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Mixing It Up with Mixed Development

While the U.S. is seeing a definite increase in mixed-use developments, they’re actually not a new concept. In fact, according to Deloitte, mixed-use properties were strategies used about 50 years ago to rejuvenate urban areas. And as population density increases, real estate prices remain high and office occupancy remains low, mixed-use developments offer an attractive option for developers, companies, tenants, and residents. Live, Work, Shop, Play A trend that had been growing in popularity even prior to COVID-19, the pandemic accelerated the planning, design, and construction of mixed-use developments. In fact, in Boston alone, there are at least seven major mixed-use projects under construction right now. These properties empower residents and visitors to have more control in their choices and

J.R.R. Tolkien said, “Not all those who wander are lost.” But in general, travelers prefer to know where they’re going. Whether an environment’s familiar or not, well designed signage helps ensure that only those who want to wander are free to do so — and everyone else can successfully find their way without getting lost. Wayfinding, or directional, signs serve four main purposes: Pointing people where they need to go. Identifying landmarks (rooms, concourses, wings, and other important features). Informing people about regulations and instructions a space requires them to follow. Defining the space, because transportation hubs are large, open spaces, and wayfinding branding helps define and bring consistency to the property. As with wayfinding signs used in other facilities like

Travel often triggers people’s anxieties, especially when they’re navigating an unfamiliar environment. Signage and wayfinding can help alleviate that anxiety. Not surprisingly, there’s a close connection between transportation hub architecture and environmental graphic design for signs. Poorly designed signs distract and cause confusion. Ideally, the best signage/wayfinding strategies remain unobtrusive— and if you arrive at your destination without remembering the signs that helped you navigate, they did their job effectively and unobtrusively. This article suggests various approaches to the type and use of signage for wayfinding in transportation hubs. Learn more. Read Original Article

Partnerships: When 1+1=3

The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Strategic business partnerships empower companies, giving them the opportunity to grow their customer bases via referrals—a very potent strategy—and more importantly, improve their business by leveraging other’s capabilities to produce better products and services than they could on their own. Metro often works on projects involving large corporations, financial and educational institutions, retailers, mixed-use developments, and more. It’s often on projects like these that general contractors, property developers, architects, or property managers—experts in their fields but not in signage—bring Metro in to assist. When we’re involved early in the planning stages by partners, we can anticipate and address potential issues that those not in the signage industry might not realize

Women-owned businesses are huge drivers in the economy. Over the past five years, the number of women-owned businesses increased 21% even as all businesses increased only 9%. Total revenue for women-owned businesses also rose slightly above all businesses: 21% compared to 20% respectively. And across nearly all verticals, women of color—who represent 39% of the total U.S. female population—account for 89% of net new women-owned businesses per day. Learn more about how the face of entrepreneurship is evolving to include all women, regardless of their demographics. Read Original Article

You Never Get a Second Chance to Make a First Impression

Welcome to 2022. We greet every year with optimism wondering what good things the months will bring. Some of us use January as a personal ‘reset,’ perhaps changing the route we jog or editing our wardrobes to update our own personal brand. What about your business’s brand? Is it time for a refresh there, too? After all, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Make that first impression count! The Effectiveness of Exterior Signage You could think of on-premise, outdoor signs as the durable workhorse of all advertising types since they’re promoting your business 24/7 for years to showcase your company and brand. Exterior signs generate a strong ROI by helping define your brand while driving

Signage offers a visual and branding advertising strategy with tremendous power. Essential for building brand visibility and increasing awareness, well-designed and thoughtfully placed signage can last decades and will attract thousands of customers to a brand over time. Exterior signs stay evergreen, delivering continuous, repeated impressions to help reach business goals by: Attracting prospective customers—76% of consumers enter businesses because of the signs. Creating brand value—68% of consumers believe a business’s signs reflect the quality of its service and products. Driving impulse sales. Establishing a brand—a sign can attract up to 50% of a new business’s initial customers. Giving customers a first, and lasting, impression of a business—75% of consumers told others about businesses they noticed because of the signage.

Every now and then, you’ll see a sign that makes you go, “Hmmm.” Sometimes that reaction is caused by a funny message — or a typo. We collect and save sign images that make us chuckle. Here are some of our favorites. Winners of the “Stating the Obvious” Award When the Copy Editor Left Early for Vacation So Many Questions… Oops!

A Peek Ahead to 2022

While we don’t have a handy Magic 8 ball able to reliably predict the future, it hasn’t stopped us from making some educated guesses about next year’s signage industry trends. They include: Minimalism in design. We’ll continue to see signs focused on clean, crisp images that evoke elegance. Improved sustainability. As more companies embrace ESG (environmental, social, and governance) policies, they’re incorporating eco-friendly initiatives into their buildings, including signage construction, materials, and power. One of Metro’s recent clients, TÜV SÜD—a Germany-based company offering safety, security, and sustainability solutions—opted to use an innovative wall sign for its U.S. headquarters, for example. Metro’s partner, CityScapes, recommended the preserved moss material featured in the sign. Initially, the clients asked to use real wood

With vaccines readily available and the post-COVID landscape evolving, businesses will continue examining and creating policies to ensure the safety of their employees returning to in-person work — and the safety of customers and visitors, too. In many cases, companies have also recognized the value of offering their employees a hybrid approach: working part-time virtually and part-time in person. This strategy makes sense for companies who’ve incorporated virtual meetings as a complement to in-person meetings with clients and visitors. More than a year of remote work is challenging the way we view traditional work models. A Microsoft 2021 report found 73% respondents desiring flexible, hybrid work options after the pandemic ended, and 66% of businesses indicating a plan to redesign physical