We’re surrounded by signs every single day. They tell us where to exit the highway, which room today’s meeting is in, which vegetables are discounted this week and whether or not the bathroom is available. Society couldn’t function without these signs. But they can only do their jobs if they were actually made well…
That’s where the DDOI subreddit comes in. This group, which got its name from this famous scene in The Walking Dead, has amassed an impressive 725K members over the past 11 years. The group is a treasure trove of terribly designed signs. And every single day, new messages are shared to this community that will remind you to always get a proofreader or at least a second opinion before printing out a sign.
To learn more about this topic from an expert, we got in touch with Nichole Loati from Great Big Graphics. She was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and explain what makes an effective sign.
According to Nichole, every great sign should be "clearly readable at a drive-by, conveys to the reader what the company is offering, eye-catching and memorable in an attractive way."
On the other hand, we also asked Nichole what kinds of things can ruin a sign. "Too much text (more text equals smaller text, which won’t be readable from a drive by)," she noted.
"So many small businesses think their roadside sign should include a telephone number (maybe two if they also have a cell or toll-free,) a website address AND their email. No one is going to call or email you while driving by at 40mph," the expert explained. "Clear and simple website address is one thing. Memorable business name and some basic SEO is even better. When folks get where they’re going they can look your company up online and contact you that way."
Nichole also says the address where the sign is being mounted is very important. "A good sign company will ask you for the address, and they’ll ask you what the traffic speed is on that road," she shared. "Traffic speed matters because the faster the traffic is moving, the larger any lettering needs to be in order to be readable at a drive-by."
Vagueness can be another huge mistake in signage, Nichole says. "For instance, a company in our area is called Apex. The sides of their vehicles simply read 'Apex,'" she shared. "No one I’ve asked knows who they are or what they do. If their goal is simply to identify their fleet, then they’re winning. For most sign applications, though, the point is to generate sales. Not only are people not able to call without a phone number, but they have no reason to look up the phone number without an idea of what Apex even does or sells."
Next, Nichole warned that poor choice of placement or color scheme can also be an issue. "Here in the Green Mountain State, many companies feel it’s appropriate to display green signage," she shared. "The sides of the road are literally green, all shades of green. Very rural/trees everywhere. When you place a medium or dark green sign with black lettering amongst a forest, people aren’t going to see it. This is a fight I fight with my customers every single day!"
Thankfully, Nichole also shared some helpful advice for anyone out there who will be designing a sign. "Work with a professional. Most sign companies aren’t going to take more than 5-10 minutes to design a sign, and as industry professionals, they have a solid understanding of what works and what doesn’t," she told Bored Panda. "Rely on these folks to take care of you, and trust their advice."
