Aaron Maue Posted February 2, 2011 Posted February 2, 2011 All,I had an idea last night about the type of signage to use to tell people to tune their radios. Some of you have said that, no matter how obvious it seems to be, people just don't see it.I built a bar in my basement a couple years ago. For fun, we put a lighted sign at the top of the back bar. We use frosted plexiglass and vinyl lettering for the actual signage. The one on the bar is change-able (we have a Christmas one and a birthday one and one for our local college football team). I just slide one piece of plexi out and put another in. I don't know if I'd need to make it change-able for the radio sign, but what do you think of something like this to get people to realize I've got the radio station running.Plan would be to make it bigger and maybe outline with some additional lights of some kind.Picture is attached. Whaddya think?Aaron Attached files
jimswinder Posted February 2, 2011 Posted February 2, 2011 Definitely need it bigger...I would make a quick mock-up with what size you THINK it should be..put it up and walk to where the farthest person might be looking at it and see if you think it is still big enough.Definitely have it lit...but I think Christmas Lights AROUND it would be a distraction...
Aaron Maue Posted February 2, 2011 Author Posted February 2, 2011 Yeah. The basement one is about 1' (not quite) x 4'. I was thinking 3' x 3' or even 4' x 4'. A mock-up is a great idea to zero in on the right size.So, you think lights around it is a bad idea? Just want to make sure I understood your "distraction" comment.
jimswinder Posted February 2, 2011 Posted February 2, 2011 Aaron Maue wrote: So, you think lights around it is a bad idea? Just want to make sure I understood your "distraction" comment.That's just one guys' opinion...Again...like every thing else in our displays, it comes down to what YOU like!!Best way to tell is to try it both ways...
texascop Posted February 2, 2011 Posted February 2, 2011 I really don't think the size of the sign or the wording or the type of sign will make a great deal of difference. The problem is getting people to take the time to read and then to read with comprehension. Can't correct those very easily.I teach a college class on line. The information about the class and the work to be done and the due dates are posted on the web site. There is a link named "Start Here - Read these first".I get emails from about 30% of the class each semester saying they are confused because they don't know where to go on the web site. If I tell them to start at the "Start Here" link, about half of those catch on. The rest I have to call on the phone and explain.I have decided the folks that visit my display will either read or just get to look at flashing lights.
Guest Don Gillespie Posted February 2, 2011 Posted February 2, 2011 jimswinder wrote: Definitely have it lit...but I think Christmas Lights AROUND it would be a distraction...I on the other hand would go with the Christmas lights around it, what you can do is before the show starts have that sign and only that sign lit up people will look at that and get the idea, in between each sequence you can program your sign to flash so it attracts peoples eyes to it and again will notice the sign, that way they can tune their radio to the station you would like them to tune to.Thats my two cents it is in Canadian funds just for your information LOL
jimswinder Posted February 2, 2011 Posted February 2, 2011 texascop wrote: I really don't think the size of the sign or the wording or the type of sign will make a great deal of difference. The problem is getting people to take the time to read and then to read with comprehension. Can't correct those very easily.If people don't NOTICE a sign, they CERTAINLY won't read it...(and by saying that I guess I confirm Don G's opinion more than my own!! LOL)so I think size does matter in this case...but you certainly don't want the size to overwhelm your display either...balance...gotta have balance...
testraub Posted February 2, 2011 Posted February 2, 2011 Here is my sign from last year. My origanal post is here... http://lightorama.mywowbb.com/forum80/22707.html It's about 2'x2'. I am planning to make a little taller. It Worked well, but had to add a "Show @ 6PM" to it feature. I built the "show at" out of a window box planter (plastic) and the same backing and lettering and lit that with a short (10') LED string. I added a home depot Santa with sign (got it half price) and placed him next to it. The "Mafia" of North Arlington (mona.org) here seemed to find it well done and helpful. I would suggest that you make your sign... Test it in your backyard...Further away from where people will see it and then make any changes. I got lucky, I guess, it worked fine for my first year and now I'm planning more changes to it for next year.Tom Straub
scubado Posted February 2, 2011 Posted February 2, 2011 Don Gillespie wrote: jimswinder wrote: Definitely have it lit...but I think Christmas Lights AROUND it would be a distraction...I on the other hand would go with the Christmas lights around it, what you can do is before the show starts have that sign and only that sign lit up people will look at that and get the idea, in between each sequence you can program your sign to flash so it attracts peoples eyes to it and again will notice the sign, that way they can tune their radio to the station you would like them to tune to.Thats my two cents it is in Canadian funds just for your information LOLI personally like Don's idea the best, I would not put extra lights around it, wastes a channel, but flashing the sign to attract attention to it is a great idea. Also keep it simple, nothing fancy.BTW, the bar sign looks nice, but use a simpler, bold font for outdoors.
George Simmons Posted February 2, 2011 Posted February 2, 2011 Mine are made from 18"x24" black coro with gold LEDs.Personally, I think 1'x4' would work, but I think 3'x3' is too big and 4'x4' is enormous - people couldn't see over it from car seat level. Attached files
George Simmons Posted February 2, 2011 Posted February 2, 2011 And here's how they look at night, except they're not quite as blurry in real life... Attached files
jimswinder Posted February 2, 2011 Posted February 2, 2011 George Simmons wrote: And here's how they look at night, except they're not quite as blurry in real life...Do they look blurry to you George??Because they are crystal clear to me...aren't they guys?... LOL
Denise Brunner Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 I have a tune to 99.7 coro sign with 5 mm white lights (dimmed I might add). At the begining and at the end of every song I flash the 99.7 part at 100% on (2 channel sign). I did not have one complaint last year that someone did not know it was being broadcast. Just saying....
Aaron Maue Posted February 3, 2011 Author Posted February 3, 2011 Denise Brunner wrote: I have a tune to 99.7 coro sign with 5 mm white lights (dimmed I might add). At the begining and at the end of every song I flash the 99.7 part at 100% on (2 channel sign). I did not have one complaint last year that someone did not know it was being broadcast. Just saying....Do you have a photo or video of the sign? That sounds like a great idea.
Bob Wingert Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 Aaron Maue wrote: I built a bar in my basement a couple years ago. Whaddya think?What I think is I want you, Aaron to come build that same bar in MY garage! :cool:
Aaron Maue Posted February 3, 2011 Author Posted February 3, 2011 Bob Wingert wrote: Aaron Maue wrote: I built a bar in my basement a couple years ago. Whaddya think?What I think is I want you, Aaron to come build that same bar in MY garage! :cool:Hee hee. Now you're appealing to my love of another of my addictions, er, hobbies. Sounds like I need to take a road trip to South Carolina. Gotta be warmer than Iowa.If someone would just pay me to stay home, I could pay much more attention to the stuff I really like to do like woodworking and LOR.
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