Lighted Sign Research Review: 4 Ways To Crank Up The Conspicuity

Today’s post reviews key findings from a lighted sign study, titled “Factors Affecting Sign VIsibility, Conspicuity and Legibility,”^[1] to help Baltimore businesses generate impressions, drive sales and build brand authority.

Read on to learn 4 ways to crank up the conspicuity and get your signage seen, or call (410)-877-6011 to speak directly with a lighted sign specialist in Baltimore, MD.

Lighted Sign Research Review: 4 Ways To Crank Up The Conspicuity

In his research report for the Interdisciplinary Journal of Signage and Wayfinding, Bullough (2017) defines conspicuity as the reader’s “ability to detect signs,” which can be influenced by typographic and symbolic elements of design, such as:

1.   Lighted Sign Size

Unsurprisingly, when trying to get your lighted sign spotted, size matters. This is especially true if you’re trying to appeal to passing drivers, who can only detect outsized signage when traveling faster than 25mph.

For best results, Bullough (2017) recommends consulting the following legibility chart, which was originally published by the U.S. Small Business Association, and is now available for free on the International Sign Association website:

If you need help determining the best size for your lighted sign, get in touch with our team. With a huge selection of lighted sign options, and the ability to customize your specifications any way you please, we can scale your lighted sign display to any size you need.

^[1] Bullough, J. (2017). Factors Affecting Sign Visibility, Conspicuity, and Legibility. Interdisciplinary Journal of Signage and Wayfinding, 1(2), 2-25.

2.   Lighted Sign Borders

“Adding a border around the sign itself will often enhance the conspicuity of the sign,” states Bullough (2017).

Why? Because borders help readers recognize the shape of your signage, making it stand out from the background, be it the side of your building or one of Baltimore’s beautiful skylines.

                          Create a simple border to increase lighted sign conspicuity.

3.   Lighted Sign Contrast

“Higher contrast is predicted to ease detection of the sign at a greater distance, making it more conspicuous,” writes Bullough (2017).

Red-on-white, blue-on-white, white-on-blue, and white-on-black are examples of some of the most effective color pairings out there when trying to crank up contrast and conspicuity, but there’s plenty of things you can contrast besides color. For instance, you could create contrast by:

• Placing lighted signs in largely unilluminated areas
• Placing boxy lighted signs in areas without linear shapes, and vice versa
• Placing high-tech lighted signage against natural elements, such as treelines

4.  Lighted Sign Graphical Symbols

Surely you’ve heard that a picture is worth a thousand words, and research proves this old adage to be true.

“Evidence suggests that legibility can also be improved by using graphical symbols rather than alphanumeric characters,” states Bullough (2017).

Fortunately, adding graphical symbols is easy when you work with our lighted sign design team. Whether you need to create graphics from scratch, or you want to reproduce existing brand materials in the lighted sign medium, we guarantee great results.

Simple, eye-catching graphical symbols like this help lighted signs stand out.

Get A Free Quote On Lighted Sign Design In Baltimore, MD

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