Your business signage is one of your most important assets. It tells you clients and visitors where you are, who you are, and what you do. Once in place, your sign will help to attract customers to your business, raise brand awareness and promote your company’s location. Your signage is one of the first things people will see when they arrive at your location, and it is always good to make sure that your visual branding is advertised well. To that end, adding lighting to your signs can be a fantastic way to stand out.

But chances are you never heard about illuminated signage.

Surely you have seen the big lit-up posters and banners while driving or when you’re out. Have you ever asked yourself what the purpose of them are, or instead thought about brightening up your logo?

>> A bit of history about Illuminated Signage

1840 – The first illuminated signage used gas, and the Barnum Museum was the first who used illuminated signage and the development of electricity and light bulb allowed signs to be more easily illuminated.

1881 – The first electrical light-up sign using incandescent bulbs was built in London. It was named after the American inventor, Thomas Edison. This was soon picked up from New York businesses and by 1906 there was estimated that just under 80,000 of them were in use.

Lightbulb

1910 – Neon lighting was introduced at the Paris Auto Show. Five years later, Georges Claude was awarded a patent for his invention.

1960 – Low-cost fluorescent lights became popular across the US and beyond.

>> What is illuminated signage?

An illuminated signage system is one of the different types of signage where the light is the crucial component. It comes in different shapes, size, and colours.

Incorporating illumination into your outdoor signage is a great way to gain prominent visibility and stand out from your competitors. Hardy Signs has supplied and installed illumination for a wide range of organisations who are aiming to bring life to their outdoor signage scheme.

We offer low maintenance, eco-friendly options that can allow improved design options and brand perception, give 24-hour visibility and even benefit your site security.

What are the main advantages of an Illuminates Sign?

3 Main Benefits of Using Illuminated Signs:

>> Visibility

There is no doubt about that: lighting makes you stand out.

Just think about a car in the dark with no lights on. That is exactly the effect of an illuminated sign.

A glowing sign after dark can act as a lighthouse to let customers know you are there and draw them in.

Different weather conditions can also affect your business’ visibility. During heavy rain, cloudy weather, or even a very sunny day, illuminated signage can give you the edge again competitors locally.

In addition to your main external sign, illumination can also be invaluable for wayfinding and key safety signs. If your organisation is based on a large site, illuminated signs could be used as directional and health and safety signage.

 

>> Differentiating your business

It is always a good idea to present your business’ uniqueness to the public. Without a clear indication that your business is different from the competitors in some way, customers may not see why they should choose you.

Making a modern statement with your signage is a great way of getting noticed, and the addition of LED lighting is sure to turn heads.

Anything that is more noticeable is also more memorable and illuminated signage can make your branding stick in the viewer’s head, long after they first saw it.

 

>> Energy efficiency

Amongst other benefits, modern LED signage is very efficient. They use 80% less energy than neon systems.

Unlike the other types of bulbs, LEDs do not get too hot when switched on. They maintain a continual level of brightness and your branding won’t be affected by

LED lights are also completely recyclable which allows them to be environmentally friendly.

Find out about some illuminated signage solutions below:

The translucent acrylic manufacture of these signs allows illumination to appear from all sides and the face ideal for big, bold shapes and lettering.

Acrylic lettering is a great signage solution that can be found in any range of colour, size and finishes.

They are usually a cost-effective solution compared to metal; therefore, many businesses choose it for their indoor and outdoor signage requirements.

The Halo-Lit letters and logos are usually specified with white LEDs which feature a warm of cool white colour temperature. The illumination is cast on to the surface behind the feature to create a ‘halo’ effect, therefore maximising the three-dimensional impact.

Their mission is to clearly display your businesses’ name or logo during day and night. They are most popular with hotels, spas, restaurants and other leisure facilities.

Another popular application is wall-mounted halo illuminated letters, which pick out the detail of the wall surface to create attractive light and shadow effects.

These custom-fabricated individual units have internal LED lights which illuminate an acrylic face. A wide range of shapes and sizes can be achieved for internal and external use.

Our team can manufacture built-up metal and acrylic letters complete with white, coloured or colour-changing high brightness LEDs for face illumination.

Perhaps the most recognisable form of illuminated signage – manufactured from bespoke formed, gas-filled, glass tubing creating an iconic, high impact, luminous effect.

This lighting solution can be used in: Neon Lights, Neon Ultra – LED Neon, Lightboxes, Retail, Set Design & TV, Home Interiors, etc.

Big cities like Las Vegas, London, New York, etc. are well known for their neon signage.

These fabricated boxes are manufactured to house LED lights and the design is stencil-cut from the face allowing the illumination to shine through.

Stencil-cut light-boxes are cost-effective illuminated panels suitable for both internal and external use. Using acrylic panels within boxes allows vibrant colours and more detailed contrast in your artwork.

LEDs can be added to the back tray to shine through the acrylic creating a cut-out lit letter effect.

These signs are robust and have a high impact. They can be found in retail parks, shop fronts and large stores.

Light-boxes can be used indoors and outdoors. They are ideal for signs with large areas of illumination. These light-boxes are faced with either a flexible fabric or PVC with full-colour printed design.

They could also be used for the exterior of a large building or for bespoke, internal exhibition displays.

A wide range of additional sign lighting is available for internal and external use. Trough lighting, spotlights, decorative swan-neck lamps, LED ceiling panels and many more. Our team can advise you on any questions you have. Different options involve different costings. If you have a budget, we would strongly advise adding lighting to your sign.

Take a look at our range of 3D illuminated letters and logos, our custom-built light boxes as well as separate, stand-alone lighting solutions for all types of signage. Hardy Signs can help with illumination for new signage projects or fit to existing signage in order to maximise the impact on your organisation’s outdoor space.

Contact us via the live chat, contact us form at the top menu or call us on 01283 569102.

About the company: Hardy Signs is a professional and digital signage company that designs, manufactures and installs bespoke signage products to a wide range of business sectors in the United Kingdom. The company has been awarded the manufacturer of the year in 2019 and 2020.

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