Signsoutlet Blog

Tory ministers wanted temporary Economic Action Plan signs made permanent

admin — Sat, 28 May 2011 14:46:11 +0000

By Bruce Cheadle, The Canadian Press–May 15, 2011

OTTAWA — Those temporary Economic Action Plan signs promoting federal stimulus projects have proved so popular with Conservative cabinet ministers that some want to make them permanent.

Documents obtained by The Canadian Press reveal that a formal recommendation for a “permanent signage” program went to Prime Minister Stephen Harper last Dec. 17 — at the request of his ministers.

“Interest has been expressed by Ministers in the placement of permanent signage at selected, completed Economic Action Plan (EAP) project sites,” says the opening line of a 12-page memo to the prime minister dated Dec. 17, 2010.

“If you agree, we will work with departments and your Office to ensure implementation of the guidelines.”

A spokesman in the Privy Council Office, the bureaucracy that serves the prime minister, says the recommendation for formal guidelines and oversight of a permanent sign program was rejected.

But that doesn’t mean the idea is dead.

“Any permanent signage is a decision of individual departments and agencies,” PCO spokesman Raymond Rivet said in an email.

According to an annex attached to the original memo, Infrastructure Canada has already set up guidelines stating that “Permanent plaques are usually appropriate for any new building which provides public access.”

“Plaques recognizing major renovations, especially that reflect new uses, are also appropriate.”

Contracts under the Building Canada Fund, according to the annex, state that funding recipients “will provide and install, within 90 days of completion of projects, where feasible, a plaque, permanent sign or other suitable identifier bearing an appropriate inscription.”

The Privy Council co-ordinated a weekly, government-wide tracking exercise that counted every single one of the 8,500-plus temporary “Economic Action Plan” signs erected over the last two years, and reported the totals directly to Harper.

Government critics cited the massive sign-counting exercise as evidence the Conservatives were more concerned with propaganda than job creation.

PCO says there will be no central tracking of permanent signs and that the only way to discover how many have been erected is to contact individual departments overseeing EAP project funding.

Infrastructure Canada said of the 4,000 projects funded through the stimulus fund, about 50 have a plaque as do 10 projects from the Building Canada Fund.

“Most of these projects are public facilities such as libraries or other community buildings,” said a department spokeswoman in an e-mail.

According to an annex in the PCO memo, at Industry Canada, the “Minister (Tony Clement) chose not to participate in permanent signage.”

And under the Recreational Infrastructure Canada (RinC) program that provided stimulus funds for arena renovations, a “very few requests” for permanent signage were initiated by recipients in western Canada, according to the documents.

In Ontario, the same program states “recipient should not be required to install plaques at RinC/Ontario REC project sites.” And the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency had given “NO consideration” to permanent signage at its RinC projects.

Canada’s Economic Action Plan was the name given to the 2009 Conservative budget that sent the country deep into deficit to fund a two-year public infrastructure spending spree in order to fight the global recession.

The plan was supposed to be retired after two years but the massive government-wide branding exercise proved so successful that Harper is now touting “the next phase of Canada’s Economic Action Plan,” for future budgets.

Announcing and re-announcing the stimulus projects provided literally thousands of good-news opportunities for Conservative MPs and candidates.

A $26-million, taxpayer-funded EAP ad campaign was aired in the three months leading to fall of the minority government on March 25.

The ensuing election campaign featured Conservative candidates preaching about their economic stewardship while warning that the global economic recovery was fragile — a central line from the government ad campaign.

Local billboards will soon be more energy efficient

admin — Wed, 25 May 2011 01:45:41 +0000

HOUMA — Instead of just advertising hot deals or products, billboards in the Terrebonne and Lafourche area will soon be actually generating their own energy.
Lamar Advertising is installing solar panels and energy-efficient LED lighting on the signs in Baton Rouge, the market of its headquarters, as well as more than 70 in the region that includes Houma and Thibodaux.

“During the day, they will pump power into the grid,” Raad Cawthon, a spokesman for the company on the project, said of the panels. “At night, when they turn the lights on, they will pull power out of the grid. They produce more power than they actually use.”

Lamar first tried out the project near its original home base of Pensacola, Fla,. in 2008, and found the boards were able to generate more than twice the power they used to light up the signs at night.

In Louisiana, Houma is among the first of the markets in a $10 million effort to equip more than 1,000 billboards across the state with the capacity to generate solar or wind energy by 2012. The work is partially paid for by a $2.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, but Lamar is spending its own money on the rest.

The company says it is committed to using renewable energy and cutting back on carbon emissions, and aims to inspire customers and local residents to do the same, its executives said. It has already put $15 million into such changes, including printing its boards on recyclable materials and using ink that releases fewer chemical fumes.

Brands are not meeting consumers’ expectations of outdoor digital signage content

admin — Wed, 25 May 2011 01:37:51 +0000

New research from JCDecaux into consumers’ expectations of digital Outdoor has shown that brands are not realising the potential or meeting consumers’ expectations of this new and engaging medium. Chris Hall, head of research at JCDecaux, unveiled the research at the FLEX London DOOH Conference on May 18th & 19th.

Brands are not meeting consumers’ expectations of outdoor digital signage content

The survey found Yell.com was one of several brands that used outdoor media consistently well.

The study found that consumers have high expectations of digital outdoor, like to see digital outdoor, are keen to engage and that brands will benefit from creating a dialogue with consumers.

The study showed that commuters valued the medium as core part of their daily commute providing content and entertainment. Compared to online advertising which was described as an interruption to their experience, digital outdoor is welcomed as a positive addition to their daily lives.

Chris Hall said, “Consumers told us they want to see multiple creative, frequent copy change, live content feeds. The research suggests that the public are ready for more engaging content on digital screens and brands that meet the public’s appetite for entertainment will benefit. Interestingly enough, brands that simply ran their static posters were seen as missing a trick and failing to meet customer expectations.”

Participants in the study referenced TalkTalk, Yell.com, Lynx and Google as brands that use the medium consistently well.

Montreal City orders removal of election signs

admin — Wed, 25 May 2011 01:28:10 +0000

MONTREAL – You don’t have to drive very far in this city to think there’s an election campaign going on.

Just about everywhere, it seems, a political campaign sign is still up.

According to the bylaw – they should have been removed on Wednesday – 15 days after the federal election.

Now, the city is taking aim.

Letters have been written and mailed out to the parties warning them to remove their signs within the next five days or else.

“Our blue collars will remove them and will send them an invoice,” said Jacques-Alain Lavallée, Ville-Marie borough spokesperson))

While final calculations haven’t been done – the fines could add up to more than $100 per sign.

Boroughs are responsible for sending the bills.

But that’s not their intention – they want party workers to remove them instead.

“They should have taken them down,” said city councillor Veronique Fournier. “Every party knows what the rules are. It’s 15 days.”

On Wednesday, signs from three of the major parties — the Bloc Quebecois, the Liberals and the NDP – were still dotting the streets.

None of them would grant an interview to explain why the signs are still up.

City officials say public inspectors will look for parties violating the law.

“They will tell us if there’s a great number of signs that are still up,” said Lavallée. “The grace period that’s in effect ends next week.”

In some cases, the signs have been removed— but not the frames.

While it’s not clear in some cases if vandals are involved, the party’s responsible to remove the entire structure.

Officials say if they don’t get to work removing them in the next few days, they’ll be digging into their pockets to pay.

Courtsey: Global News

Marketing your Brand

admin — Sun, 22 May 2011 02:58:35 +0000

Marketing your company is never an easy thing to do and advertising costs continue to go up. As businesses continue to try and edge each other with internet marketing, flyers, email, commercials, ads and more the price goes up on these strategies and gets to the point that you have to make ridiculous sales figures each month in order to continue to pay for the advertising. That is not the point of marketing, the point of marketing is to make people aware of your services and products and give them the information they need to contact or visit you.If you want to increase your sales and marketing while decreasing your advertising expenses then you need to be creative. You have to think of one time expenses that continue to work after you purchase them and bring you business. A great idea is vehicle wraps because they are affordable and will constantly advertise for you. Have you ever been stuck at a red light and noticed a car because of its decals and company logos? The logos may not have been flashy, and the company may not have been anything that interested you but the fact is you noticed it because it was standing out. Commercials no longer grab attention, and they are very expensive to begin with. Flyers and emails are ignored because people consider them junk. Advertisements in newspapers and magazines are also expensive and rarely seen by the reader. However, vehicle wraps are cost effective when compared to other forms of advertisement, and that is only on the first payment. After that you never have to pay for the wraps again, and they continue to work for you even if your company car is parked.

Niagra Falls Sign Bylaw Limits

admin — Sun, 22 May 2011 02:16:36 +0000

Committee approves sign despite bylaw limits

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE — Too big, too busy — those were among the complaints directed at a proposed sign with an LED display for the town’s new community centre.

The sign — 3 1/2 metres wide by 2¼ metres high, mounted on a half-metre pole — would be erected at the intersection of Anderson Lane and Niagara Stone Rd. Its dimensions were rejected by the sign variance committee for being three times larger than what the sign bylaw allows.

“The size restrictions on signs … were included in the bylaw to limit the impact of intrusive signs on the community,” bylaw officer Randy Berg told the committee. “The unique qualities that make up Niagara-on-the-Lake include the well-known attitude toward intrusive signs.”

Despite that, on Monday the planning advisory committee approved the community centre sign after a lengthy, heated debate. It will also include the library, Second Cup, the lawn bowling club and the nursery school.

“I think this is ridiculous. There is way too much information,” said Coun. Jim Collard, adding motorists only have time to read a maximum of seven words when they approach a sign.

Coun. Martin Mazza accused the town of abusing its privileges regarding bylaws and “making us hypocrites” if such a large sign is allowed.

“If we give this to the community centre, then we have to give it to others,” he said, noting a winery near the proposed sign on Highway 55 might want a similar one.

Coun. Dennis Dick argued it is a destination sign, not advertising. Coun. Terry Flynn added the arena has a sign the same size, but without the pole.

Chief administrative officer Mike Galloway said the sign is promoting a campus-style environment on a large property and has gone through many revisions.

“It’s the final piece to the puzzle that council has worked on for the last 10 years,’ he said.

Signs Outlet Introduces Outdoor Banner Stands for special Outdoor Events

admin — Sun, 22 May 2011 02:11:54 +0000

Outdoor displays are an efficient way to advertise your products or services during outdoor event (concerts, festivals, golf events, races, ski or snowboard events, sea shore events…) as well as high traffic areas that require stable and safe displays (airports, stations, stores, shopping malls…)
Our outdoor banner stands, custom flags, canopy tents, sidewalk signs and flying banners are designed to withstand wind, rain and most weather conditions, to keep your message visible. Also visit our latest addition of New Outdoor Displays featuring innovative event and marketing tools.

Color Changing Channel Letters

admin — Sun, 22 May 2011 02:06:17 +0000

With the advancement of technology, Signs Outlet has introduced the color changing channel letters. They can be one color during the daytime but can change color as per your choice at night.

It comes with remote and controller and you can change different colors as per your choice. You can always tell your customers that when your sign is blue, it is special event or if the sign is changing colors, it is special promotion, apart from catching the attention of passers-by.

Elements of Sign Design

admin — Sat, 21 May 2011 23:10:09 +0000

Similar to locating a picture or painting in one’s home, a sign should be well chosen and placed.
A well-designed sign should accomplish three things:
1. It should convey its message clearly and concisely. There is nothing worse for a business
than for it not to be found or readily identified by potential customers. Whether it is a
single sign that identifies a group of businesses, or a single tenant sign, the ability of a
sign to quickly convey its message is essential.
2. It should be compatible with its surrounding environment and buildings. As one wouldn’t
place an oversized painting above a mantel, a sign shouldn’t be oversized for a building,
or out of scale with other area signs. Signs are an accessory use and should work within,
not dominate, the building or landscape.
3. It should promote a visual image of the entire community. For instance, if a sign is to be
placed in an historic village, the sign should be designed to reflect that aspect of the
community’s character. A community’s comprehensive plan should also be reviewed to
get a clear vision of the community’s character. Often, particular areas of a municipality
are discussed in detail, including a description of what the community should look like.

Airport Digital Signage

admin — Sat, 21 May 2011 23:00:51 +0000

NFB Creates Unique Content for Airport Digital Signage

Aéroports de Montréal (ADM) and the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) have joined forces to screen digital media content at Montréal’s Trudeau International Airport.

Over the next year or so, three locations at the terminal will be the venue for selected existing works specially adapted for the presentation environment, as well as unique content created for the out-of-home viewing experience by the NFB.

Content is delivered along a wired network from a central server located in the airport to each screen, which shows different content on a looping program. Content is screened without sound.

It’s the newest part of a Montréal Identity program, known as L’Aérogalerie, first launched back in 2005 as part of a boost and brand the city initiative.

Now, says Christiane Beaulieu, ADM’s Vice President of Public Affairs and Communications, ‘Our partnership with the NFB will enhance the program. I know our passengers will love these films and photographs.”

In the customs hall, travellers arriving in Montreal are greeted by a giant screen displaying a never-before-seen montage of photos and videos from Holy Mountain!, an interactive NFB Web documentary created by photographer Gilbert Duclos, author and journalist Hélène de Billy and designer Philippe Archontakis, and produced by Hugues Sweeney.

It’s a multimedia exploration of Mount Royal, a sacred place to the city’s inhabitants. The original work has garnered a number of honours, including Communication Arts’ Webpick of the Week, Favourite Website Awards’ Site of the Day and the Grand Prix Grafika for cultural website, as well as OCTAS and NUMIX award nominations.

Further along, in the baggage-claim area, montages of NFB film clips on four themes will give arrivals in weeks to come unusual perspectives on architecture, winter, crowds and movement in the city.

A montage of clips from Roadsworth: Crossing the Line (Loaded Pictures/NFB), Alain Kohl’s documentary about the urban artist, will also be shown, along with the full version of Sylvie Trouvé’s animated short Orange (NFB).

To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the NFB animation studios, a series of photographs will be exhibited throughout the month of June in the second-floor lounge, which is accessible to all visitors.

Some three dozen stills will pay tribute to Oscar-winning NFB animated films, including the classics The Sand Castle by Co Hoedeman (NFB) and Every Child by Eugene Fedorenko (NFB), and the more recent Ryan by Chris Landreth (Copper Heart Entertainment Inc./NFB) and The Danish Poet by Torill Kove (Mikrofilm As/NFB).

Clips from the Science Please! collection are already being screened there. The one-minute clips use archival footage, animated illustrations and amusing narration to explain various scientific discoveries and phenomena. Alternating English and French versions are shown.

“Once again, the NFB is finding innovative ways to make its works accessible to as many people as possible. With this new partnership, the NFB and ADM are offering some 13 million visitors to the air terminal a unique cultural experience and a novel way of viewing Montreal and the work of great Canadian creators, whether expressed through conventional film techniques, animation or multimedia,” said Tom Perlmutter, Government Film Commissioner and Chairperson of the National Film Board of Canada.

Since the NFB’s founding in 1939, it has created over 13,000 productions and won over 5,000 awards, including 4 Webbys, 12 Oscars and more than 90 Genies. Its Screening Room features over 2,000 productions online, including high-definition and 3D films. The NFB also delivers content on portable media devices, using its mobile apps for the iPhone, iPad and Android platforms, as well as a pre-loaded app in the new BlackBerry PlayBook.