Jinhua advertising signage design, how to make a brand speak?

Every time I walk on the streets of Jinhua, I can't help but take a few more glances at the various advertising signs, some of which are eye-catching and unforgettable. ； Some of them are forgotten at a glance, and even feel a bit "eye-catching". This makes me wonder, what should a good advertising sign look like? Especially in a city like Jinhua, which has both profound historical and cultural heritage and full of modern commercial vitality, signage design is not just as simple as “making a sign and hanging it up”.

You must first understand that signage is the "face" of a store or company, and it is also the first sentence to communicate with customers. In Jinhua, how to say this sentence is very particular. For example, in Guzicheng, if you get a particularly cool sign with metal luminous characters, and match it with the white walls, black tiles, and wooden carved window lattice, it will feel a bit "fighting", no It means no, but the taste is wrong. I have seen some well-done ones. They cleverly simplify the lines of Wu Opera masks and the patterns of wood carvings and integrate them into the font or frame design. The material may be old copper plates or dark solid wood, and they are lightly lit with warm-colored lights at night. It has an ancient charm without losing its recognition. This is what I mean.: “I've been here for a long time, I know the rules here, and it's worth your while to come in and take a look. ”

When it comes to Jiangnan business district or those emerging creative parks, the gameplay is different. What is needed here is personality, fashion and impact. Young people are the mainstream customer group. The signage design can be bolder. Simple and powerful sans serif fonts, bold contrasting colors, unique shapes and structures, and even adding some dynamic LED elements can quickly catch people's attention. But the key is not to be "different for the sake of being different", but to convey the brand's character through design. For example, for a tea shop that focuses on youth trends, the signage may be lively cartoon fonts and bright fluorescent colors. ； An independent cafe that pays attention to quality may be more inclined to use low-key matte materials and handwritten logos. In Jinhua, more and more local brands are beginning to realize this and no longer blindly pursue "high-end", but use signs to tell their own stories.

Speaking of materials and technology, the local production techniques in Jinhua are becoming more and more abundant. In the early years, they may have been mainly inkjet cloth and acrylic luminous characters. But now? The hollow carving of metal, the natural texture of wood, the industrial style of cement, the crystal clearness of resin, and the combination of various lighting effects... There are so many choices, but it tests the designer's skills. Good design must be the perfect combination of material and form. For example, if I want to highlight "handwork" and "temperature", I may choose logs with soft backlight ； If you want to embody a sense of technology and the future, you may want to use brushed stainless steel with narrow-edge LED internal lighting. This must be comprehensively considered based on brand positioning, installation environment and even budget. I often tell the customers I work with, don’t just look at the beautiful design, think about the actual effect when it is made into a physical object and installed at a specific location in front of your store, during the day, at night, on a sunny day, or on a rainy day.

Don’t underestimate the “functionality” of signage. It is first used for guidance and identification. Is the font clear? Is the size suitable? Can you see clearly at night? Will the installation location be blocked by a big tree or other signboard? These seemingly basic problems are precisely the reasons why many signs have reduced final effects, especially in some old neighborhoods in Jinhua, where the roads are not that wide and the door faces are relatively dense. How to comply with regulations (such as not exceeding the size) and stand out in a limited space really requires a lot of thought. A clever angle or a design that is integrated with the building structure can resolve many contradictions.

After all, Jinhua advertising signage design is an art of balance. It must find a fulcrum between tradition and modernity, strike a balance between aesthetics and functionality, and coordinate between commercial demands and urban style. It should not be an isolated object, but should become part of the street landscape, a silent spokesperson for the brand, and a true piece of art. "Talking" signs can make people feel the intention behind them, can arouse curiosity, and can even become a small landmark. This may be the greatest pleasure and pursuit of us practitioners who constantly ponder and deliberate. Next time you visit Jinhua, you might as well pay more attention to the signs around you and see what they are "saying" to you.