While LED has managed to muscle it's way into a large part of the Channel Letter market, it has very little impact on the business model we use here in Georgia. We are a custom neon sign shop focused on providing novelty neon signs for small businesses and your "Man Cave" dudes who got more expendable cash than they have sense....oh well, both are well received here and have been valuable customers in tough economic times. Although I don't post here often, I enjoy the dialogue many of the regular posters share with all of us. Many questions I have had over the years have been answered here and I appreciate the job Erik does in keeping me posted via email with new topics and ideas....
I have gotten a little off task, so let me get back to the meat and potatos of my post....When LED first came on the market as a sign alternative, much of it's focus was pointed toward derailing the position Neon has held in the sign market since the early 1900's. Many of the ads that were generated in Signs of the Times, Sign Builders, as well as this very message board were quick to point out all the negative things neon was rather than what alternatives LED could offer. Now, Neon folks like myself took offense to this relentless assualt on our livelihood and the result was several years of battle and millions of dollars spent at trying to undercut the other rather than improve our product. As time has passed, I have noticed that LED has relaxed its postion as the aggressor and neon has survived another attempt at making it extinct. The emobossed plastic sign dudes were the last aggressor who tried to bury Neon.
So what is my point? nothing really....just felt like expressing myself because I can. Niether plastic nor LED have any any impact on my business model and quite frankly, as a true sign enthusiast, wouldn't it be "dull" out there if we did not have variety. I have seen some great looking displays of LED right here in my back yard. I have often admired the embossed look you get with plastic...the three diminisional look you get with sandblasted signs.....the great looking fleet graphics you get with digital printing....I even enjoy getting stopped by trains just so that I can admire some of the artwork done on the box cars with a can of paint......and of course Neon still remains the most unique, eye catching salesman of them all. Just my opionion.
I wish all of you a very Happy New Year and the best of luck in 2010. Let's all work together for a change. Being a part of a "Team" means being a part of something bigger than yourself. I look forward to reading some of your insights.
David Shields
David Shields Neon
www.davidshieldsneon.com