11 August, 2023

How to make a success of your new global signage rollout

- Why a rushed, poorly planned global corporate signage rollout can damage brand integrity - and how to get it right from the start.

- The importance of strong brand guidelines and quality control to maintain visual and reputational consistency worldwide.

- Why creating corporate identity signage that resonates across cultures, locations, and accessibility needs is essential for a global audience.

- How to prepare for the legal, logistical, and environmental challenges of cross-border sign deployment.

- Practical steps like prototype testing and on-site assessments to identify issues early and optimise performance.

- Corporate identity signage isn’t just functional - it’s a visible symbol of your brand's credibility, requiring premium materials, skilled contractors, and precise execution.

Rolling out new corporate identity signage on a global scale is a major project that requires expert project management. As this is exactly what we do on a day-to-day basis, we can guide you through the planning and processes to ensure that this significant investment in your corporate brand identity goes according to plan.

As companies evolve and design trends change, the need to revamp your brand identity suddenly takes on an urgency all of its own. In an increasingly design-conscious world, image is everything - and looking dated compared to your competitors could potentially lead to a loss of business.

A new corporate brand identity also gives you the chance to convey new values and a fresh approach. But rushing into a rapid rollout across countries and continents should be undertaken with careful planning and consideration. Cutting corners could prove to be an expensive mistake in the long run.

Brand guidelines

These are your constant points of reference to ensure reputational quality across your entire estate. Not only will they provide essential guidelines for design but will ensure that you achieve consistency when subcontracting sign creation and installation in far flung corners of your global network - whether it be for shops, offices, leisure facilities or industrial premises.

Design for universal accessibility

Corporate identity signage is so much more than just signs. People have incredible emotional connections to signs that form part of their daily visual landscape. So, when coming up with a design, don’t just think about how it will engage with your target customer, consider how it will work in a wide range of locations and cultures.

Local regulations

Check on the local regulations for the areas in which your signs will be situated. These vary widely, so what works in one country may not work in the next, in terms of size, shape and use of colours. Build flexibility into your designs to manage the numerous variables you may come up against.

Site surveys

These are essential for every location where your sign will be installed. A thorough survey will help you identify the best position, and draw your attention to other issues such as the physical advantages (or disadvantages) of the location.

The right materials for long term durability

Ensuring that your corporate identity signage last through all seasons and in all weather conditions comes down to the correct choice of materials. Quality is everything, not only for their durability but to ensure the integrity of each sign in terms of its construction, robustness and colour palette. Remember that certain specialist materials may not be available in some countries.

Prototype testing

Before committing to a large-scale rollout, conducting prototype testing on a limited number of locations will enable you to evaluate your signs’ effectiveness, visibility and durability, both in day and night-time conditions.

Product and quality control

As we remind all our clients, consistency is everything so it’s critical to appoint reliable contractors who have the technical skills to build signs in accordance with your specifications and brand guidelines. Compromising your standards to cut costs is always a false economy.

Shipping and logistics

Another important consideration is customs regulations and the logistics of moving your signs across borders. This will need careful forward planning to avoid time consuming delays and additional costs.

Installation, training and communication

Again, quality is everything so work with local contractors to ensure proper installation to your exacting quality standards by providing detailed instructions, and ongoing training to new members of the team. It only takes one badly installed sign to have an impact on the rest of your corporate brand.

Having activated brands for a wide range of companies globally, our key piece of advice is that quality and consistency are everything. Corporate identity signage is a mark of trust and connection with your audience, which is why it needs to be designed, manufactured, installed and maintained to the highest standards. Our obsession with the small details has helped us secure work with clients who entrust us to activate their signage rollouts with forensic precision.

Paul Shilling

Group Managing Director

If you’re planning on a new corporate identity signage rollout, either nationally or internationally why not start an initial conversation with our design team to see how we can help. Call us today on +44 (0)115 940 9620.

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