Are all retail
light boxes are created equal?
New
developments in retail light box technology and demands from end users for more
a sophisticated and energy efficient cohort of merchandising and display
products may be signalling the demise of standard light box technology.
So, what
does this new technology bring to the table?
- Dramatic reductions in energy consumption that
translate in dramatic dollar savings
- Significant reductions in the hidden and ongoing costs
of maintenance and upkeep
- Thinner light boxes that save space and enhance consumer
ex
- Improvements in the effect of advertising through
brighter and more even illumination
- Meeting consumer and regulatory demands for
environmentally friendly retailing
Who’s Being Left Behind?
Traditional
retail or shop light boxes have been effective for decades. They are simple
constructions that really they are no more complicated than the name suggests –
A box, illuminated from with in. Typically they are 200mm (8 inches) in
thickness and fabricated in aluminium. Inside a number of fluorescent tubes are
mounted to the fabrication and illuminate a graphic applied to an acrylic face
on one or both sides of the light box. These traditional-type light boxes are
still commonly used today and are as effective as they have ever been. The
problem is that the world and consumer expectations has moved on, leaving this
old technology falling short in a number of areas.
Firstly
these traditional store light boxes really chewed through the power. A large
light box of 6m x 3m (approx 20 x 10 foot) requires 45 x 58 watt fluorescent
tubes to effectively illuminate. Such a light box, running for just 12 hours a
day, uses around 12,000 kW of power per annum and that equates to an
electricity bill of well in excess of US$1000. For just one light box!
Maintenance
is also an issue that seems to be problematic for business owners using these
traditional style light boxes. Just one faulty tube in your light box can make
it look… well… average at best. And clearly the likelihood of a fault at any
given time, when you have 45 fluorescent tubes or more illuminating a single
light box, is rather high. Flickering or broken tubes quickly become a
considerable ongoing cost and as a result it is common to see this type of
light box with dull patches or shadows across the surface. This flawed
presentation has a negative impact on consumer perception of your brand, not to
mention a significant decrease in the impact of your signage or advertising – it’s
not professional and it’s not bright.
New Technology! But Buyer Beware
The new
player in the light box display market is edge
lit or slimline technology. These
terms refer to light boxes which operate by means of a light source applied
directly to the edge of an internal acrylic panel, the front surface of which
illuminates due to a matrix pattern printed on that surface.
These
matrix patterns are the crucial element in the effectiveness of slimline light
boxes. The light that is introduced into to acrylic panel is reflected by the
pattern and exits the panel via the front face, thus illuminating any poster or
graphics placed on that face. Effective light patterns operate using algorithms
that have been calculated to distribute the light evenly across the panel. In
essence these patterns reflect less light near the edge of the acrylic panel,
where the light source is applied and light levels are at their highest, and
more light at the centre of the panel where levels are at their lowest. With
out an effective diffusion pattern the perimeters of the acrylic panel would be
brightest, whilst the centre would be dim.
And let me
take this chance to warn you (!), there are plenty of cheap slimline light
boxes on the market using sub-standard light patterns which product exactly
this result. Be sure that your supplier understands the workings of matrix
patterns in slimline light boxes and can assure you that the product you are
purchasing uses a legitimate pattern.
Saving $$$ and Keeping Up Appearances
After all,
the uniform diffusion of the light source across the face of the light box is
one of the major triumphs of slimline light box technology, as it eliminates
the hot spots or cold spots that are visible in varying degrees in all older forms
of light box signage. These terms refer to a visible variation in light
intensity causing some areas of the illuminated face to be clearly brighter or
duller than other areas. By contrast, slimline light boxes produce a smooth and
even illumination across the face of the panel. But there are also a number of
other benefits which have dramatically increased demand for this relatively new
technology.
As
mentioned above, electricity consumption and maintenance are significant
operational costs associated with traditional “back lit” light boxes. These costs
are in fact two sides of the same coin, in that they are a direct result of the
number of fluorescent tubes required to effectively illuminate any given light box.
A high tube count clearly equates to higher power usage, but this number also
dictates the regularity of maintenance procedures by multiplying the
probability of faults. Slimline light boxes reduce the tube count by 50 - 70%
thus reducing maintenance cost by a comparable percentage. The exact figure
varies dependent upon the size and proportions of the light box in question,
but if we take the example given above of the 6m x 3m light box using 45
fluorescent tubes, a slimline light box of the same dimensions would achieve
equal illuminance using only 12 tubes – a reduction in tube count of over 70%.
The term
slimline is also an indicator of another major advantage offered by this type
of illuminated signage. slimline light boxes can be as little as 20mm (13/16”)
thick! – just one tenth that of a traditional light box. Creating a brightly illuminated
panel just 20mm thick is a significant technical achievement, but don’t expect
too many shoppers to comment on your fantastic technically advanced light
boxes! It’s the refinement these slimline panels lend to a retail environment that
makes the difference. They help to create a modern aesthetic that surely does
impact on the consumers’ over all perception of the environment and of your
products and brand – that’s why slimline light boxes are now favoured by most
architects and interior designers.
The Future is Clear
So it’s
clear, not all light boxes are created equal, and the major benefits of
slimline light boxes are undisputed. As for all those smaller advantages, it
all comes down to detail, but it’s often said, “retail is detail” and light box
advertising is one detail on which you can’t afford to fall behind.