5 Ways to Incorporate Environmental Graphic Design in Signage
Environmental graphic design takes a full-body approach to wayfinding and sign creation. EGD is meant to immerse customers and guests within your brand. The materials, colors, and placement of your signage will make sense for your location – providing insight to customers without distracting them from your business.
Environmental graphic design proves that signage is more than just a directional arrow in the parking garage or a welcome to customers who are visiting your place of business. EGD encompasses everything about your company, employees, and values. Here are five ways to incorporate EGD into your signage.
1. Create Engaging Directional Signage
One of the biggest mistakes that developers create is treating directional signage as a purely utilitarian part of building design. The directional signage can welcome guests to your business and immediately engage them in your brand.
For example, our team designed a 35 x 16 x 8-foot tower structure for Sparkman Wharf in Tampa Bay. This tower was made with perforated aluminum panels and the sign was adorned in neon lights that contrasted against the dark metal.
Not only did this signage alone significantly contribute to the brand of the waterfront destination, but it also offered creative wayfinding. The power also had a map painted on it in neon paint to guide visitors to where they need to go. This adds a sense of fun to navigating the wharf and contributes to the brand.
Environmental graphic design means almost any feature or information can reflect the desired customer experience.
2. Convey Information Beyond Wayfinding
Signage efforts are often focused on wayfinding – and for good reason. Lost customers can quickly grow frustrated and will leave if they can’t find what they need. However, there are some signage elements that you can add to your business that extend beyond wayfinding and contribute to your brand.
The EGD Studio at Creative Sign Designs worked carefully with Arthrex, a company based in Naples. This firm needed signage for a six-story office building that held a nine-floor parking garage and housed a private 80-key hotel and wellness center. The whole building required a significant amount of navigational signage, but Arthrex also wanted to showcase its history as well. Our team worked to design 8×2-foot panels that told the history of the company and highlighted important plays within the firm. The company was able to hang 15 panels in the lobby that taught visitors about the firm’s history. There’s even a gallery for visitors to wander through to learn more with key visuals.
Every graphic you create and hang reflects your brand and tells customers who you are.
3. Focus on Lighting and Digital Elements
One of the main benefits of working with an EGD studio is that you can learn about the top trends in design. Our experts are constantly testing out new materials and opportunities so our clients can wow their customers.
One of the most popular options that clients request is the use of lighting elements in their designs. FOX13 in Tampa Bay wanted to play with different LED lighting options for their SkyTower Radar. The tower stands 150 feet tall and can be seen as visitors drive around the area. This plays a significant role in the marketing of the station through brand recognition.
Our team installed an LED system that lights up the tower at night. The lights can change periodically and can be set for specific reasons. Tampa residents can watch as the color supports the local sports teams or alerts them to a severe weather threat.
Creative lighting makes your signage more visible and lets you convey branding and emotions through the colors you choose.
4. Reflect Your Company Culture
Regardless of the type of signage you are creating, your designs can always reflect your core values and unique offerings as a business. One of our favorite things to do when we work with a new business is to get to know their brand and how the firm started. This gives us the passion and excitement to create something that your team will love.
CSD was recently hired by Entertainment Benefits Group to update its interior and exterior signage. Our team worked with their founders to develop interior murals that talked about the company. These murals defined their core values (like exceptional service and commitment to the customer) while also talking about what makes the company’s employees special. Both potential new hires and new customers will learn about the company’s core values whenever they visit the office.
Your signage doesn’t have to directly spell out your core values. However, make sure your signage supports what you stand for and encourages customers to engage with your brand.
5. Become Part of the Landscape
In some cases, the signage you choose can look like it is part of the landscape. More companies are investing in natural elements like wood and stone to connect with the area where they are located. This is why you see driftwood signs when visiting a tropical resort or stone-based signage when you travel to the desert.
It’s possible to use landscape-based design even if you lack the budget for a large stone monument or heavy steel frame. Our team has a line of faux finishes and materials that look similar to the ones you want – without the weight or the price. This could be a good option if you want to play with different elements while remaining inside your budget.
Connecting with the landscape makes your business part of the region. It makes the signage more immersive without making it less visible, which is exactly what business owners want.
Update Your Signage With Environmental Design
Does your signage immerse your customers deep within your brand? Does it convey your company history and values? Does it pique the interest of people who drive or walk by? If your answers are no, then it may be time to investing in environmental graphic design. Reach out to Creative Sign Designs and request a consultation to improve your interior and exterior signage. From lighting updates to enterprise-level grand openings, we can create the signage your company needs.
