Wednesday 23 April 2014

Handmade Happiness - advertising

The under-advertised exterior of Handmade Happiness
 A challenge. I want a sign writer to use every white space above the shop (four spaces) to write Handmade Happiness in a hand-writing style way with perhaps the telephone number as well, but how to position that?

Second challenge. As you can see the shop has a flag pole from which a sign could be suspended. What do you think? A big wood sign would attract attention but personally (and I know this is silly of me) I am always wary of wood signs dangling over the pavement as I think they might fall and hurt someone one day. Is that totally daft? 

Other possibilities are one of those surf shop signs (too plastic) or a quilted fabric sign (too flappy). Whatever is suspended must tie in with the age of the building (400 years old) and the character of the shop (handmade art). My imagination is telling me a collaged sign on foam board  but I wouldn't want to get the step ladder out twice a day to take it up and down. I think it should be permanent.

I now regret the way HandMaDE Happiness is written because people ask if the letters MDE have a special significance. No. I just thought it would look more interesting written like that.
Ditto on the A board outside the shop which has more function as a childrens' plaything as the kids from the primary school love to walk through it! (And I'm happy for them to do so.)But at the same time I think the wording on it (which is green, another mistake) should again be more reflective of what the shop is like on the inside. Maybe the A board would be better collaged? 

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I would go and talk to the planning department before you do anything. We had big problems with exterior signs at St Peter’s Arcade and the Chichester planners. We had to have 'temporary signs' in the end.

The lettering above each shop and the big wooden hanging sign was done by the brilliant guy who had premises down at the Canal Basin but he must have retired.

Christine

Anonymous said...

cont....
Outline guidance is here:
http://www.easthants.gov.uk/ehdc/formsfordownload.nsf/0/30FDB6C48A1C74BA802571F6003CF678/$File/Advertisement+Guidelines+complete.pdf
I hate to say this but Chichester City Council and most other L.A. Councils ban ''A frame' advertising on the pavements because of it being a hazard to partially sighted pedestrians and also could be seen as a a danger to children playing on them.
Christine

Anonymous said...

Here is another link to East Hants DC guidance on shop fronts:

http://www.easthants.gov.uk/ehdc/formsfordownload.nsf/0/4530C06FC33476E88025700500363635/$File/Shopfronts+des+guide+0505.pdf

Christine

jenny said...

Thanks for your research Christine. I am glad the council is more lenient here in Petersfield.
I had an email suggesting pots of geraniums either side of the door and a blackboard on an easel outside on which I could chalk up shop news or general info about the shop.

Anonymous said...

I like the idea of the chalk board and flowers outside. It sounds very appealing!

And great for you because you can change whats on the board whenever you like.


Vicki

jenny said...

Thanks Vicki. Hope all's going well for you.x