Commercial Signage is Always on the Job

Ooooh! Typography Tourism? This tour described in this article sounds like fun to us – a “busman’s holiday,” you might say. And while summer is a great time to vacation, signs don’t take time off.
A Sign’s Job is Never Done

At Metro, we approach each signage project with an artistic eye, and aim to create the most visually appealing signs that are, at the same time, perfectly clear in doing their job.

And a sign’s job is never done. Day and night, signs advertise, inform, define cities and their developments, direct traffic, and often, have other functional elements. Think about awnings and enclosures, retractable screens, signs that double as exterior lighting for businenss patrons… signs just don’t take time off. Typography is a unique ingredient in signage. While typography is fundamental to the overall aesthetic of a sign and how well it communicates, let’s be honest – no one really notices it. (Except sign designers, that is. We spend a lot of time talking about typography.)
Commercial Signage – from Berlin to Boston

While the images in this article offer something of a virtual tour of attractive European signs, to those of us in the sign design and typography world, it’s a study in communication styles and branding elements. (We really do look at the world through a signage lens.) Incorporating brand and style elements into the confines of a sign takes much more than an artist’s eye – it takes the planning and precision of engineers and the deep knowledge of materials that experienced fabricators have. Commercial signage is heavily regulated around the world, from Berlin to Boston – and for that reason, sign planning and design should begin early in the architectural planning process whenever possible.

Looking for signage that’s beautiful, functional, and will stand the test of time? Contact Metro SIgn & Awning. We take pride in our designs and it shows.

Metro Sign & Awning's Insight
From Berlin to Boston, typography helps signage share the message