Why is the signage design of Mingyang Advertising so unforgettable? Let’s talk about the secrets hidden in the details

Every time I drive by that intersection in the city center, I always unconsciously take a second look at the large luminous letters on the roof made by Mingyang Advertising. It’s not that it’s cool and exaggerated, but it just feels indescribably coordinated and comfortable. Later, because of work, I got together with The design director of their company, Lao Lu, drank tea several times before he finally got the hang of it. Today I won’t talk about those vain “ideas”, but will talk about what I saw and heard about their real “stubbornness” and “fastidiousness” when making signs.

Let me tell you something interesting first.  Lao Lu and the others received an order from a chain of tea drink brands. The other party wanted to make it very big and bright from the beginning. They thought it would be eye-catching. Lao Lu and his team did not rush to draw pictures for now. They sent two people to go to the five preliminary store locations selected by them in different weather and time periods. They stayed there for three days and came back with a thick stack of photos and records.: This store is located at the corner of the store, and the reflection from the western sun in the afternoon is serious. The pure white acrylic can be blinded by time pollution.” ； The shade of trees in front of the store is thick, and the brightness during the day is not enough. ； There is another store that is the "hardest hit area" for neon lights in the shopping mall opposite at night. If you choose the wrong color, you will be overwhelmed. In the final plan, the brightness, material and even installation angle of each store's signage have been slightly adjusted. The customer found it troublesome at first. After comparing the effects after installation, he was immediately convinced. You see, in their concept, “"Appropriate" always ranks before "eye-catching" , a sign is not an isolated work of art, it grows in the environment. You must first learn to "look at the weather, the terrain, and the neighbors."

Then there is their seriousness about "words", which has reached the point of being a bit "crazy".  There is a saying by Lao Lu that impressed me deeply.: “The words on the signs are for people to read, not for people to guess. ” This sounds like nonsense, but many signs fall on this. Their company has an unwritten rule. Even if the fonts of important projects are ready-made, special visual adjustments must be made based on the installation height, viewing distance, and stroke thickness. For example, for a high-rise rooftop character, they will secretly increase the stroke gap (what the designer calls "font width") to make it not look like a blur in the distance. ； The corners of the strokes may be rounded by hand to avoid sharp glare points under strong light. These changes cannot be seen in front of the computer screen. Only by standing at the preset viewing point can you experience the clear comfort. This is like a high-end tailor making clothes. Instead of just taking a standard version and putting it on, you have to slightly tighten it here and put it there according to the person's body shape. Do you think users understand this? Most people don’t understand, but that clear and effortless sense of recognition makes people feel comfortable, and the brand’s favorability is built up by just such a little bit of “uncomfortable authenticity”.

In terms of materials, they are a bit "against the trend".  Nowadays, new materials are emerging in an endless stream, which are dazzling, cool and interactive. Many companies are trying to use them, but Lao Lu and others are very restrained and often use some "old materials". For example, they used brass plates to make a sign for a time-honored brand that makes traditional pastries. They insisted on using brass plates for corrosion filling. Customers thought it was not trendy enough, so they settled a calculation: The initial investment of this kind of signboard is high, but if it is properly maintained, it will become brighter and brighter after more than ten years of use, and the traces of time will become the taste. Sure enough, in the second year after the sign was installed, the copper surface oxidized to a unique dull luster, and with the red paint letters, the calm and rooted old store atmosphere came out, and it became an attraction on that street. They did not reject new materials, but insisted on it. “Materials serve temperament”  , if you want a sense of technology, they can use LED and acrylic to create flowers. ； If you want a sense of solidity, they are better at stone, cast iron, and solid wood. They don’t use technology for technology’s sake. This is their precious insistence.

Another point, I think is the key to their "famous": Keep the trouble to yourself.  For a signage plan, the design drawings they produce, in addition to beautiful renderings, are always accompanied by a thick stack of "process implementation instructions" and "installation prediction reports", which indicate where the structural stress points may be and under what wind force it needs to be strengthened. ； Which seam method is the most waterproof and aging-resistant? ； Even how to route the wires, which is both safe and convenient for maintenance, is clearly marked for you. In the words of Lao Lu: “Designing and drawing a line, working in the factory for a long time, we can't just be happy on our own, and leave the pit to the brothers in the later process. ” This kind of whole-process thinking makes their designs extremely practical. Factories and installation teams love to take on their work because they save worry and are not easy to rework. The final result is that the finished product and design draft are extremely restored. Customers think they are reliable, and this is how the reputation comes.

After talking so much, have you noticed? In fact, the design concept of famous advertisements rarely talks about big words such as "internationalization" and "fashion sense". What they think about are all down-to-earth issues.: How to make people see clearly? How to make a sign stand for a long time? Why don't you fight with those around you? How can I save the brothers who are behind the production some effort?  These things don't sound cool at all, but it is precisely these stupid and careful efforts that create a sign with a quality that goes from "visible" to "endurable" and from "existence" to "harmony."

After all, signage is the skin of a business and the street business card of a brand. What Ming Yang Advertising does is to make this business card not only print clearly, but also have weight to hold, warm to read, withstand wind and sun, and endure long-term criticism. This is probably the core "concept" of their design.—— There are not so many profound theories, only sincerity that sticks to the word "appropriate" to the end.  People passing by may not be able to explain this sincerity, but they can feel it with their eyes and hearts.