OTW Custom Signage: Can Barricades Actually Be Fun?
“Visual space is prime real estate— make sure you’re using yours to its full potential.”
Barricades are meant to be seen. Whether by vehicle or pedestrian traffic, you want people to see them and know exactly where to go (or not go). This means you have a captive audience — but are you taking full advantage of all those eyes on your spaces?
When placing barricades for your event or business, safety is first on your mind, as it should be. With barricades like those we provide at OTW Safety, safety and security are guaranteed. But with Billboard Barricades, you have the opportunity to go above and beyond. Using custom signage on your barricades is a great way to draw attention, give information, and get even more bang for your buck. Let’s take a look at what you can get out of your own signage, provided by the OTW Safety team.
Why use signs in the first place?
When planning an event, protecting a worksite, or setting up crowd control, safety is paramount, and no expense is spared. However, beyond that, time, materials and budget begin to be more flexible. So why spend precious resources on something like signage? Well, something as simple as a piece of plastic (expertly molded and printed, of course) can do a lot of work for you. When barriers are set in place, you have something for passersby to see every time they go by your business. You can catch attention where someone might otherwise dismiss a simple barrier (or even try to ignore it). Increase brand awareness by printing and displaying your business name and logo. When hosting an event, you have more ad space and visible places to showcase sponsors— which helps those barricades pay for themselves. If you have sensitive areas or need to direct traffic, you can print helpful instructions for people to find where they need to go (or not go). Beyond that, you can beautify your space and make it more interesting! Being memorable goes a long way in a world of quickscrolling and rotating ads.
Get Creative
Having signage around your business or at your events is a huge opportunity to make an extra impact. Yes, having a cool logo and posted directions or instructions is incredibly useful, but you can do even more. Make your event or business stand out with imagery and messaging that showcase who you are. Here are some examples:
- Spaces like zoos or museums often have kids create and submit artwork of the animals or exhibits they’ve seen— why not display those on barricades in the parking lot or where people have to queue up?
- Hosting an event that’s all about local? Have a local artist spruce up your signage, or showcase local businesses, spaces, or landmarks to really drive home what you’re passionate about.
- Make your barricades an event in themselves! Paint them with chalkboard paint and have your guests and kids leave some love notes. Adding touches like this creates a personal connection between visitors and your business, and makes people feel more invested.
Think about what speaks to what your company is all about, and stand out. This can apply to any situation. Barricades at a worksite? Showcase amazing architecture or teasers of the final project. A parking lot? Cool cars, or beautiful imagery that’s more exciting to look at than, well, a parking lot. Have an outdoor space at a bar or restaurant? Showcase beautiful ingredients and where they come from or feature your restaurant’s story. You can change people’s experience and ideas of what your business is whether they are sitting, standing, or simply walking by. All it takes is your great ideas displayed for them all to see.
Materials: Not Your Mother’s Posterboard
When it comes to signage, you do have to decide what material will work best for you. At OTW Safety, we offer Sintra or Coroplast. No idea what those are, or the difference? No worries, most people wouldn’t (unless you’re like, REALLY into sign materials). So let us break it down for you:
What is Coroplast?
Coroplast is a brand name for a very popular corrugated plastic. Think of how cardboard is structured, with a sort of zigzag pattern between two sheets of paper. Copy that in plastic, and you’ve got Coroplast! This type of sign boasts the following benefits:
- As it is corrugated rather than solid, it is incredibly lightweight.
- Can be used indoors or outdoors, and can endure months of extreme weather.
- Extremely adaptable.
- Very cost-effective.
- If stored correctly, it can be used on multiple occasions (though Sintra is preferred for long-term use).
- Easy to clean.
Coroplast is a great choice for shorter-term projects, or where they won’t be up against too much wear and tear. It will degrade over time, but for one-time events, or places like worksites, Coroplast makes the most sense for your signage. It’s budget-friendly and screenprinters love it, as it can be customized easily, is lightweight and waterproof. You’ve likely seen Coroplast on yard signs, A-frame signs, or in parking lots.
What is Sintra?
Sintra is made from PVC. You’ve likely seen PVC pipe before on home projects, marshmallow shooters, or sprinkler systems. It’s the same stuff, just flattened out and made printable! Sintra, again, is the brand name for this. As PVC signage, it has these great qualities:
- Extremely durable. Great for indoor and outdoor use long-term.
- Can withstand temperature and pressure without warping.
- Can be dyed virtually any color.
- Can be printed with very precise, high-quality images.
- Easy to clean.
Sintra is more durable than Coroplast, so it can be the better choice for longer-term or permanent projects. It is also more opaque, so imagery can be of a higher quality. It does cost more upfront, but if your project requires more striking imagery, or you need it to last longer, it will pay off in the end.
Once you’ve chosen which of these great options best fits your needs, you can begin putting together your masterpieces.
Conclusion
Here at OTW Safety, we love finding custom solutions for our clients. As our own designers and manufacturers, we know you will be getting the best quality at the best pricing. We also have the experience to be able to think outside the box. Need help planning out how to best use your barricades for your business or event? Contact us today and let us help!
