In an increasingly digital world, you might start to wonder if there’s still a place for traditional signage. The perks of digital are obvious: it’s easier to update and has much greater potential for interactivity. So are there still uses for the classic kind of signage and if so what are they? While there are situations where digital signage is preferable, there are still plenty where traditional is the way to go.
There’s a serious limitation to where you can place digital signage: it must be next to a power supply. A digital sign will not function without electricity so you must choose its location carefully. Traditional signage doesn’t have this problem because you can place it anywhere without worry. If conditions are slightly harsher than usual, there are ways to set up a sign to overcome that problem. A digital sign, on the other hand, can’t be exposed to extreme elements or be near water. Traditional is much more portable because of this, and can be placed in a greater variety of positions. These circumstances place traditional signage at a clear advantage to that of digital.
If you manage to find a location with a power supply, digital signage does offer a more versatile display. This is its biggest strength: what is shown on the sign can be changed as frequently as you’d like. Some physical signage have ways to swap the display quickly, but you’ll still need to print the replacement first.
Where the versatility of traditional signage really shines, however, is in the scale of what it can display. Digital is resigned to the size of a screen or projection, but a physical sign can be pasted across as large a surface as you’d like. You may have seen advertisements across entire walls, which is either impossible or ridiculously expensive with a digital display.
It’s also easier to make signs out of less conventional shapes through traditional signage. Depending on the brand, this can be a very important part of presenting an accurate portrayal of a business. This means that while digital signage has more versatility in its display, traditional has more in its size and shape.
For many people, pricing might be the deciding factor of what type of signage they option for. There are two aspects to this: the upfront cost and the maintenance cost. The upfront cost of physical signage is much cheaper, as digital signage requires a significant cost to build and place. Physical signage is simpler to manufacture and print.
In terms of maintenance costs, digital is also likely to be more expensive. Digital signage can quickly change displays, so for this specific strength, reprinting physical signs may end up more expensive. In terms of maintenance and repairs, however, digital costs more than traditional over time. This means that if you have a situation where either will suffice, a smaller budget lends itself to traditional signage. Either will attract customers and advertise your brand so you will not lose much by optioning for the traditional option.
Even though digital signage is sleek and modern, there is still very much a place for the traditional. Traditional signs aren’t just worthwhile for their relatively low cost, but because of their versatility. They can be placed in more locations and under more conditions and can also be displayed larger and over a greater surface area.
Really, there’s no reason you can’t integrate both types at the same time. For example, you could use graphics to cover a whole window but leave a cut out for a screen. This makes use of strengths of both mediums to accomplish a singular goal. You can get creative with signage and come up with different solutions that make use of both types at the same time.
If you need digital signage to advertise your brand, or are looking for something on the traditional side, then get in touch! We’d love to help you out!