How many times have you said or overheard, “What a great (restaurant, shop, boutique)! I didn’t even know it was there.” I’ve said it countless times – and probably overheard it countless more – especially when walking densely-packed urban areas with lots of storefront turnover.
This is true even in these digital days, where everybody just automatically seems to know where everyone/thing/business is by virtue of the Web or a smart phone. Proper business signage is still a must if you want customers coming through your door.
In the old days, it was enough to scrawl your brand, product or service across the side of your mostly brick building. Evidence of this still exists today on some buildings in downtown Wilmington’s business district.
As times advanced, so did the signage. Business owners boasted signs attached to or hanging above their storefronts. The materials varied – aluminum, vinyl, plastic – while signage design became more elaborate. Distinct fonts, various colors, flashing lights, eventually even animation, became common.
Today, business signage has gone digital, too, making the range of possibilities to let people know you exist even more dynamic.
One really fine piece of modern signage has recently appeared on the 200 block of North Front Street. This excellent example hangs above the entry to Outdoor Equipped (OE), a splendid purveyor of outdoor gear and apparel. Despite an extremely robust online presence with international customers who may never make it to their brick-and-mortar store, Outdoor Equipped has done a great job locating and branding itself in the Wilmington community with proper business signage. It was a terrific investment.
At a right angle to the storefront, Outdoor Equipped’s sign incorporates the OE logo using neon light pipe. It’s a modern, elegantly-styled sign with a rustic feel that makes you wax poetic for days summering in the Adirondacks or, for the slightly more ambitious, summiting K2. The sign is proportional to the building, unobstructive and, most important, conspicuous. It is an extension of and delivers on the Outdoor Equipped slogan and brand promise: Get Outdoors. Get Equipped.
Nicely done, OE – I’m sure customers will be keeping an eye out for you.
David Frederiksen | Creative Director
