07/27/2026
Exterior signs are seen at a distance. Often at speed. Sometimes at awkward angles or frequently inconsistent light. And typically for no more than two or three seconds.
Here are three simple things (tried and true by your EVO team!) you can do to pressure test your concept before it reaches production:
👁 Squint test: If the message softens or disappears when you squint, contrast likely needs strengthening
🩶 Grayscale test: we remove color entirely. Does the hierarchy still hold? If the collapses you're relying on Hue instead of structure.
🚗 The drive by test: drive by a sign and glance at it for 2 seconds. What sticks? What do you remember about it?
When the design struggles under these tests, the solution is rarely more embellishment. It's almost always simplification 🧡