Commercial signage

Commercial signage identifies a business or similar entity, assists in wayfinding and attracts customers. In societies where literacy is not widespread, such signs are necessarily primarily based on images rather than words. Since the rise of mass literacy, such signs generally include the name of the business, often in the form of a logo, but also continue often to use images in addition to and in the place of words.

Types of commercial signage

Signs come in various shapes and forms, and each commercial sign has the purpose of identifying or attracting business for the sign owner displaying the sign. Commercial signs are generally ordered and purchased by the owner of the business indicated on the sign.

However, many large corporations, such as beverage makers and oil companies, provide signs free-of-charge to business environments where the corporation’s competitive products may be sold. In a drinking establishment, for example, numerous small neon signs might be located on the wall, each advertising and suggesting that the patron drink that corporation’s product.

Billboards are sometimes rented by corporations, suggesting the viewer purchase its products. In some cases, such billboard signs may tend to be generic in nature and paid for by an industry or a community, with signs such as, “Drink more milk,” or “Visit Las Vegas,” etc.

Some typical commercial sign structures: