Signs’ Values Can Be Calculated

In the past week, I received calls from both a sign company and an end user as to whether or not electronic message centers (EMCs) cause traffic accidents. I replied with information about the Tantala studies. But that question only focuses on countering a perceived negative aspect. What about the positive aspect of the benefit EMCs provide?
I made some inquiries and received some great information from Terra Fisher at Daktronics. The company publishes a brochure of end-user testimonials. She included some pie charts from a Burger King study of different restaurants that asked “How did you first become aware of this restaurant?”
There were six possible responses, one of which was “Saw the sign while passing.” Among Quick Service Food restaurants, 35% of the respondents cited the sign, while only 10% said “advertising.” Among Family Restaurants, 26% cited the sign, and only 6% said “advertising.” For Atmosphere Restaurants, 13% said the sign, and only 4% said “advertising.”
Fisher then cited some statistics McDonald’s has compiled:
? Adding a high-rise sign increases sales by 11.3%.
? Increasing the height of a pole sign increases sales by 4.9%.
? Increasing the area or illumination increases sales by 6.4%.
? Increasing the height and area increases sales by 18.5%.
? Conversely, decreasing or lowering a sign decreases sales by 6%.

She also recalled the studies produced by 3M’s Raymond Anderson, produced in conjunction with the then National Electric Sign Assn., which were also published in Signs of the Times magazine. Regarding signs for end-users categories, signs were considered “very important” by the following percentages of patrons: 77% for supermarkets; 61% for home-improvement stores; 83% for motels, and 95% for gas stations.
Clearly, the sign industry will be in a much better position if it can help focus city planners and end users on the benefits, rather than having to counter perceived drawbacks, especially subjective, nebulous ones. New results from asking these same questions could truly help the on-premise sign industry.