Category: News

In a previous post, we talked about the importance of consistency in branding. One of the easiest ways to achieve consistency is the development of a brand guide. Every brand needs a guide that defines the proper usage of their logo and accompanying elements. Your guide should address typography, logos, colors and placement instructions.

Typography

For consistency across all branded material, choose one to two fonts and use them and only them. Consider the types of materials that are distributed by your organization to guide you in determining what types of typography need to be defined. Some of the most commonly used typographical elements are headlines, body text, and bullet points. Once these have been decided, you can start determining font sizes and font weight. For example, you can ask yourself if a headline should appear bold or if your bullet points are the same font size as your body text.

Logos & Colors

How do you want your logo to be represented visually? Take into account the backgrounds that might appear behind your logo. What is the smallest size that your logo can be scaled without it losing legibility? What amount of negative space should surround your logo before text can be butted up against it? We recommend making a do’s and dont’s list on the usage of your logo and creating a visual aid of your list to insert into your brand guide. Show the colors that can appear behind your logo and include their PMS number. If your logo can be rotated, illustrate the angle and mark the degrees.

As a branding expert, Signature Graphics would be happy to offer advice should any questions emerge during your guide development. We’re a trusted partner to some of the most recognizable brands in the world and would appreciate the opportunity to be yours as well.

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Businesses understand that the ability to strategically connect with consumers through an efficient and effective message is critical to their long-term success. For years, advertisers have communicated through the traditional media channels such as television, magazines, internet and mail. Trends have steadily been leading advertisers to migrate towards non-traditional alternatives.

Non-Traditional Media:

The non-traditional media segment allows advertisers to offer more creative ways to reach a specific type of consumer with the right advertising marketing message. Consumers are more mobile and less attentive to conventional ad media. Non-traditional marketers promote products and services with unique applications such as advertisements imprinted inside buses and elevators as well as wrapped on the outsides of cars, vans, trucks and trains. These graphics and images are becoming increasingly elaborate and ingenious and reach consumers on the go.

Successful outdoor advertisements establish a link between a medium and the corporation or brand’s relevant icon, leaving a memorable impression with the viewer. Signature Graphics offers powerful strategies in the outdoor, out-of-home media segment that are as unique as the brand they are representing. Our diverse talent base can bring bold insights to your future brand activation campaigns.

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Using a consistent aesthetic to communicate with your consumers builds brand awareness and familiarity. Research shows that people buy from brands they trust and recognition plays a critical part in this equation. Consumers rely on brand and trust because there are often too many choices, coupled with too little time. The right partner can assist you in building brand loyalty by ensuring your branding is represented with visual predictability.

Creating Consistency:

Consistency is created by continually using the same colors, placement, logos and fonts in your brand activation campaigns. When adding branding to your company vehicles or the architecture of your building, the color of your logo should be perfectly matched to clearly project your image. This should extend to the placement of your branding as well. For example, if your company has a fleet, the placement of your branding should be consistently applied to similar locations (or identical locations for the same make and model vehicles) and at the appropriate scale. This will create the cohesive messaging that is marketing gold.

Signature Graphics understands the importance of consistency in branding and part of our unique range of services are our installation diagrams. These diagrams ensure that every piece of branding that is applied to your vehicle or building is done so in a consistent manner. We understand that developing consistent brand messaging can be challenging and our industry expertise can ease that burden.

Need a Branding Strategy?

Your graphics can last up to eight or nine years, depending on the material used and method of manufacture. Branding companies should work with you to determine durability expectations and engineer your program to exceed your durability requirements. Other variables such as the quality of the installation and surface condition play a critical part in the lifespan of your vinyl wrap.

Much like paint, the longevity of your vinyl wraps is dependent upon the care you give them. Vehicle graphics should be cared for in a similar manner as a fine paint finish. A little maintenance will keep your graphics looking their best and we recommend washing them whenever your car appears dirty. Vinyl and paint jobs can also be degraded by prolonged sun exposure. Consider storing your vehicle indoors (garaged) or in shade during the day.

Reputable branding companies should be able to advise you in proper prepping of your vehicle before the graphic application because vinyl graphics stick best to clean dry surfaces. Experienced installers will be able to assess potential issues and identify a strategy for issue resolution.

Signature Graphics employs only Signature Certified Installers. These individuals are carefully selected based on numerous criteria to ensure that every installation is expertly performed. With our manufacturing and installation skills, we guarantee that you’re going to be loving your graphics for years to come.

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Designing a logo seems like a simple task but there are a lot of variables that go into creating a truly great and relevant one. For branding that has long-lasting effectiveness, ask yourself if your potential new logo design has these qualities: originality, memorability, timelessness and relevance.

1. Original:

Your logo should be as unique and original as your company. The biggest mistake that a company can make is copying another logo. A logo is what distinguishes you from your competition and it is important to differentiate your brand from your competitors’.

2. Memorable:

Great logos inspire brand trust and loyalty and to achieve this, your consumers will need to remember what your logo looks like. A memorable logo is typically simple in design and can easily be described or recalled. Strive for a design that will embed your logo into the minds of anyone who views it. It should be impressive yet simple enough for instant recognition.

3. Timeless:

It can be dangerous to follow trends in logo design which come and go. This can lead to an outdated look in 5, 10 or 15 years. It should be flexible enough to stand the test of time. Timeless logos are simple and adaptable. They don’t go overboard on graphics and color which simplifies updates in the future.

4. Relevant:

A logo needs to provide an immediate sense of what your brand is about. It should convey some element of what your business does in a meaningful way. To do this, break down what your business does and use that as a guide for your logo design.

Your logo is the ambassador of your brand and is the fundamental component that must be right in effective brand activation campaigns. A good designer will work with you and do analysis work to create the perfect visual representation of your brand. Signature Graphics’ experienced team of designers have been moving brands in the right direction for over thirty years. If you need any type of support in your branding efforts, feel free to reach out to us.

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Correctly preparing your vehicle for branding can impact the durability of your vinyl graphics. We have a few recommendations to ensure that you and your vehicle graphics will have a long-lasting bond.

Dust & Dirt Removal:
For the best adhesion, the surface of your vehicles should be completely cleaned wherever graphics are to be applied. Wash and rinse your vehicle with clean water and dry it thoroughly. Any good automotive soap will do and this should be done one day prior to installation. If you are receiving a full coverage wrap, pay close attention to the wheel wells and edges along the doors, hood, trunk and windows. The surfaces around the wheels are often coated with more debris and will take extra elbow grease to remove. Once finished, we recommend storing your vehicle in a garage to keep it in pristine condition for the installation.

Avoid Waxing & Detailing Products:
Wax and detailing products can leave a slippery residue on your vehicle’s surface that must be removed before applying your new graphics. High-quality adhesives are designed to adhere to clean surfaces that are free of wax, grease or silicone.

Recently Painted Vehicles:
Has your vehicle recently been painted? Remember, paint needs time to cure. Signature recommends checking with your body shop to see how long the curing process takes. We can work out an installation schedule that takes this into consideration.

Old Graphics Removal:
Does your vehicle have old graphics that need to be removed prior to installation? We recommend calling the experts for this step. Signature Certified Installers are highly trained experts that have the expertise to safely remove vinyl applications without damaging your vehicle’s paint job. They will also be able to remove any adhesive material that is left behind from the prior vinyl application.

When in doubt…
…call the experts! Signature Graphics is here to advise you and answer any questions you may have about the preparation and installation process.

Need a Question Answered?

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From our previous blog posts, you now understand that vehicle graphics are moving billboards that are visible to thousands of people every day and know they promote brand recognition along with a plethora of other benefits. But now, you might be wondering what cost would be associated with branding a fleet.

Fleet graphics are not a one-size-fits-all model. There are a lot of variables that affect the cost of graphics. These include: type of material, quantity of vehicles being wrapped, method of manufacture, anticipated durability, etc. In addition to these, you should also consider the square footage of your vehicle. Are you looking for a full coverage design that includes roof and window coverage? Or, are you simply looking to put your business name and contact information on your vehicle’s doors? All these variables have an impact on the price of your graphics project.

A Customized Solution

Signature Graphics can customize a fleet graphics project to meet your budget needs, while at the same time providing the best value for that price. The best way to develop an accurate cost is to have one of our representatives evaluate your needs and objectives to provide an accurate cost-of-sale solution. If you can communicate your overall goal to us, we assure you that you will be surprised at just how affordable branding your fleet can be.

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This week, Signature Graphics exhibited at M-PACT, the Midwest’s largest gathering for the energy and convenience store industry, in Indianapolis. After speaking with the numerous attendees and exhibitors, we learned most of them were searching for unique opportunities to grow their businesses. Their interests lied in creating loyal customers and employees, memorable and positive experiences for their clientele, and building recognition within a competitive marketplace. What they were describing to us was essentially “branding.”

More Than a Memorable Logo

Branding is more than the creation of a memorable logo. It sets you apart from your competition, promotes recognition and helps you to connect with your customers on an emotional level. Branding creates familiarity with your audience which is critical to your bottom line because people choose brands based on familiarity, trust, and perceived expectations.

How Do I Tell My Brand Story

Signature Graphics knows you love your business but many companies struggle with effectively communicating their company’s story. When creating a branding campaign that sets you apart from your competition, we suggest asking yourself a few questions to guide you towards the right path.

• Why does our company exist?
• What do we stand for?
• What sort of value do we create for our customers?
• What is our customers’ experience like?
• What is the experience we would like our customers to have?

We cannot stress enough the importance of curating an identity that resonates with your customers and reinforces the emotional connection that all successful brands experience.

When in Doubt, Seek Signature Expertise

Creating a branding campaign can be tough. Signature Graphics exists to create unique branding opportunities in a market that is saturated with advertising media. For over thirty years, we have been building brand recognition for some of the most recognizable brands in the world. We would be happy to assist you in building yours.

I Need Signature Expertise!

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The last step in rebranding your business is possibly the most difficult. Implementing it.
Once designs have been drawn and approved, it’ll be time to revamp your company website, change signage and business cards, and take the rebrand live. This is when customers, clients and the general public get a chance to see the finished product.
This part of a rebrand is a long process, and will require patience at times, but trust us, it’ll be well worth the work and the wait.

Contact a Rebrand Expert!

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Whether you’ve decided to hire an outside company or work with someone in house on your rebrand, now is the time to come up with a plan.
Determine exactly what you want the rebrand to do for your business and go from there. Break down the actions you must take and how you’re going to take them.
Work closely with the entity doing the rebrand and decide together what’s feasible. Make sure you have solid ideas, but don’t stay married to them. Nobody enjoys clients who don’t know what they want or aren’t flexible with their desires.

Need a Rebrand Expert?