Is an Electronic Message Center Right for Your Phoenix Business?
A monument sign can identify a property every day of the year. An electronic message center adds something different. It lets a business, school, church, medical office or shopping center change part of the message without replacing the physical sign face.
That flexibility can be valuable, but a digital display should not be treated as a television screen beside the road. Size, viewing distance, message length, brightness and permitting all affect whether the sign works well.
Western Signs & Lighting lists digital displays among its commercial sign services and can manage design, permitting, fabrication, installation and maintenance across the Phoenix Valley.
Start With the Messages You Need to Change
Before choosing a display, list the information that changes often enough to justify electronic control.
If the content rarely changes, a conventional monument or cabinet sign may be simpler. The value of an electronic message center comes from being able to update useful information quickly.
The International Sign Association defines an electronic message center as a sign capable of showing words, symbols, figures or images that can be changed electronically by remote or automatic means.
Design for Drivers, Not for a Computer Screen
A detailed image can look excellent on a monitor and become meaningless when viewed from a moving vehicle. Keep roadside messages short, use strong contrast and avoid placing several unrelated ideas on the display at once.
The permanent part of the sign should still identify the business or property clearly. That allows the electronic panel to support the main brand rather than carrying the entire identification job.
Viewing distance also affects display size and resolution. A sign facing a broad arterial road has different needs from a display positioned near a slow moving driveway.
Control Nighttime Brightness
An electronic display that looks impressive during the afternoon can become uncomfortable or distracting if it remains at daytime brightness after dark.
The International Sign Association recommends that electronic message centers not exceed 0.3 footcandles above ambient lighting at the specified measurement distance. Modern electronic displays can be configured to reduce output as surrounding light falls.
Check Permit Rules Before Ordering
Digital sign regulations vary by city, zoning district and property. Resolve the permit question before purchasing a display or redesigning a monument sign around one.
The City of Mesa currently states that sign permits are reviewed after payment and required documents are received, with a standard review timeframe of ten business days.
Phoenix also regulates electronic message displays through its sign rules. Recent city approvals illustrate that individual projects can carry conditions involving display size, nighttime illumination, message hold times and operating hours.
Western Signs & Lighting handles sign permits and approvals as part of its project process, helping keep fabrication from getting ahead of municipal review.
Decide Who Will Control the Content
Choose who will update the sign and establish a simple approval process. Incorrect hours, expired promotions and old event notices make a digital display look neglected quickly.
Keep approved layouts using company colors and type styles, and remove expired messages promptly.
The display should remain part of the business identity rather than becoming a collection of unrelated graphics.
Plan for Future Service
Electronic equipment eventually needs maintenance. The sign location should allow qualified technicians to reach the cabinet, electrical components and display without creating unnecessary disruption to traffic or landscaping.
Western Signs & Lighting provides sign repair, electrical service, LED replacement and ongoing maintenance, so future service can be considered while the original sign is being designed.
Build a Digital Sign Around the Property and Audience
Western Signs & Lighting designs, permits, fabricates, installs and maintains commercial signs throughout Phoenix, Mesa and the surrounding Valley. If you are considering an electronic message center for a monument sign, shopping center, school, church or business property, call 480 831 8600 for a free commercial sign estimate and guidance on display size, placement and permitting.
Live References
Western Signs & Lighting Sign Design Process
Western Signs & Lighting Sign Permits
Western Signs & Lighting Sign Maintenance
International Sign Association: Electronic Message Centers
International Sign Association: EMC Brightness Recommendations
