What do you do, when one of your best customers says - I need a sign for some real estate I'm selling on the highway, I want it white background with red and/or black lettering (duh..)and it's on a main interstate, so it's about 300ft. off the road. And - I want just ONE 4x8, not two so you have to get all this information on there and still make the letters big enough to be seen from the highway...
Hmmmmmm.........
It took me a couple of days to mull it over, to think about what the main theme of the sign should be for major impact and eye catching ability, versus second level copy and finally, layout.
My thoughts on importance were this - #1 - For sale (versus a sea of fast food, gas and election signs) #2 - what is for sale (in this case, 9 acres) #3 - secondary copy #4 - phone number (not any higher, since this property adjoins his bigger lot, and his daily business) #5 - keeping within the customer's predetermined color scheme.
I am very curious and anxious to see how other people handle the mundane 'for sale' signs. Most customers won't pay the big bucks for the undeveloped commercial property signs around here, but I wanted something a bit different and fun so I dont mind eating a little profit for the gain of getting something of mine in the highly visible / high traffic area. But with the thought in mind - of not overdoing things to be wasteful of materials, time, expense, etc. A fine line.
Here's what I came up with (after many edits). Which one do you like better, and what would you change or how?
Feel free to critique, change etc. Just remember - this sucker is a long way off the highway, in a wooded area about 1/4mi. before a cloverleaf. Gotta have visual punch.
with red, and black backgrounds...
I'm going to present it with a several different color backgrounds and see if something catches his eye, who knows till ya try, eh?
Posted by Steve Barba (Member # 431) on :
If its a long way off the road- I would dump the beveled effect and go with a straight white for contrast. The word "call" bugs me too. Without this word- the phone # could be lenthened.
Other than that- I think it has great visual punch. I like the #9 as the primary message as opposed to "for sale".
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
It looks great but I dont think it's gonna be readable at all.
I'm sittin here thinkin of driving down a highway at 70 MPH and trying to read a sign that's 300 ft. off the road. I probably wouldnt have any problems pickin out the 9, but I know there's just no way I'm gonna spot that phone number from that distance while trying to watch the road.
Posted by Rick Chavez (Member # 2146) on :
I agree with Steve and Mike. I would get rid of the bevel effect and outline, more contrast on "For Sale" and "Prime Location" and space the letters out or they will run together when viewing it at the speed and distance your talking about. Rick
Posted by Robb Lowe (Member # 2121) on :
Thanks for the feedback. Chances are the bevels will get lost in the cost, as I doubt they will go for the fluff. But, I like it that way, so the small version that goes in the display room (of our shop) will have it.
As for the 'prime location' and phone number - I wasnt concerned with either of them being readable. As I said in the post, he doesnt care about the number since he has his corporate offices adjacent to this property and you will have to drive through it to get to this property. He's just hoping a big motel chain will see it and stop by. "Prime Location" was there to fill that void, I didnt know what else to add verbally, so that was it. I wouldnt call it a prime location, but then I'm not a commercial real estate magnate Plus, that's a lot of letters to cram in a small space, so the tall skinny letter got the call.
I agree with the distance thing, but there's nothing I can do about it. I forgot to mention that with the lay of the land, you'll end up seeing this thing in your REAR VIEW mirror and not a full frontal as I would like. The road sorta bends away as you approach it, because of the cloverleaf. Strange but true.....
"I want a sign!" "you need a billboard" "ok, make a 18x24" "Wow, 18ft? thats too tall.." "no you dolt! 18x24 inches!"
another day at the sign shop.
Keep'em coming!
Posted by J.G. Kurtzman (Member # 1736) on :
Robb: nice layout, a little overdone I think for the application. Here in Fairfield County Connecticut quick and consise are the application for that sort of request.What is your time worth vrs/ what is the customwer willing to pay... up front. One procedure for collection I have had success with for payment is knowing which "Clubs" they belong to, whence one might stroll in at cocktail hour while they are socializing with intended customers or associates. Courtessy here is the opening keynote,and a smart man at that point would then remove their necktie. After 40 years of sign service to my community I found out early that my area real estate people for the most part are artisticaly insensitive to their needs, and they think that they are the only one's needing to make a profit. However, I do realize that geography does dictate morality, and everyone should do the best they can in their selected industry, so make sure that the price is right for your artistic efforts.
J.G. Kurtzman
Posted by Robb Lowe (Member # 2121) on :
A less-is-more revision... (if you zoom out, you can get the effect of distance, and to my eyes it looks like the 9 is haulin'ass due to the speedlines created by the copy. Suits the placement of the future sign well )
man, and I was so looking forward to using those beveled fonts...
Posted by Wayne Webb (Member # 1124) on :
It's a cool looking layout! Really eye catching! I like the way that the "A" on "acres", the reverse panel on "prime location", and the text at the upper right follow the contours of the "9". That's cool. And, I like how the nine cuts into the reverse panel behind for sale.
The only things that I would suggest would be to drastically shrink the words "for sale" and this would leave more room for the particulars at the right which tell all the great features and benefits of the 9 acres. Everyone will know it's for sale. I agree with losing the word "call" too. Also, I would leave a little more negative space at the margins and not crowd them too much.
[ July 18, 2002, 11:58 PM: Message edited by: Wayne Webb ]
Posted by cheryl nordby (Member # 1100) on :
YO Robb.....nice job! I like the last simple revisions. Top one is my favorite. Keep 'em coming...! Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
2nd revision is it...if you want to use the yellow and black outline in the for sale..it would add more color...and maybe more punch ....id do the 2nd revision and..take the money..
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Plus, that's a lot of letters to cram in a small space, so the tall skinny letter got the call. ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
![[Cool]](cool.gif)