Hot take: most small biz signs fail the squint test, and I only found out after seeing my own truck from across a parking lot | Branding Breakdowns - The Design Community Hub
Hot take: most small biz signs fail the squint test, and I only found out after seeing my own truck from across a parking lot
Last Friday I parked at the Lowe's on Route 9 and walked back to grab my gloves, and when I turned around my own truck looked like a white blur with some smudges on the door. I'd paid $380 for those decals about 8 months ago and felt good about them at the time. From 60 feet the lettering was a gray wash, and I couldn't even tell what the shop does without getting close. I learned afterward that the thin font and the light gray letters sat too close to the same shade as the truck paint, so they just blended in. Signs need one bold shape and strong contrast, not a bunch of details you only see up close. My designer friend in Toledo told me to print the design at 2 inches wide and tape it to a wall, and if it still reads, it'll read from the road. Anyone else catch their own sign or wrap failing from a distance like that?