Signage continues to be a core application for FESPA’s global community, with banners, posters, signs, and billboards still being the top four products produced by the sign and graphics industry. There are a number of reasons behind this steady growth. For instance, there will always be opportunities to be found in the retail sector, whether it is in the form of Lidl’s minimalist signs in line with its budget value proposition, or prominent banners and lightbox signage across clothing, home and food categories in mid-market chains.
Yet many retailers are looking for new ways to enhance their promotional materials. For instance, soft signage is rapidly evolving thanks to its cost advantages and aesthetic benefits, which in part explains why print service providers (PSPs) and sign-makers are positioning their offerings to include more types of signage.
Seasonal marketing campaigns for events such as Easter, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween and Christmas remain important events in the retail industry calendar, therefore creating new possibilities for printed signage. Retailers are also seeing opportunities in major sporting events and celebrations. For example, themed signage such as banners and POS can bring exclusive promotions to life in the run-up to the Winter Olympics, while the Tour de France gives way to opportunities for branded bike wraps and related vehicles.
Even the fervour surrounding the impending Royal Wedding is likely to result in royal-themed POS and in-store signage for the promotion of Royal merchandise. However, online retail does present its challenges, particularly during seasonal events. Many online retailers are placing considerable emphasis on these, with ‘Black Friday’ in the period leading up to Christmas being the most notable example.
One way for outlets to counter the practical attraction of online shopping and draw attention into stores is to focus more on offering new and exciting experiences for shoppers. These could take the form of in-store Easter egg hunts, or special promotions for seasonal meals, such as Sunday roasts or Christmas dinner, while the whole experience can be amplified with specially-themed signage and pop-up graphics.
Another challenge that producers of printed signage are facing is the increased use of electronic media and signage among retailers. After all, electronic content can be easily updated and assessed in real-time and can even offer interactive capabilities. Yet reassuringly, many retailers tend to view print and electronic as complementary, rather than competing formats. For large retailers, digital signage represents a significant upfront investment and, in practice, installations have not always proved popular with customers.
As a result, for the foreseeable future, digital signage will likely be limited to certain higher-end retail applications. If anything, the challenges posed by digital are encouraging sign-makers and their clients to experiment with new concepts and printed effects. A sizeable portion of the FESPA community is already looking for new ways to combine print and digital to offer superior signage solutions to prospective and existing customers.
