Why Exterior Building Signage: The Latest From Grid151

By Ryan Peterson   |   Published Jan. 22, 2024

Grid151 is proud to announce the newest addition to the Philadelphia (well, Plymouth Meeting) skyline: Our building – formerly and for a long time known as the “Key Bank building” – is now the “Grid151 building” with our new exterior building signage. This is a significant milestone for us as we continue to seek innovative ways to connect with our customers, partners, team members, and the community at large. The installation of our new exterior signage is the latest example of our commitment to increasing our visibility in the community while underscoring the importance of branding for all businesses.

In a world that is increasingly saturated with ads, it is crucial to have a strong branding strategy in place. No matter what we do or where we do it, we are representing brands – even when we aren’t thinking about it. For a relatively new business like Grid151, and a few of its core products like eAgency and GridBase, we are new to the real estate ecosystem so we need to take advantage of any and every branding opportunity that we can.

Why did we invest in exterior building signage in Plymouth Meeting? An exterior sign serves as a stamp of legitimacy for businesses in a particular community. An exterior sign can help businesses build trust and make it easier to attract new customers. There are no guarantees in life, but investing in exterior signage is a bold statement: We are here to stay. We are planting a flag in this place, investing here, growing here, drawing our teammates and customers here. Especially in an ever-increasing work-from-home marketplace, our building signage says “We’re here – inside this very building – innovating, creating, problem-solving, and earning our clients’ trust every day.”

Exterior signage not only increases visibility, but it sends a clear message about a business’s brand and values. It is a unique opportunity to express corporate identity and personality while underscoring the company’s commitment to its customers and the community. An exterior sign can also communicate key messages to both long-standing and potential customers about what the business does and why it is distinct. Our Grid151 sign is bright, cheerful, colorful, and conveys just a hint about our culture, energy, and passion. For the 500,000 cars driving by each day, it evokes, “What a cool sign – what is Grid151?” And for prospective new hires as they approach the building, it evokes, “Oh damn, their name is on the building.” And for our team – all aware that Grid151 is a start-up – it evokes, “This better work. Our name is on the building so we can’t hide now. Here we go . . . !”

In addition to these benefits, exterior branding can potentially drive more foot traffic to businesses. For example, when someone sees a sign for a local restaurant or small business, they may be inclined to pop into the store and see what the establishment has to offer. The sign acts as an invitation to explore and engage with the business. While we don’t expect foot traffic in the building in our industry, we love that our existing teammates, prospective teammates, partners, clients, vendors, and any other visitor to the building can see our commitment to the community, this city, and to our own success. You can’t shy away from a 21-foot sign that says, “Here we are” 24 hours per day!

Renaming the building to Grid151 in Plymouth Meeting, PA is a significant milestone for us at Grid151. It is an opportunity for us to communicate our message, values, and commitment to our customers and the community at large. An exterior sign on a building is more than a marketing tool; it’s a visible representation of a business’s identity and presence in the community. Grid151 is leading the way to better branding with our new sign, and we are excited to see who notices, who asks, and how it makes current and future teammates, clients, and partners feel about Grid151 as they drive up to our beautiful new space!