Addicated To Signage

More fun signage news from around the world - this time from New Zealand - George Rice never had to ask for a sign - they have been coming to him for the past 36 years, ever since he moved into his Paraparaumu home. There are street signs and public health signs, signs from Kapiti Coast District Council and signs from Child, Youth and Family, signs selling candy floss and signs selling Sony PlayStations.

He could not remember exactly when he started collecting signs nor how many he owned, but they covered his expansive back yard. "It's like a drug. You start with one sign and then it just keeps going," he said. The police had never taken issue with his collection, which greets passers-by in Awatea Ave. The council, where he worked in waterworks for 20 years, had not made a fuss either, Mr Rice said.

Signs are only one of his passions. Several walls of his house are papered with thousands of beer stickers from around the world, which Mr Rice coated in polyurethane. A shed out the back is lined wall-to-wall with exotic beer bottles.

Anyone passing through Paraparaumu was welcome to view his collection, he said. His tip for other collectors was plain. "I'm bloody mad. You've got to be mad."

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Billboards will be 'ugly and obtrusive',

More signange news from Hants and Dorset Signs. As reported in the local Hampshire press this week the plans to create dozens of advertising billboards across a town will be both 'ugly and obtrusive', claim campaigners. It has been reported that Fareham council leaders hope to put up 61 signs – some as big as 10ft by 40ft – which could potentially earn the Hampshire authority around £192,000 in advertising revenue.

But local Lib Dem leader Councillor Roger Price is worried about the visual impact they will have on the town. He went onto say; "I have a majorproblem with the bigger signs – it's trying to Americanise this country. It will destroy the environment and the aesthetics of the borough and it seems as if most of them will be put up in the east of the borough – Fareham town and Portchester."

Under the plans, the signs will be dotted around the area on council-owned or leased plots. If the idea is approved, companies will be invited to bid for the rights to sell advertising space. Planning permission will also be required for each of the sites.

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Historic Roof Signs

More on signage from around the world. Signage on buildings and along streets has evolved, as has the move to prohibit them in recent months. But the origin of the roof sign in Los Angeles reflects one aspect of our rich local history that runs the risk of being elbowed out by the more bully-like presence of neon-lit ads that now top buildings all over the city.

The website for the Coalition to Ban Billboard Blight has a brief look at the issue, and prompts readers to consider the history of the signs and the threat posed upon them: It is quoted as saying "And exactly why should we care? Because numerous buildings, not only in Hollywood but in midtown and other, older areas of the city, have these often ornate, rooftop signs and many persons interested in historic preservation are concerned about them getting caught up in the new, more stringent sign regulations now under discussion by the city council."

Specifically, it examines a neon sign promoting a brand of liquor that grew out of the conversion of the previous sign on top of the Bank of Hollywood Building, and how its owners consider the sign "iconic." But one ad man's iconography is a preservationist's blight: "What is not debatable is that the sign is part of an ongoing assault on the visual landscape of the community, and an affront to the idea of historic preservation.

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Keeping Signage Heritage

This interesting news article from the US shows that there is a real interest in keeping historical signs and methods. For decades, especially around the turn of the twentieth century, the most prominent form of advertising your product or business was to have a sign painted on the side of a building. A drive through a city or town of just about any size would present the traveler with views of various ‘brick ads' ranging from sugar to flour to muffler shops and soda pops.

Painters of the brick ads were referred to as ‘walldogs' who worked wherever the signs took them, whether it was ground level or ten stories in the air. Knowledge of the business was passed from one walldog to another, an art of layout and font became skill for those diligent enough to stick with it.

Many of the artistic signs painted in the early part of the twentieth century have been covered up, but those that remain are fading fast, giving a new name to the brick ads of yesteryear - Ghost Signs, aptly named for the remnants of businesses and products of bygone days.

Signage and advertising formats changed, became more flexible and more disposable and the art of brick ads faded like the signs the walldogs had painted years ago.

Today, a drive through towns across America reveals faded bits of history, ghosts of an era past. From time to time, brick ads are found that were not even known to be in existence. Buildings fall down or are torn down and brick ads that have been long forgotten are rediscovered.

This was the case a couple weeks ago when restoration work began on the north wall of the Linn County News building. Crews working under contractor Brandon McGinnis, owner of Mid-States Restoration, removed the remainder of the adjoining wall of the former International Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) building and underneath was a fairly well preserved brick ad - white and mustard yellow on a green background, offering Owl cigars at a mere five cents each.

Schmidt & Storm was founded in New York City in 1860 and succeeded by Straiton & Storm in 1863 and became the Owl Company in 1890. Somewhere along the way the company introduced the White Owl line which can still be purchased today.

Documents dating back to 1909 show an agreement in place with the then owners of the building where the News is now housed for the construction of a wall to adjoin the north wall of the News building.

Work on the IOOF building commenced soon after agreements were in place and for a hundred years the IOOF building stood on Pleasanton's Main Street.

Hidden in between, for a century, was the brick ad revealed two weeks ago.

Jackie Taylor, owner of the Linn County News, debated whether or not to have the sign covered, but throughout the next week, several townsfolk and others made a point of stopping by to comment on the sign and what a great discovery it was. So the decision was made. Restoration work began and the hole was repaired with bits and pieces of the green-painted brick from the original wall.

The sign stays and you can read the full article here

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Peta Backs Down to Pressure, Replaces "Blubber" Billboard

More signage news from around the world from Hants and Dorset Signs. Six weeks after erecting the now infamous "Save the Whales" billboard, Peta has pulled it and replaced the signage with a toned down challenge ad which reads, "GONE Just like all the pounds lost by people who go vegetarian." The ad was originally placed in Jacksonville, Florida, and read "Save the Whales. Lose the Blubber: go vegetarian" and was accompanied by a drawing of an overweight, bikini-clad woman.

Peta is no stranger to making bold claims in hopes of drawing attention to its cause and has used the practice as a branding tool. It's sort of genius, when you think about it. The cost of that single billboard has undoubtedly gotten them millions in free media exposure worldwide and today they're going to get anothernews flash for taking the ad down.

When asked why they had replaced the Ad - PETA responded "By replacing the original artwork in the billboard, we're able to give a fresh perspective on the issue and keep people talking about going veg to lose weight. We're excited that so many people across the country have been motivated by the billboard..."

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Sharp Shooting Signs

As reported in the UK press today the RAC Foundation has warned of the growing phenomenon of gunmen firing at road signs at locations across Britain. Officials there say that many of the shootings are "drive by", with the guns fired from a moving vehicle. Analysis of the damaged signs reveals that a high proportion of shots are fired from the near, or passenger, side of the car. A report compiled for the motoring organisation has found evidence that illegally-held handguns, high velocity rifles and shotguns are all being used in the shootings.

The report includes signs across the country – on busy commuter routes and in rural locations – damaged by shotgun blasts. Others, such as a roundabout sign in Hampshire, reveal the potentially lethal effects of live rounds from an illegally-held .45 handgun. Other signs have been pierced by rounds from semi-automatic 9mm pistols. Both weapons are favoured by the criminal underworld.

Another sign – in Warwickshire – has been penetrated by a large-calibre rifle round, possibly from an ex-military weapon.

The Department for Transport said it would look into the findings.

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New signs show the way in Staffordshire

New signs that point visitors in the direction of five major tourist attractions have been installed across the District. Led by Cannock Chase Council, the project has seen signs installed at the major entry points into the District. They lead visitors to the Council's Museum of Cannock Chase in Hednesford, the Cannock Chase Visitor Centre, Birches Valley Forest Centre, the Wolseley Centre and Shugborough Hall, all of which have contributed to the project. In addition to these venues, signs have been put up with contributions from Go Ape!, Swynnertons Cycles and Silver Trees Holiday Park.

Staffordshire County Council's Highways department designed and installed the signs as part of a Cannock Chase signage strategy. The Cannock Chase AONB Unit has also been involved to ensure that the project has taken into consideration the most appropriate routes to lessen the impact of visitors and vehicles on the conservation of the Chase.

This is the second phase of a scheme which, two years ago, saw a number of directional traffic signs for Cannock Chase Council's leisure facilities in the District.

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Bangkok Airport to introduce new signs

Duty-free stores at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport are to introduce clearer signage to prevent conflicts between shoppers and staff. The move follows complaints from tourists who claim to have been wrongly accused of shoplifting after unknowingly taking goods from the premises. King Power International Group (Thailand), which operates the duty-free shops at the airport, denies taking legal action against customers leaving the shop without paying for products because they did not know where the cash counters were, but says it will introduce the new signage soon.

King Power International Group (Thailand) group managing director Sombat Dechapanichkul was reported as saying; “At present the exit line in most shops is marked by floor furnishings such as wood, carpet, marble and ceramic tiles, but in open-space walk-through outlets the light line on the shop’s floor needs to be marked more clearly for consumers. Dechapanichkul does not believe the modifications will have an impact on sales, but is confident they will help avoid passenger confusion. “The new signs will act as an additional polite prompt to our customers to pay for their purchases at the nearest cashier at their convenience and will have no direct impact on sales. The improvements are simply part of our drive to ensure shoppers’ comfort and satisfaction.”

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Sign causing beauty spot motor mayhem

As reported today in the local UK press holidaysmakers are being urged to ignore sat navs directing them down a narrow lane to the beauty spots of May Beck and Littlebeck.
One villager is so fed up with the situation that last Friday a plyboard sign which has been spray-painted "access only no caravans your sat nav does not no best," appeared. A local council offical has complained that not only does the sign not look good but it has a spelling mistake in it.

He went onto say; "But this summer alone two double decker coaches, cars, caravans and wagons following sat navs have all attempted travelling the steep lane. We have alerted North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) to it as it's an increasing problem."

He concluded "With the caravans it's mainly in the summer but sat nav is becoming an increasing national problem, it's not specific to Littlebeck."

Although NYCC has already provided warnings the lane includes two steep hills, somebody has obviously lost patience with drivers who think their sat nav knows best and has added the sign.

Les Parker, of NYCC Highways department said: "I am not aware we have had any particular complaints about that junction but I think the name of it – Lousy Hill Lane – says it all.

"People should believe what they see with their own eyes on signs and not just listen to their sat nav. I do have sat nav myself though so I know how easily this can be done."

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