Light, Bright and White: Business Signs Done Right

A brand's business signage is a visual representation of its identity and values, acting as a beacon that guides customers toward your business. One way custom visuals can do this is through applying the design cornerstones of light, bright and white, and their ability to amplify your message.

Ultimately, these three components play leading roles in elevating custom business signage to create an impression for anyone who enters your environment or space. Here are a few ways to tap into the concepts of light, bright and white to elevate your brand.

Light Makes Visuals Look Extraordinary

Filmmakers, photographers, interior designers and retail space owners all know that learning to write with light is a key to creating an emotional effect. As Aaron Rose, an American Film Director, writer, exhibition curator and artist, who understands the value of leveraging light to create a brilliant emotion, once said “In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary.”

The intensity, direction and distribution of light in a space is an essential component to how people will experience your brand. The use of light has the power to transform a space and custom visuals dramatically.

When your business has one shot to make a first impression, why not make it great? Our human circadian rhythms bring us the innate ability to be affected by the nuances of light’s intensity. This means that a proper use of light has the subtle power to seamlessly guide our mind, mood and attention where the designer wants.

A visual solution reflects brand essence for a best-in-class global, chemistry manufacturer.

From a backlit sign in a foyer to a custom-crafted neon sign on a restaurant patio, the addition of light instantly enhances a physical sign and the space as a whole. Internal illumination in a sign assists with visibility after dark or in dimmer light conditions to even better advertise a business message or guide people to find their way. External illumination (think uplights, downlights, accent lighting and silhouettes) can work for a business or brand even when people aren’t physically present. Custom business signage with lighting also bathes nearby surroundings with an ambient glow and can set either a lively or a calming tone.

And let’s not forget about the importance of readability and the role of illumination. When asked what makes a sign difficult to read, 64% of those surveyed said “the sign was not sufficiently lit at night.”*

Bright signs emphasize a message and attract customers

People are naturally drawn to light, screens and signs directing them with creative visuals. If you’ve ever been to the theater, you know what happens when all lights go dark and there’s a single spotlight bathing an actor who is center stage. It draws the eye in a specific direction, completely minimizing everything else in the room for a period of time. In a similar fashion, contrast lighting with both accent and ambient lighting inside a retail store drives interest to specific products, services or messaging. While bright visuals can emphasize messaging and enhance visibility within a space, interior designers have come to realize that light itself provides another method of communication for expressing a brand’s core values.

The ambient neon glow creates a striking effect at Strike10 Bowling in Boca Raton, FL

The bright, neon glow continues its rise in popularity, from business to retail, trade show exhibits and now extending to events, museums and residential interior decor. Custom neon business signs first became popular in the 80s but began to fall from grace due to cost and environmental concerns, making it difficult to replace the tubes, and saturation (pun intended) in the marketplace. Then, when a more affordable and sustainable option like modern LED signs came around, the resurgence began. This twist is how FASTSIGNS achieves the look of Neon in a more affordable and safe way.

With the advent of sharing “instagrammable moments” on social media, creative neon signs provide social-friendly backdrops for memorable posts and can even lead to more visibility for your brand, and possibly lead your business to become a well-known and beloved landmark. Or even to get more visibility among people who are sharing your environment on social.

Glow Up with White Ink

White ink reflects more light than other colors, providing a valuable tool for creating a high level of contrast and a brightness for custom signs and graphics. White ink can be printed on a variety of colored and transparent materials, which makes it versatile, and in turn, allows for more opportunity to enhance visibility.

When sign makers use it on semi-transparent or transparent materials, it gives a frosted effect, adding a sophisticated feel. It can also be utilized for adding depth and texture to a graphic much like an embossed masterpiece. And when used in specific lighting environments, it can actually appear to cast a literal glow, making it truly attention-grabbing.

White paint can be used to brighten images.

Elevate the Customer Experience

In addition to custom signs and graphics transforming a space, illuminated solutions can greatly impact the overall experience someone has within your space and even how they engage within it.

Whether you want to utilize light signage for your business to emphasize a message or incorporate bright visuals to attract customers, the combination of custom visuals with illumination is a perfect pairing for success. Discover how the creative use of light, bright and white in your signage not only enhances visibility but also adds a touch of brilliance, making your brand shine brighter than ever before. Let FASTSIGNS help you Make Your Statement and create a brilliant reflection of your brand.

*Sign Research Foundation : BrandSpark/Better Homes and Gardens American Shopper Study