You might be wondering, “What are floor graphics? What can they be used for? Why are they important?” Keep reading to find the answers to these questions and spark ideas to transform your venue, brand or business.
In shopping centers, malls and city centers, competition for pedestrian attention can become fierce. Most businesses have large signs and advertisements on their storefronts, all of them crafted to seduce potential customers. Floor graphics are a novel method of escaping this noisy territory. If your business has a sale, temporary floor signs could inform customers of the deals without taking up display space. More permanent floor ads can range from something as simple as your logo to more creative ideas like the picture above.
People are constantly monitoring where they are walking to avoid stepping in a puddle or tripping over a curb. Because of this, floor graphics make countless impressions on people as they pass by. In short, when advertisements can be stood on, they stand out.
When most people think of signs, they think of something like a stop sign or billboard. Although both of these signs are effective, the most important road graphics are placed somewhere else. Lane lines, crosswalks, bike paths and turn arrows are all placed on the road itself. With only stop, yield and speed limit signs, the road would become difficult to navigate safely. Few people would dare use the highway without simple but well-designed floor graphics, commonly known as road markings. This is a great illustration of how noticeable floor graphics are and one of their most useful purposes: safety.
Floor signage can help keep customers and employees safe. A line and text can easily identify a staff-only area on the floor. Similar signs can remind people to steer around a potentially hazardous piece of machinery or wear protective equipment. Floor graphics are the easiest and least intrusive way to keep checkout lines socially distanced amid the current pandemic. Using floor signage is a great way to make your site safer and, by extension, more popular.
Floor signage is the most effective way to direct people where you want them to go. These directions can be as straightforward as pointers on the ground, or they can be more subtle. Simple arrows are best for helping people navigate a new space, find a front desk or locate a product.
A path of footprint graphics, a hopscotch game or a winding path can be especially effective for leading children and their parents to your business or a corner of your store. Even older customers will be curious and impressed by the inventiveness of these types of floor graphics and signs.
Stairs can often discourage visitors already weary from standing on their feet all day. Well-designed floor graphics printed on the upright face of each stair can transform this barrier into an attraction. Stairs that display the number of calories burned as they are climbed might be a good fit for a gym or a health care facility. Images or lines of poetry are also memorable stair sign options.
Floor graphics are an important step in stamping your brand on the world. Basketball courts across the US are great examples of this simple but profound branding technique. Floor graphics like this are especially impactful as they exist in conjunction with places where other positive emotions and moments are experienced. Entranceways to large venues, waiting rooms and hallways are important places to immerse visitors in your brand. These types of floor graphics might be printed logos but can be as simple as patterns in a color scheme that complement your brand.
The Hollywood walk of fame is possibly the most renowned floor graphic ever created and attracts visitors from across the globe. Your business might not center around “stars,” but you can create similar types of brand-related pathways.
Last but not least, floor graphics can be fun. Increasing the enjoyment of visitors and potential customers can be a great way to attract more business or add something of value to the world. Fun-focused floor graphics often revolve around tricks of perspective or physical activities. Optical illusions can be created of imaginary puddles, holes or portals to other worlds. If your business has a kid’s area, floor graphics can bring this space to life with vibrant colors, maps or mazes.
There is an entire world of floor graphic options worth considering. Although it might not be for everyone, floor graphics that encourage visitor involvement can become local landmarks and feature in visitors' social media posts and other online interactions. Commonly, businesses use floor graphics to direct visitor flow and keep workers safe. Floor ads are one of the best ways to brand your space or catch pedestrian attention. The floor can remain a bland and dirty space or it can be the canvas that transforms your business and brand.