Merit Award
Signs of Love/Signs of the Holidays
Location
Reno, NV
Client
We Love This Place!
Design
The Glenn Group
Design Team
Stan Byers (principal in charge), Paul Hamill, Tamara Pferschy, Brian Johnson, Scott Mortimore, Brett Rhyne
Fabrication
Carl’s Blue Printing (sign printing), 3M (inks, vinyl, laminate)
Photos
The Glenn Group
Signs of Love and Signs of the Holidays were two separate guerrilla street sign postings in downtown Reno. Designed to inspire double takes and smiles, the signs were posted on existing sign poles the night before Valentine’s Day 2007 and during the holiday season in 2005. The Glenn Group wrote sign copy, created layouts for the printer, and hung the signs. The design team’s primary challenges were to make the signs as authentic looking as possible, and to duck police officers and city officials during “installation.” In a city where street art and renegade postings are not common, the signs inspired surprise, delight, and good feelings about the city.
Jury Comment
“Who hasn’t wanted to remove the street sign that prevents you from parking in what should be a legal parking space but for some reason has been taken out of use by some impenetrable set of regulations? Thankfully, someone has had the idea of adding signage instead—and signage that brings a smile to your face rather than the expected grimace. Both of these projects, executed guerilla style, take a ubiquitous object and transform it into something playful. It is unlikely that these lasted in place for more than a day or two, but perhaps that impermanence adds to the sense of mischief and excitement integral to the project’s success.”