three-year period (2011-2013), questions were added about the importance of on-premise signage. Here are the three-year summaries of “yes” responses to specific statements: “I have driven by and failed to find a business because the signage […]
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Do Signs Help First-time Customers Find Stores?
Signtronix is a California-based sign manufacturer that creates signs for small independent businesses nationwide. From 1996 through 2011, it asked its customers (retailers) to ask their first-time customers (shoppers) how they first found out about their store. Over this 14-year period, 46% of these 13,040 first-time patrons said they’d heard about the retailer because of […]
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How Does the Copyright Protection of the 1982 Lanham Act Affect Signs?
The Lanham Act, also known as the Trademark Act, was originally passed in 1946. It has been revised several times since then, including 1982, when it was revised by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) to prevent cities/municipalities from requiring businesses to alter federally registered trademarks. Section 1121(b) of the act states: “No state or other jurisdiction of […]
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