Haidong Advertising Signage Design, how to make a brand speak?

Every time I drive through the urban area of Haidong, I can't help but take a closer look at the signs on the roadside. Some brands can catch your eye from afar, with bright colors and smart fonts. Even if the store is hidden deep in an alley, you can still find it at a glance. ； But there are some, which are piled with dust, and the characters are so small that it’s hard to squint your eyes. Not to mention attracting customers, it’s good to be able to make people see the store name clearly. This reminds me of a saying we often say in this industry.: A good sign is not a cold indicator. It is the "first face" of the store. You must even learn to "speak."

The city of Haidong is quite interesting. It does not pursue the ultimate modernity like the first-tier metropolises, nor is it as conservative as a pure ancient town. It has newly developed business districts and shiny glass curtain walls. ； There are also old towns, full of fireworks and familiar neighbors. This mixture of old and new actually brings a lot of possibilities to the design of advertising signage, and also sets some "invisible" rules.

Let’s be honest first. When making signage in Haidong, the first thing to do is not to think about how fancy it is, but to consider where your store will be. The location determines the "temper" of your brand.  If you are in a shopping mall or on the main road in a new area, you can be bold in the design. Modern luminous characters (such as acrylic internal lighting, or exquisite metal hollow luminous characters), paired with simple lines and cold colors, will look clean and classy, and can match the surrounding environment. However, there is a pitfall that you should pay attention to.: Don’t pile up too many elements just for the sake of “dazzling”. I’ve seen some stores that wish they could use all seven colors of the rainbow, and add all kinds of font special effects. At night, they look like a neon light failure scene, but they look cheap. A sense of sophistication often comes from restraint.

If the store is located in an old city or around a community, the design idea needs to change. Most of the customers here are old neighbors and acquaintances, and the atmosphere is cordial and humane. The signage design can focus on "temperature" and use warm colors, such as deep red and warm yellow. ； In terms of materials, you can consider solid wood, antique metal, or even textured waterproof canvas. ； You might as well choose handwritten or rounded regular fonts to avoid overly sharp boldface characters. In this way, the brand will not look so "repellent", but like a friendly notice board for neighbors, making people want to come closer. I especially like the wooden signboards of some teahouses and snack bars in the old town of Haidong. They are a bit patinated over time, but the handwriting is still clear. The settled taste cannot be imitated by any new material.

In addition to the location, “What to say" and "how to say it" are more important.  This is the core of signage content design. Store name, main products, and contact information are basic information and must be clear and unmistakable. But this alone is not enough. You have to think about how your brand can convey the most critical emotions or selling points to people passing by in three seconds? A fresh milk bar, using fresh blue-green colors and round cartoon cow fonts, you can tell it is fresh and childlike at first glance ； A Sichuan restaurant uses a bright red background with splash-ink style calligraphy, and the word "spicy" is ready to come out. This is "speaking" - without the need for textual explanation, the category and tone are directly expressed through colors, graphics, and fonts.

In Haidong, I also discovered an interesting phenomenon: The right "earth flavor" or local elements can become the finishing touch.  This does not mean to be very rustic, but to cleverly incorporate some regional identification symbols and use some simplified lines of Haidong’s local traditional patterns as border decoration. ； Or, on catering signs, use simple drawings to outline the outlines of Qinghai Lake, yaks, etc., to make people smile. This kind of design feels familiar to locals, and tourists from other places also feel that it is unique and remember that this is a "Haidong store". But remember, this element should be used skillfully, and it should not be as flashy as a tourist souvenir.

Speaking of production and implementation, this is another key step in turning the design from drawings into reality. The easterly wind is strong and the sun is strong, so Material weather resistance It is a hard indicator. Don’t choose materials that are easy to fade, deform or rust in order to save upfront costs. Otherwise, they will have to be replaced after one or two years, which will cost more money. The firmness and safety of installation are the top priority, especially for large outdoor signs. Structural calculations and installation specifications cannot be sloppy at all. These are all "offstage efforts" that are not visible to customers, but determine how long the sign can stand "healthy".

I want to talk about the "rules". Every city has management regulations for outdoor advertising signs, and Haidong is no exception. There are requirements for size, brightness, installation location, and even materials and colors in some historical areas. An experienced designer will understand these regulations thoroughly from the beginning and find the best balance between creativity and rules. Instead of having to design a wild design, only to have it fail to get approval, and have to start over again. Good design means dancing while wearing shackles and dancing more gracefully than others.

To make a good sign in Haidong, it must be like a smart local guide, both Good looks online , can attract attention immediately ； Want again Can talk , accurately conveying the store’s information and personality ； Still have to Know the rules , live in harmony with the environment, and Strong body , can withstand the wind and sun, it stands there quietly, but silently completes the first communication with potential customers, so don’t underestimate this brand. When your store is still being renovated, when your products have not been tasted, this "first face" has already begun to attract customers for you. Next time you walk on the streets of Haidong, you might as well pay more attention to the signs around you. Guess, what are they "saying"?