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Using a neon sign to display your business logo is one of the most effective ways to make your brand stand out and be memorable. Neon signage is a tried and tested display technology used for decades in the USA and worldwide. So, how do you design the perfect custom logo neon sign for your business?
This blog article provides a practical process for designing a custom neon logo sign for your business as part of your branding strategy. It discusses how you can align the neon sign to your brand strategy, how to simplify your logo for neon signage adaptation, and the materials and collaborate with manufacturers for proper installation.
Designing the Neon Logo for Brand Identity
For a neon sign to properly showcase your logo and stand out, the design must balance aesthetics, functionality, and budget. Here are the factors to consider when designing your neon logo:
Core Brand Values
Your business has core brand values that should form the foundation of every design you make, including neon signs. The brand values should influence the design, including color choice and overall style. For example, if your brand is about innovation, include modern design elements like LEDs or minimalism in the neon logos design.
Your Target Audience
What is your target audience for the neon sign, and how does the design reflect their preferences and behaviors? For example, if you are designing for a luxury spa, use elegant smooth curves and go with a soft white or pale blue neon sign. Of course, the color choices should align with your existing brand colors.
The visual language used in the neon sign must also be consistent across your brand's touchpoints. This includes typography, imagery, and the color pallet. The neon logo should serve as an extension of your existing brand identity.
Visual Guidelines to Use
You need to rely on visual guidelines like preferred primary and secondary colors, styles, and emotions to evoke when designing the custom logo neon sign. Document these visual brand guidelines early to ensure your neon sign becomes your brand ambassador, not just a standard illuminated logo.
Logo Simplification for Neon Signage
Not every logo can be adapted as it is too neon signage. You need a strategy to transform your existing logo into a neon-friendly design through simplification. Generally, neon signage appears best with clean and continuous lines and simple details.
First, identify the most distinctive elements of your logo that make your brand recognizable. These elements can be adapted through simplification but must be retained in the neon logo sign version. A neon customization service can easily do this with digital design tools and precise engineering.
How to Manage Design Elements
To make this work, you may need to look at each logo component from a neon sign designer's perspective. Things like gradients, overlapping elements, and fine details must be removed or modified.
For instance, your log could contain a detailed illustration that cannot be captured with simple flowing neon sign lines. In such a case, you may need to create a simplified silhouette capturing the essence of the original logo but not a duplicate. For text-based logos, you may have to add more space between the letters to accommodate LED or neon tubing and to avoid ugly visual imperfections.
How to Balance Space and Impact
You need to work with negative space effectively when designing custom logo neon signs. This is because the space between the lit and unlit areas creates a noticeable impact on neon signs. You may, for instance, need to create multiple versions of the simplified design, varying the levels of detail with each.
One thing you need to keep in mind is that simplification does not mean losing your logo's character. Instead, the new version usually becomes even more memorable and impactful if perfectly rendered in neon. This is why working with a company with high-quality standards and expertise is vital to customizing your neon signs perfectly.
Selecting Size, Shape, and Placement for Your Logo
The next critical step in your design process for neon-adapted company logos is all about numbers. Here are the areas to focus on and some expert tips on how to go about it:
What is the Optimal Size for the Neon Logo?
The size of your neon logo sign directly impacts its visibility and effectiveness. Start by measuring your intended installation space and viewing distances. In essence, a sign meant to be seen from across the street requires dimensions different from one inside your store.
You must also factor in local signage regulations, which often dictate maximum dimensions. For optimal readability, you need to set letter size to a minimum of 1 inch of height per 10 feet of view. Please note that larger signs consume more power and cost more, so balance visibility needs against practicality.
Shaping the Perfect Form
Your shape must also complement your installation site and your logo design. You'll need to decide whether a rectangular border, custom shape, or floating letters best suit your brand aesthetic.
The shape determines not only visual effect but also structural support. Generally, more complex shapes can require additional mounting points and support structures. Wind load is also a critical factor in shape selection for exterior installations.
Expert Tip: You may need to create mockups of different shapes to determine how they fit in your space and impact overall building design.
Strategic Placement Planning
Selecting the location is more important than finding an empty wall. Is there ambient light, surrounding architecture, and potential obstructions? The spot should take into account natural light fluctuations throughout the day and other lit markers in the vicinity.
Height placement matters as well. If you place the sign too high, it can miss an eye-level engagement, and too low can be blocked by screens or individuals. Ensure your chosen spot has sufficient electrical access and meets safety standards.
Expert Tip: You may need to test different locations with temporary mockups to determine the best location for your target market.
Working with a Professional Manufacturer
As mentioned earlier, the manufacturer you choose to bring your custom logo neon signage to life matters a lot. Here are the factors to consider when choosing one:
Material and Technical Options
When choosing materials for your neon sign, it is important to know the difference between the classic glass neon and the new LED options. Glass neon tubes have a timeless, warm look and color accuracy, especially in reds and pinks. However, they need more maintenance and are more breakable than new options.
LED neon flex, made of flexible PVC casing with LEDs, provides strength and energy efficiency. These signs power up to 80% less than neon and have a longer lifespan, sometimes up to 50,000 hours. They're lighter in weight as well, making installation easier and less structurally demanding.
You must consider the rear support material as well. Generally, you'll get light weight and strength in the aluminum composite panel or a spotless modern effect from acrylic. Mounting equipment needs to accommodate sign weight and use situation. Weather-resistance components and closed electrical elements are necessary when they are external.
The voltage and power supply requirements are different for LEDs and conventional neon. Conventional neon employs high-voltage-rated transformers, while LED systems use low-voltage supplies with built-in safety devices. Consider the location of power sources and any electrical adjustments in the planning phase.
Why Lamomo is a Good Choice
Lamomo leads the neon sign manufacturing industry by combining technological advancement with a customer focus. Their LED neon flex technology is engineered to offer better brightness control accuracy and color uniformity while retaining the retro appearance of traditional neon. They produce their products using precision cutting techniques that leave clean, professional edges and smooth corners.
The company's design department has extensive expertise in transforming age-old logos into neon-compatible versions. The in-house mounting systems have security and ease of use considerations built into their design to minimize maintenance and installation costs.
Quality control is more important to Lamomo Neon's production process. There are several inspection points for every sign before shipping. The company's detail-packed approach extends to the packaging design, providing additional protection during shipping while remaining eco-friendly.
Lamomo's customer support provides extensive post-purchase service, from installation guides to maintenance tips. Their warranty far exceeds industry standards, which places confidence in the quality of end products.
Lastly, Lamomo has a transparent pricing mechanism and an accurate quotation process. This allows firms to make sound decisions while keeping expenses within bounds. Lamomo can handle small specialty orders and commercial projects in bulk simultaneously, making it a flexible partner for you.
Real-Life Examples of Custom Logo Neon Signs in Action
The following three are shining examples of custom log neon signs in action out there in the real world:
Coca-Cola's Neon Logos
Coca-Cola is one of the iconic brands that have made good use of striking custom logo neon signs effectively for years. Their instantly recognizable Spencerian logo in vibrant backlit red has illuminated the world for many decades, so much so that neon signs have become synonymous with American pop culture.
McDonald's Golden Arches
McDonald's is known for its striking iconic golden arches, which have been adapted to neon signage in almost all of its outlets worldwide. Their custom logo neon signage combines simple geometry with maximum brand visuals.
Starbucks's Mermaid in Lights
Starbucks is another excellent example of using neon signage for branding. Their siren logo, which was perfectly adapted to neon signage, is a shining example of how even detailed logos can be simplified for neon signage but still maintain their striking appearance.
In Conclusion
Using a well-lit log neon sign, your company can benefit greatly from branding and instant recognition. Follow these guidelines to adapt your existing logo and branding to a striking and memorable neon sign that will connect to your target audience for years. Working with the right manufacturer also matters, so get custom neon signs with Lamomoneon today!
