Signs of the Times - March 2014 - (Page 70)

They Speak the Language A gallery of signage from around the globe. By Steve Aust G lobalization and technology's tandem, inexorable march forward have created a double-edged economic sword. Corporate behemoths and upstart-yet-savvy entrepreneurs alike may access previously unavailable markets to proffer their wares, and tap previously inaccessible resources to develop or enhance materials, goods and services. However, globalization's rising tide fails to lift all boats. While it enables those best equipped for the paradigm shift towards instantaneous communication and rapid financial transactions, it deprives those less financially and technologically prepared for the world ahead of many opportunities. Somewhat incongruously, two commercials that ran during this past Super Bowl - given the Seahawks' utter domination of the Broncos, many probably considered the ads a respite from boredom with the game - underscore the backlash against globalization. One, for WeatherTech, a manufacturer of premium floor mats, cargo liners and other automotive accessories, emphasized that its products were made in the U.S. - clearly thumbing its proverbial nose at conventional "wisdom" that American manufacturing isn't viable. Coca-Cola's spot, entitled "It's Beautiful," featured children of different ethnicities singing "America the Beautiful" in eight languages. The multiculturally themed commercial created a furor on social media, with many critics calling the ad unpatriotic and a tacit endorsement of illegal immigration and rebuke of American values. So, to some, globalization is OK in theory - but less so when its economic and cultural ramifications arrive at our front door. Thankfully, unlike other forms of advertising, on-premise signage leaves these geopolitical arguments at the water's edge. Any business in any country needs to promote itself to its community, and signs do this more effectively, and for less, than any other medium. From freestanding pub signage to a state-of-the-art mall's environmental graphics, signs undeniably and fluently speak the international language of commerce. 70 SIGNS OF THE TIMES March 2014 Built From Strong Timber Manfred Didier and his business partner, Marcus Goebels, founded Timber Signs in Cologne, Germany as a part-time enterprise in 1998 - at the time, Didier was a master electrician, and Goebels constructed cabinets. According to Didier, they spent their first three years attending workshops and training sessions, and used trial and error to determine ideal materials and production methods. "Our earliest signs were made from sandblasted redwood," he said. "The German word for such signage, "holzschilder", doesn't really sound catchy, so we turned to English and called it Timber Signs." In 2001, after having purchased a Gerber Sabre 408 CNC router, they ramped up their signmaking business to full-time. Didier said much initial work involved residential signs and name plaques for private customers. Eventually, the shop's repertoire grew to include hotel, restaurant and resort signage; as their client list expanded, their growth dictated a move into a new facility in Ofterschwang, a small Bavarian town in the foothills of the German Alps. Didier and Goebels have attended numerous U.S. Letterhead events (the Letterheads are a loose affiliation of signmakers who practice traditional signmaking methods), so they've noticed several similarities and differences between each nation's sign trades. "Signs in Germany tend to be a little more plain, flat and technical," Didier said. "There's more emphasis on sans-serif fonts and basic colors with

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Signs of the Times - March 2014

Signs of the Times - March 2014
Contents
ST Update
Technology Update
Designing for Large Format
Vinyl Apps
Strictly Commercial
Lighting Techniques
The Moving Message
Technology Review: Summa’s DC5 and DC5sx printers
Technology Review: PrinterEvolution Neo Series printers
Design Matters
New Products
Happiness Squared
They Speak the Language
The 2013 Lighting Survey
Ganassi Racing’s Green Light
Dynamic Digital Signage Made Simple, Part 3
Industry News
Advertising index
Editorially speaking

Signs of the Times - March 2014