When Political Signs Work: The Advantages of Using Political Campaign Signs 

• They increase a candidate’s name recognition. 
  In politics, recognition is the name of the game. As prominent political scientist David Mayhew once said, “To be perceived at all is to be perceived favorably.” One of the main tasks for any political candidate is to ensure that their name becomes familiar to the prospective voters. An effective way to increase political visibility is to display many campaign signs, and there is scientific evidence supporting this strategy.
  
  In the “Ben Griffin” experiment, Vanderbilt University professor Cindy Kam planted campaign signs for fictitious candidate Ben Griffin in high traffic areas around a school. A few days later, they conducted a survey via the school’s Parent Teacher Association asking participants to list their preferred council candidates — the fictitious Ben Griffin was listed along with real candidates and another made-up person. All to say, the consistent exposure to campaign signs established name recognition among the participants and influenced them to vote for the person whose name appeared on the said sign.
  
  
• They encourage people to participate.  
  Another way that political signs can improve a candidate’s electoral prospects is by reminding supporters to vote. Although signs are unlikely to change a voter’s mind about a particular candidate, they may help remind people who already like the politician to vote on Election Day if used strategically. 
  
  Political scientist Costa Panagopoulos tested whether campaign signs would actually increase voter turnout by studying the 2005 municipal elections in New York City. After identifying 14 election districts whose historical voter turnout was nearly identical, Panagopoulos strategically stationed sign-toting volunteers at busy intersections in seven randomly selected districts with large white signs that stated “Vote Tomorrow” in blue letters.  
  
  In the actual election, the voter turnout in the seven districts where volunteers held signs (the “treatment” group) was 3.6% higher than the turnout in the districts where signs were not displayed (the “control” group). While this difference may seem trivial, a 3% increase in the vote percentage can have a huge impact on a close election. Moreover, this increase in turnout seems to be comparable to the results of other “get out the vote” techniques such as door-to-door contacting, phone calls, and direct mail, which often require significantly more resources (time, money, and manpower) than does signage. 
  
  As the research summarized above illustrates, campaign signage can have a meaningful effect on voter turnout. Candidates who use signs strategically may be able to target the people who are inclined to vote for them, perhaps by placing signs in areas where supporters are highly concentrated. 
  
  
• They influence social cues and people’s opinions. 
  Classic studies in political science (see, for example, Voting by Berelson, Lazarsfeld, and McPhee, 1954) have found that a person’s family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers can have a strong impact on who they vote for. Political signage may help reinforce these powerful social forces by serving as voting cues. In other words, signs can spread political information between two people even if a political discussion never takes place. 
  
  Take this for example. Imagine that two neighbors, Tim and Wilson, are good friends who talk about most everything — except politics. When Wilson places a political sign in his yard for Jill Taylor, a local school board candidate, Tim notices the sign on his way to and from work but doesn’t think much about it. When the election arrives, Tim goes to the polls to vote for a friend running for city council. After voting for his friend, Tim comes to the portion of the ballot that asks about the school board vote. Although he is not familiar with any of the candidates, Tim remembers that his friend Wilson supports Jill Taylor. While his personal knowledge is limited, Tim knows that he trusts Wilson, so he votes for Jill. 
  
  Just as in this scenario, voters use “information shortcuts” to make ballot decisions all the time. While campaign signs may not inspire instant confidence in a candidate per se, they can help uninformed voters connect a candidate’s name to friends or family members that they trust. In this way, candidates can use signage to tap personal networks that are powerful sources of vote motivation. 
  
  
• They mobilize participation among candidates and supporters.
  Campaign signs can also provide supporters with a way to express themselves politically, allowing them to voice their opinions and feel connected to a candidate. Political scientists Todd Makse and Anand Sokhey argue that “Yard signs constitute an important, symbolic aspect of what we might call an ordinary individual’s “total campaign experience.” In other words, posting signs can be a form of political participation in and of itself.
  
  Signs can also provide campaign volunteers with a way to openly show their friends and neighbors the candidate that they support. In a way, signs can function as a symbol of the volunteer’s hours of hard work for the campaign. Moreover, sign drives give campaign faithful the opportunity to have tangible evidence of their dedication to the cause; whenever they see a sign-lined street, they will feel they have accomplished something important. Candidates who want their supporters to feel they are truly involved in the campaign and are able to fully express their political voices should incorporate political signs into their overall election strategy. As Maske and Sokhey observe, “Campaign professionals may debate the power of yard signs as a mobilization tool, but . . . these signs are anything but trivial to the individuals who display them.”
  
  
• They strengthen a candidate’s local visibility.
  Ironically, campaign signs tend to be used most when they are least effective — presidential elections. Since presidential races are extremely visible to the public eye, nearly everyone who is going to vote has relatively defined opinions about the candidates involved. Because of this, campaign signs are unlikely to have a major impact. As behavioral psychologist Mark Sibicky notes in a recent interview, “Signs do little to change anyone’s mind that is already made up.” At the same time, signs can be important for elections where candidates are relatively unknown. Candidates for municipal offices such as school board, sheriff, city council, mayor, and judgeships are often relatively unknown, so the added name recognition generated by political signage is invaluable.
  
  Additionally, because municipal offices in many localities omit partisan labels from the ballot, voters who are unable to decide based solely on the political party may turn to the candidates whose names they are most familiar with. Politicians running for lesser-known state offices such as state auditor, treasurer, and even attorney general can also benefit from the increased notoriety that signs provide.
  
  
• They’re affordable and easy to set up.
  The technology to design and produce campaign signs has grown directly proportional to the demands of election season. As digital printing gets better every day, it’s become easier and faster to create plenty of signs in a short amount of time. The variety of signs has expanded too — from the classic yard sign that you can easily stick to the ground, printing companies now offer an assortment of banners (vinyl, fabric, and mesh), car decals, stickers, magnets, and foam board signs — and they come with different easy setup options. These sign types have also become relatively easy to create, with printers offering online design tools and free sign templates customers can use, making it more accessible to supporters regardless of design skill level. Above all, campaign signs are an affordable means of showing support whether it’s a candidate you’re campaigning for or you’re a part of an organization that pushes the advocacy of voting.

When Political Signs Don’t Work: The Limitations of Political Campaign Signs

• It can be difficult to measure its success.
  Putting up signs in your lawn is one thing, but unless you go to the polling precinct and actually vote, it can be hard to tell whether the political sign is successful at bringing the votes in. Indeed, some studies show that signs may simply be an indicator of existing support rather than a tool for converting voters from one candidate to another. Another possibility is that voters are simply more expressive than other people. One study suggests that whether a person displays a sign for the local university football team predicts voting just as well as whether they display a political sign.
  
  
• Quantity doesn’t always mean quality.
  It’s not uncommon for well-funded political campaigns to deploy plenty of signages throughout the election period. However, campaign signs are unlikely to be the main factor determining how a person will vote. In other words, deep-pocketed candidates who pepper their districts with signs will not necessarily win an election unless their campaign message aligns with constituent priorities. Things like political party, ideology, education, family influence, and personal contact with candidates are much more likely to affect vote choice.

Are campaign signs a sure-fire way to convert a disinterested or opposing citizen into a legitimate supporter? Probably not. Even though signs may not be the most important factor influencing individual voting decisions, they can still have a powerful effect on a candidate’s political fate. In close races (especially those that are not salient to the voting public), signs can have a profound impact on election outcomes.

Do Political Signs Work? The Pros and Cons of Running a Political Sign Campaign

Not that yard signs can’t serve other uses, too: real-estate signs, business promotional signs, yard sales, directional signage for events, to name a few. They can be printed single- or double-sided, and cut to just about any shape. They can be placed on wire supports, installed in frames, or simply propped up or hung.

Given all of these possible applications and uses, a logical question is: What is the typical yard sign made of – and why might this material be ideal for this particular type of sign? The answer is corrugated plastic.

In this Signage 101, we’ll take a deep dive into why corrugated plastic is an ideal substrate for yard signs.

Corrugated Plastic is King

Corrugated plastic wasn’t always king – in the past, various other materials were utilized in making of yard signs, from single-panel aluminum to plastic and composites. Corrugated plastic, however, came out on top and is, today, the de-facto material when it comes to yard signs.

Why is corrugated plastic such a good choice for this particular type of signage? It’s a combination of factors: Corrugated plastic is durable, it’s lightweight, it can be made conducive to UV printing, and it’s relatively inexpensive. As a result, there’s probably no better option for a yard sign.

Let’s take a look at the basics of the material. Corrugated plastic is a plastic – most often polypropylene – that features fluted structures (“fluting”) at the core, set between two plastic sheets. You might also hear this hollow material referred to as “twin-wall plastic.” Conceived of and developed in the early 1970s by an Italian manufacturing firm, corrugated plastic is now produced by various manufacturers under an assemblage of names. And it’s used for an impressive array of applications: from signage and the graphics arts, to boxes, shelf bins, packaging, and even truck bed liners, construction projects, and shelters.

In its “natural” state, however, corrugated plastic is not receptive to printing inks or other coatings. To enable this capability, the manufacturers must give the plastic a “corona treatment” – which is a surface treatment that promotes adhesion (and, it should be pointed out, is not at all related to coronavirus or COVID-19). It basically works like this: High voltage is used to generate an electrical discharge (“corona plasma”), which changes the plastic’s surface energy and allows it to then accept ink. Depending upon the material or substrate, the corona treatment might have to take place twice, in order to ensure good adhesion.

Once that process has been completed, the corrugated plastic can then be printed on using digital printing technologies by your favorite sign producer (which, of course, is Signs.com!). And, as stated earlier, various brands are available – including Coroplast, IntePro, Cor-X, Corflute, and many others. In fact, the Coroplast brand name (which is now owned by Inteplast) has become so synonymous with corrugated plastic – especially in the signage and graphics markets – that you’ll often hear many use that name for the generic material.

All the Advantages

For our yard signs here at Signs.com, we utilize 4mm-thick corrugated plastic, and direct-print with colorful and durable UV inks. Here are just some of the reasons why we’re bullish on corrugated plastic for yard signs (and you should be, too):

Lightweight, portable, sturdy – Corrugated plastic is impact-resistant due to its fluted “ribs,” yet remains very lightweight. As a result, yard signs made from the material can be easily moved from location to location as needed, and they’ll be perfectly fine with all that relocation (see below for installation options).

Durable printability – Because of the aforementioned corona treatment, UV inks adhere very nicely to the surface. Of course, our UV inks are durable in and of themselves (fade- and abrasion-resistant), so the combination results in your graphic and message holding up well over time.

Weather-resistant – Corrugated plastic will repel moisture, and there’s zero danger of rot or rust.

Easily cut/routed – Because it’s easy to cut (manually or mechanically), corrugated plastic is great when it comes to producing custom shapes for your yard signs.

Recyclable – Polypropylene is capable of being recycled (resin code 5), although it’s not typically curbside-recyclable (check with your local municipality) and it’s not biodegradable; corrugated plastic can be recycled and repurposed into ice scrapers, rakes, pallets, battery cases, and other applications.

Easy-to-clean – You can wipe down corrugated plastic yard signs with mild soap and warm water; we suggest wiping in the direction of the corrugation.

Economical – Last, but certainly not least, corrugated plastic is relatively inexpensive; it’s one of the least-expensive materials.

Portability is Key

We gave a shout-out to the portability of corrugated yard signs in the above section, and this portability is enhanced by the ability to display them with wire stakes. Using wire stakes, you can install corrugated yard signs in seconds into any soft surface, and then easily take them down and use again in another location as necessary. They’re the ultimate in temporary, re-usable signage.

We offer two different types of wire stakes for our corrugated yard signs: standard and heavy-duty. The standard wire stakes are made from 9-gauge steel; simply step the stakes into the ground and position the points of the stakes over the yard sign’s flutes. If you want something that provides even more stability, we offer our heavy-duty stakes made from ¼-inch steel mated to a 9-gauge welded top. Both types of stakes measure 10 x 30 inches.

You have additional display options for corrugated plastic yard signs: You can, for instance, hang them using grommets and rope/string; attach them to a rigid substrate using washers and screws; place in a real-estate frame; or even add an A-Frame and use as a sandwich board.

Designing Your Ideal Yard Sign

Yard signs made from corrugated plastic can be a tremendously useful tool for a variety of marketing and promotional efforts. Political operatives recognized this fact decades ago, and as a result the use of yard signs in political campaigns surged, more than doubling between 1984 and 2008.

Signs.com can assist you in your quest for the ideal yard sign for your project. We’ll help you determine the best design, custom shape options, printing single-sided or double-sided, installation alternatives, and just about anything else you might need help with. Just don’t ask us for campaign advice!

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Choosing The right Campaign Sign

You might think that the standard 18” x 24” inch lawn sign is the only way to go, and while that’s a great option, it’s not the only one. Think about what you’re trying to accomplish with your campaign signage. A successful campaign involves designing the right signage and other print materials that ensure your name and the office you’re running for are easily seen and remembered. 

If you’re looking for multiple locations at a low cost, you’ll want to go with a corrugated plastic yard sign. The reason so many campaigns go with the standard corrugated sign is that it’s cost-effective and easy. If you want a high impact sign that’s a bit larger scale, choose a vinyl banner. You can also think about car magnets and window decals, as well as aluminum or wooden signs for something a little different. Check out our Campaign & Political Signs page for more ideas and details about the most popular large format campaign signs. 

Along with large format campaign signs, you may also want to consider smaller print materials to supplement your campaign marketing. In municipalities and neighborhoods that allow it—flyers, door hangers, and even brochures are effective “in hand” materials that can help inform citizens about your platform. 

You can also use small print materials for direct mail by using postcards. Bumperstickers can also be used and distributed to your supporters who are happy to show their loyalty and belief in your campaign.

Small format print materials:

• Flyers
• Door Hangers
• Brochures
• Postcards
• Bumperstickers
• Promotional Magnets

Studies show that campaign signs work, and having lots of signs is a definite advantage. Whether you start off your campaign with a wide format sign, small format or any combination of campaign signs or prints – have fun with it! Choose some mediums that you are interested in and get your name out there.

Campaign Sign Sizes

When it comes to getting noticed, the bigger the better is usually the idea. However, where you are placing your sign can sometimes determine what size you’ll need. Here are some sign size parameters to keep in mind for your sign placement:

• Standby traffic (foot traffic or neighborhoods) 12” x 18” to 12” x 24”

• Medium traffic (35-45 mph areas) 24” x 32” to 24” x 38”

• Highway traffic (high speed or long distance) 32” x 48”

• Billboard (Long distance or high impact) 48” x 60” to 48” x 96”

In addition to these sign sizes, there are quite a few other forms of advertising signage that can grab attention for your campaign. Bulletins, also called billboards, come in a standard 15’ x 49’ or 14’ x 48’. There are also bus benches, posters, subway poster ads, and even bicycle taxi ads. While these forms of campaign advertisement are effective, they can also be costly. If you’re considering something along these lines, your best course of action is to first analyze your return on investment and then move on from there. 

While 24” x 18” is the standard size for a yard sign, you’re definitely not limited to that size. You might even consider designing your yard signs slightly larger than 24” x 18” as the slight increase in size can make your signs “stand out” from the other local campaigns. 

If a large banner is allowed in a certain location you’re eyeing, go right ahead! Sometimes there are restrictions on sign location and sizes, so be sure to check on that before posting a sign. We put together a handy list and interactive map to see what’s allowed in your state. 

Design Elements to Consider

Color

In most cases, red, white, and blue are standard, but if you’ve got a different color in mind, that’s perfectly fine. Make sure you use lettering that has high contrast with background colors, as it will be easier to read from a distance. You don’t want to pay to design, print, and place yard signs that are hard to read and are, therefore, ineffective. In the 1992 book Wayfinding, authors Arthur & Passini introduced a formula based on light reflectance value (LRV) to calculate the contrast between two colors—here is the formula:

Where K1 is the highest color value (lrv), K2 is the lowest color value (lrv) and H is the contrast value. 

The industry standard for signage is that the contrast value between the background and the text of the sign should not be lower than 70. In other words, your contrast value (H) should be 70 or above. 

Here’s an example to help illustrate this point a little better: 

Based on this formula, you can identify which colors will work best for contrast and readability. A great place to find the LRV of a color is at a local paint store or online—the color swatch samples will have the LRV listed in the color details as shown here:

Color can be a tricky thing, so pay close attention to what will work and what won’t. Be sure to use text that has high contrast from the background of your sign and don’t get carried away with too many colors. For a more in-depth lesson on color, check out this post on signs.com.

Font

This can be tricky if you’re not careful. First, consider your size. The United States Sign Council Foundation has conducted studies on letter height and distance correlations. Their findings have shown that a 1” letter is visible from 30’ or less when driving, or 50’ or less when standing. Make sure your sign is readable according to the most common reading distance in your environment. Next, consider your font. Overly decorative fonts aren’t good for readability. Choose bold, easy to read fonts with minimal serifs.

Content

Less is more when it comes to campaign signs. Think of the absolute basic information your constituents need to know. These elements could include your name, position you are running for, and the area in which you are running. Sometimes, if you’ve got a particularly different name, you could use a catchphrase, but avoid too much wordage. Keep it simple. 

Besides your text, you may want to add a few flourishes or shapes. Be careful with this! Too much can distract from your vital information. Lines, small shapes like stars or flags, and other flourishes can compliment a sign well, as long as they are placed cleanly, and evenly, not crammed in to take up more space. Because you’re dealing with a relatively small space, pictures, faces, or other images don’t usually work well. Even on large banners, it’s a good idea to stay away from photos.

Layout

The layout of your content can play a big role in readability. In most cases, you want to shoot for 60% negative space and 40% copy. Like we mentioned above, if you are using lines or other flourishes, make them clean and symmetrical, and don’t let the details dominate your important information.

Design Process

Ok now you know the size you need for your sign locations, you have the layout and colors optimized for maximum readability, and you’re ready to design. If you’re nervous about designing your sign from scratch, start with a template! Templates are a super easy way to make sure you’re on track.

At Signs.com, our design tool is easy to use and you can produce great results right from the comfort of your home or office computer or device. If you have any other questions about your specific campaign sign ideas or just want some help creating a great sign, let one of our designers help—it’s free!

Designing your campaign sign can be a cinch, and you’ll secure your position in no time. Follow these handy tips and you’re on your way.

How to Design a Successful Campaign Sign

What are yard signs? 

First off, let’s give a little insight into what exactly a yard sign is. Many yard signs are made from corrugated plastic with vertical fluting. Vertical fluting is made of small sections in the interior of the material that run like columns in a vertical direction. 

This vertical fluting provides little holes that run all the way through the interior of the sign. This allows the wire stakes you may use to display the sign to be placed inside of the vertical fluting. The stakes can then be easily displayed in any yard or landscape. This is one of the most simple ways to display your yard sign. The corrugated plastic yard signs are typical 4mm in thickness. 

When it comes to the material of yard signs, you have a few options other than corrugated plastic. There are also rigid plastic signs that work well displayed in a real estate frame or with grommets on the corners and hung up. Then there is the standard aluminum sign that is typically displayed with real estate frames. 

Yard signs are generally displayed in yards, but can be displayed just about anywhere. So feel free to get creative with the ways you print and display custom yard signs. Common display methods for yard signs include wire stakes, metal frames, real estate posts and grommets. Common uses for yard signs include political campaigns, expressing political views, real estate, business use (sales, promotions, grand openings), directional signs (parking) or events (weddings, birthday parties, graduation, etc.).

What size are yard signs?

Are there a standard yard sign sizes I should follow? Yard sign dimensions are typically 24”x18” (2 feet wide and 1 ½ feet tall). This size works great for a variety of applications and is large enough to display information for people to clearly see as they pass by.  This size is also compatible with a variety of display methods, including wire stakes and metal frames.

Although this is the standard size for yard signs, it is not the only size you can use. Other popular yard signs sizes include 24″x6″, 18″x12″, 36″x18″, 2’x2′ and 4’x4′. There are a few different reasons you may choose one of the above sizes. You may want a larger sign to be displayed in a difficult to see area. Or you already have real estate frames that are a certain size, in which case you need to order for those sizes. Understanding which kind of yard sign you are going to purchase and how you will display it are important factors to help you understand which is the correct yard sign size for you.

You may even consider ordering a jumbo yard sign. When you think of jumbo yard signs you may think of a large billboard or banner. When we talk about jumbo yard signs we are actually just talking about anything that is larger than the standard size. So while the standard size is 24”x18”, if you opted for a 4’x4’ sign that would be considered a jumbo yard sign. Even opting for the 36”x18” or 2’x2’ option could be considered a jumbo yard sign. 

Choosing a size based on your preferred display method

Wire stakes

Wire Stakes are frequently used with yard signs that are made from corrugated plastic with vertical fluting. This means that the stakes you use to display the signs are placed inside of the vertical fluting. This is one of the most simple ways to display your yard sign. Make sure that your custom yard sign size is compatible with the size of stake you purchase. The standard size of 24”x18” is great for all wire stakes. 

Signs.com features two different types of yard sign stakes. Our standard stakes are made of a 9 gauge steel. Our heavy duty stakes are made of ¼” steel and have a welded top of 9 guage steel. Both stakes work well, but the heavy duty one is a bit more stable than the standard one. Something else to consider when using wire stakes is when using only 1 wire stake, you should keep the size of your sign under 48” wide. If your yard sign is larger than 48” wide, we recommend ordering two wire stakes per sign to give the sign more support. 

Metal frames

If you are using a metal frame to display your sign, you will need to match the size of the sign with the size of the insert location on the frame. Real estate frames are typically are made for a 24”x18” standard size real estate sign. It can hold various yard sign materials such as corrugated plastic, rigid plastic and aluminum. The standard height for real estate frames is 47” with a 24” standard width. The frames are made of a durable iron frame. 

Signs.com offers a few different options for real estate frames. We have standard frames that have a single 24”x18” insert location to display one sign. You can also get a metal frame that has either one or two added sign rider insert sections. Sign riders are often placed on metal frames above or below the main sign opening. Riders are used for displaying phone numbers, names, contact info or business branding on real estate frames. It is an additional tool to display more than just the yard sign in the yard. The standard size for sign riders is 24”x6.” That is the size of the insert location for sign riders on most metal frames. Riders are typically sold separately from the yard sign and metal frame. 

Additional Display Methods

Another display option to consider for your yard sign is a real estate post. Most real estate posts are designed to fit yard signs sizes up to 24” wide. Some allow for signs up to 36” wide. Another very cost effective way to display your yard sign is with grommets. Grommets can be any size, since the grommets will be used to mount the sign to a fence or wall. So if you are purchasing a yard sign that doesn’t match dimensions to the options we mentioned above, grommets is a good bet with any size.

Choosing a size based on your intended use 

While your intended display method will play a large role in helping you determine the size you need for your yard sign, there are a few other things you should consider before deciding on the final yard sign sizes. For example, political campaign yard sign sizes can vary. If you want to stand out, may want to use larger signs. If you are running a political campaign and want to display a yard sign along the side of the road, you may want to order a sign large enough to make it easy for people driving by to see and read your sign.

A good rule to remember is the message on your sign will have roughly 10 feet of viewing distance for each inch of letter height. For example, if the text on your sign is 3” tall most people will be able to read that text from up to 30 feet away. 

For real estate yard sign sizes your biggest consideration is to get sizes that match up with your display methods. As for business use, many businesses order yard signs from us to display inside or outside of their store or office. The ways these can be displayed can vary based on the use and location of the sign. If you are printing the sign with grommets and intend to hang it, the size can be as large or small as you would like. If you decide to purchase yard signs for an event, it may need to be a larger sign to get the attention of your attendees.

Ordering Yard Signs from Signs.com

Signs.com standard yard signs are consistent with the tips we provided in this blog post. Signs.com yard signs are made from 4mm corrugated plastic with vertical fluting. We also offer aluminum and plastic signs without vertical fluting for other yard sign displays. We offer standard display methods such as wire stakes, metal frames and grommets. Signs.com has double-sided signs for any type of display. Custom shapes are another great option that we offer on the site to make your yard sign pop.

Once you know what kind of sign you want and what size you want it to be, make sure to check it out on Signs.com. Our yard signs and real estate signs can be custom made at any size to fit your needs. Signs.com offers an industry-leading design tool to design your yard sign on our website. We also feature popular templates to help you get started with your yard sign. If you need help with your design, Signs.com is proud to offer free design services from our professional graphic design team to all of our site users.

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