How Chicago Capitalized on Electronic Billboards

In 2013, the City of Chicago inked a 20-year deal for 34 electronic billboards (initially, but a total of 60 are anticipated) along the interstate. Chicago received an initial payment of $15 million, with subsequent annual payments of $10 million. In addition, the city was to initially receive 50% of the advertising revenue from the messages […]

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International Sign Association Case Studies Examine EMC Brightness

An updated International Sign Association publication, entitled “Night-time Brightness Level Recommendations for On-Premise Electronic Message Centers,” has been updated with case histories from some of the more than 200 communities that have adopted its suggestions. The 16-page publication explains why brightness measurements should be taken in “footcandles” rather than “nits.” You can view the entire […]

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Some Myths about Electronic Message Centers

Bill Dundas, President/Executive Director of the Foundation for the Advancement of the Sign Industry, and former Director of Technical and Regulatory Affairs Director for the International Sign Association, wrote an article for the May 2016 issue of Signs of the Times magazine, in which he documented four common myths about electronic message centers. You can […]

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Signs and Business Development

The following article originally appeared on the Small Business Administration website in February 2001, but it was subsequently removed. The vast majority of the following information comes from what was formerly posted on the Small Business Administration website, beginning in 2000 in the “Starting Your Own Business” section. You can read how it occurred at http://signreference.org/2000/09/15/isa-signage-foundation-signs-web-agreement-with-sba/Unfortunately, […]

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Types of Signage

The following article originally appeared on the Small Business Administration website in February 2001, but it was subsequently removed. Signs are expanding communication media that respond to our mobile lifestyles. Signature buildings such as the widely recognized McDonalds restaurant building designs are signs. A facelift to a building such as the old, western-village false storefronts […]

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Sign Glossary

The following article originally appeared on the Small Business Administration website in February 2001, but it was subsequently removed. ADVERTISING MEDIA: The means by which an advertising message is carried to potential customers, including the Internet, magazine, newspaper, radio, signage and television. AESTHETICS: A term dealing with form, design and/or quality of construction of a […]

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Signage Quarterly – Vol 1 – No 3 – 1978 Glossary

This glossary of terms is the creates a standard for consistency in signage terminology. It not only defines technical terms which are used to refer to sign materials and manufacturing, but also explains legal terminology which is relevant to signage, as well as words used when discussing the advertising functions of signs. It is hoped that these definitions will […]

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The Sign User’s Guide – A Marketing Guide (1988)

Sections include: Functions of Signs, The Importance of Signs, Sign Design, Selecting the Appropriate Type of Sign, Designing a Sign, How Much Should a Sign Cost?, Choosing the Copy for a Sign, The Importance of Sign Size to Advertising Effectiveness, Why Businesses Need Signage, The Importance of Marketing, Types of Advertising Media, Standard Measures of […]

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