February Sign Industry Trade Magazines - You call it!!!

[Erik Sine]

It's quite funny, and I don't even know HOW this trade mag still exists, it HAS to be due to the fact that they ride their existence on their multi sign convention venues they hold annually and not by the magazine content.

Sign & Digital Graphics still puts out the most garbage, crap brochure magazine there is for the sign industry. I can't find much positive in it, unless maybe they talk about digital printing, something which I know nothing about. But even that must make one wonder for one who is familiar with Digital Printing.

In this months Issue they have a article "Retrofits by the numbers".

What.....did Ventex suddenly forget that they make some of the best Neon SST Transformers on the market with some of the best components in it?

Now it's time to shit on the other half (which they do best) of what they do. I guess we're going to hear or get a special announcement at this years ISA Expo that Ventex has dropped Neon SST Transformers altogether and will no longer manufacturer them. Ventex's new approach, well I shouldn't say new. But their approach to anything Neon Channel Letters is "Retrofit it!" "Look, our Venbrite's can use the old existing GTO and part of the secondary and since it's a series circuit you don't have to do much of anything!" RIGHT!!! Yes, let's exchange red neon (which does not degrade in time) with red LED's, is this explained in the marketing hype? I think it used to be explained on their website BEFORE they starting selling theit Venbrites.

Their marketing approach in this Brochure "Obligation" piece where the mfg rep takes over the keyboard from the editor (Because their full page add paying customers) is that Neon Sign Companies come to them and tell them that they can't keep Neon Signs lit long enough, there is no solutions to this so they MUST "Retrofit!" SERIOUSLY??? Talk about fall from grace. This is not the first article and its been hard to bite my tongue expecting some kind of turnaround but obviously it's not coming

"YOU TOO can turn a $600 service call to $2,000!!!!" Wine flow from the fountains, balloons rise into the air and confetti falls from the skies.

The best part is, you won't have to return for 5 full year at least. RIGHT!!!

Oh, what is that on page 27? Oh a full page ad on retrofitting. Good Job!! Again, article, brochure......brochure article.



Next it's Sloan's turn to chime in on retrofitting. Not sure if this is satire or not.

If you're Sloan, you DO NOT want to illustrate some pictures of a historic sign that was marketed by their outside (subsidiary?) marketing firm to these brewery boobs who easily/ shamefully bought into your retrofit scheme. The old sign should have been re-retrofitted with Neon, simply use the "historic OG glass" in place, cut the trodes and re-pump, and reconfigure the Tranny placement circuit, what a BETTER STORY. Red neon does not degrade overtime like the sloan flexibrites. This Beer Sign has done nothing but fail since its retrofit and re-grand opening ceramony. I guess they should be glad it's happening to a brewery, I'm sure the hope is that their always too drunk to notice the failures happening outside!!!

They should have picked a retrofit job that happened outside in some other far away country like Cambodia where the LEDs are saving starving Cambodian Children.

Sign Builder Illustrator......What are they doing? Please, for all that is holy, please stop with the "Green".

I can't even remember the last time I heard Green marketed so hard, even in the sign industry.

Just the other day I read that even the UN has finally admitted the our very on Sun is responsible for earth climate changes and not so much blame on man's doing. Even the environmentalist whacko scientist who first started the rumor polar bears were being killed by global warming is now behind bars for fraud (falsifying studies for gov funds). So theirs not too many people bullshitting about "Green" anymore......unless......it's our very own magazine Sign Builder Illustrated.

C'mon, put down the green card and stop talking about how shops should be responsible to mother earth and become earth conscious, you don't need to be promoting MFG's who sell guilt. No ones buying into paying more for less, no one has the money to pay more and get less in return these days.....unless you're "magic mouth" who is willing to squanders daddies company from the former glory and of which had a large portion of integrity. Just because the son was groomed for the position, it does not mean he will be just as good or better than daddy, sometimes the can sink a company and con the outside.

My favorite magazine for just about a year now?.....

Signs of The Times I don't need to say much, you want real news, read SOT. Sometimes it's toned down more than I would like, but he's putting it out. It's hard to believe that a year ago today I was calling SOT the worst magazine ever. Not the case anymore, it's turning into journalism, more and more. Pretty soon, I won't be the one wearing the painted "target" on my back anymore.

[burkeenterprise]

I've said this many times before ALL the trade mags are pushing LED's (add $ gets there) They seem to want to kill neon and neon is still the best option for durability, brightness and just plane good value. Yes we produce neon and sell LED's when they are the best option, like in small letters, but we always try to inform our customers of the issues with both. The publications seem to go with whoever is buying the adds this month.