Retail Signage in a Post-COVID World

To create those experiences, retail brands will rely on wide-format and signage partners to help them create eye-catching graphics that pull people in and make them want to engage. A sign or two in the window might help with branding, but it won’t do much to encourage a consumer to step inside instead of picking up their phone or opening a Web page. A few elements to have in your arsenal include:

1. Floor graphics.

These have been a mainstay in a COVID world, encouraging social distancing in retail locations that have remained open, and they aren’t going to disappear overnight. In the beginning of the pandemic, floor graphics were simple and plain, with everyone more focused on just getting them up than branding them, or using them as part of any marketing efforts. That has already begun to shift, and expect that trend to accelerate, as brands and retail locations use floor graphics to not only continue to evoke confidence in the brand’s push to keep customers safe, but also as a place to introduce branding messages and make people want to step inside.

2. Window graphics.

Window displays have always been a big part of the retail experience, a place for a brand to highlight big sales and interesting products, or — during COVID — provide health and safety information. The windows are an opportunity for brands to pitch to consumers and give them a reason to want to walk inside. Creative uses of substrates combined with technologies, such as digital displays, will make potent tools for retail locations looking to open up and get customers coming back. Have examples of what your shop can produce, and some of the more interesting and creative signage ideas ready to go to help them find new ways to stand out.

3. Digital displays.

Speaking of technology, digital displays aren’t going away — in fact, they’re only getting more powerful, and brands are only getting more creative with them. They won’t replace traditional signage, but to create cohesive experiences, the print will need to work seamlessly with the digital — for more on that, see the feature on the following page.

4. Clean and sanitized.

Especially through 2021, don’t expect the need for elements such as barriers and hand sanitizing stations to disappear overnight. While the vaccine will give consumers the confidence to begin to venture out again, it will take time for these new learned behaviors to fade. Retail locations will be looking to introduce more branding elements to these components however, instead of the simple and utilitarian examples that have already rolled out. This is another place where a wide-format and signage shop can shine — offer creative ways to blend health and safety with eye-catching graphics that stand out.

5. Custom COVID signage.

At first, many retail locations still offering services just looked to get informational signage up as fast as possible, which meant, for the most part, relying on templates or mass-produced signs that conveyed the information. Expect that to change — the need for the information will still be there, but as stores begin to open up and situations start to change, they will look to transition back to messaging that is unique to their brand. It will be more than just a matter of changing the color — brands will be looking for ways to connect with and reassure customers while reinforcing their brand connection at the same time.