— By Doug Head —
The creative use of color can add to your signage/lighting program — and draw consumers in to your business.
What do you do when the sign code in your city is very restrictive and your building needs more attention than your small display will provide? Many businesses have discovered that a colorfully lit wall or accent lighting will draw attention to the building and add appeal. Using color to capture attention and highlight architectural features on buildings can be the answer to the small sign allowance.
Merchandisers consider color an important factor; it influences consumers’ emotions and perceptions about goods and services. Color stimulates visual interest and can influence a purchasing decision. We know color is useful in marketing, its value and extent of use depends on how it is used. Consumers respond to color before words and messages.
Color is often associated with interior projects, but it can also play an equally essential role in exteriors. Going far beyond decorative elements, colors are powerful communicative tools that can convey subtle or vivid messages about function, identity and values. In addition, colors can play a practical role, being used strategically to guide the flow of people, indicate entrances or exits, and highlight important architectural features.
The presence of color in architecture creates an impression. Buildings are often remembered when the careful use of color highlights architectural elements and adds dimension to structures. Lighting the tops and ends of the buildings can show how large a building may be. The use of color on an exterior building is to create visual focal points that generate instant attention. It will help the building to stand out, making it memorable.
The reason for introducing color is to bring another dimension: to bring joy, delight and pleasure — and to celebrate the fact that there are certain materials that can be colored as distinct from the use of more natural materials. So, when local permits are restrictive on signage and you think you need more on a building, consider lighting…and consider color.
— Doug Head is executive vice president of ADART/Genesis Lighting Solutions. Genesis Lighting Solutions is a North American-based lighting design and specification company whose expertise is LED based lighting systems for commercial businesses. For more information, visit www.making-light.com or email [email protected].