Tips For A Successful Political Lawn Sign
Type Sign
Sheila Maas
PoliticalLawnSigns.com – There are principally three classes of waterproof yard signs used for successful political campaigns. These types of campaign signs are:
- Corrugated Plastic Yard Signs
- Plastic Coated Cardboard Yard Signs
- Poly Bag Yard Signs
Each can present an effective graphic as “signs for success” for a political campaign. There are characteristics, however, that can set them apart.
1. Corrugated Plastic Yard Signs – Fluted, 18 x 24 corrugated plastic yard signs are rigid and weatherproof. They have a long service life. They are the most popular type of sign. This sign is cost-appropriate for low quantity order sign needs by digitally printing or high quantity orders by screen printing.
This type of sign can be easily put up and taken down. Thus, usability year in and year out is a savings to returning candidates or causes.
As this medium is not completely opaque, 2-sided signs do have a slight show-through. This can be obviated with graphics utilizing reverse printing and/or high ink coverage.
The typical sign holders are H frames, which, with two welded cross braces, are most effective in securing the sign throughout its life.
A well-established printer can supply a large selection of sign sizes to satisfy a variety of outdoor site placements or graphic needs. These range from 12” x 18” corrugated plastic yard signs, cheap all the way up to 48”x 96”(4×8) road signs.
2. Plastic Coated Cardboard Signs – This sign is popular. Inexpensive sign. It is commonly referred to as a “Two-sided or Double-sided, Fold-over sign”. For most campaigns, it is the cheapest of all options.
For this sign, quality printers use a waterproof laminate – the interior being an all-white, opaque, stiff, solid bleached cardboard core which has been treated for water resistance to avoid edge moisture wicking. This cardboard stock is extruded on both surfaces with a plastic (poly) film. One side is treated to enhance ink adhesion.
The cardboard laminate stock is printed on the treated side. A back-score allows the sign to be folded and edges either stapled (by user or manufacturer), or glued (by manufacturer only) to form a two-sided yard sign. Like poly bag yard signs, this sign is slipped over a U-shaped rod sign frame. Because of the rigidity of the total structure (unlike poly bag yard signs), the frame needs only to be 2/3 the sign width. Here, extra savings on material and shipping costs are realized.
With this cardboard sign, there are unique design ideas that are attainable at no extra cost (Pattern Reversal, Color Reversal, Sharing, Messaging, Reflections)
There is no print “show through”, and the weatherability of this sign to wind, snow, and rain allows for months of outdoor exposure.
3. Poly-Bag Signs – These bag yard signs, produced with plastic film, take the form of white plastic bags or sleeves that can be slipped over U-shaped wires. The wire frames must be the same width as the plastic sleeve(poly bag sign) to hold the plastic sign taut.
Poly bag yard signs are normally printed by a web process, which is only cost-effective on large quantity sign orders. The plastic bags themselves are low in bulk and weight. For the sign holders, there is, however, a material and shipping cost premium because of the wide width.
The tendency of these bag signs to “bow out” at the bottom from the wind detracts aesthetically from their appearance and readability, giving the appearance of a mini banner, unlike the above rigid corrugated plastic and cardboard signs.
Both screen printing and digital ink jet printing are utilized in printing both the Corrugated Plastic Signs and Plastic Coated Cardboard Signs. The screen printing process affords the greatest economies at the lower to mid-range sign quantities. Both these sign types present the rigid, flat sign look. Screen printing offers gloss and the highest color graphics punch. Digital ink jet printing accommodates one color, multi-color, or full color process designs.
Although selecting the type of sign for your campaign is not an easy process, it can be less formidable if you think about your priorities (e.g., price, quantity, re-use, image, etc.), then let an experienced sign manufacturer walk you through the qualifying process of selection.
