Logo Signs Research Articles

Heated tobacco products and cigarette marketing in nightclubs in Gdansk, Poland: A mixed-methods analysis.

Although advertising and promotion of tobacco products in Poland are prohibited, tobacco companies exploit legal loopholes and insufficient enforcement of the laws to conduct their marketing. To reach young adults, advertisements are placed in entertainment and social venues. This aspect of tobacco product marketing in Poland remains under-researched. The main aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence and characteristics of advertising and promotion of tobacco products in nightclubs in Gdansk, a large city in northern Poland. We conducted a single-center observational study of nightclubs in Gdansk, between July and October 2022. Two independent observers visited 30 nightclubs and collected information using pre-prepared research form. The occurrences of tobacco branded bar accessories, logo signs, package displays and other forms of advertising and promotion were recorded. Where possible, photographs of visible marketing displays were taken. Advertising of tobacco products was present in 2/3 of the nightclubs observed. The most commonly advertised product category were heated tobacco products. Tobacco brand representatives promoted and offered consumers free tobacco product samples. Multi-level marketing activities were observed, including tobacco branded bar accessories, prominent sale points and tobacco brand logo signs. The majority of nightclubs observed in Gdansk advertise and promote tobacco products. The ban on tobacco advertising and promotion is being violated in nightclubs, where the most commonly advertised products are heated tobacco products. The authorities should take steps to extend the bans to cover private promotion and enforce the law to protect high-risk individuals from smoking initiation and relapse.

Age differences in driver visual behavior and vehicle control when driving with in-vehicle and on-road deliveries of service logo signs

With the advances in vehicle technologies, more information is communicated in real-time to the driver via an in-vehicle interface. In-vehicle messaging may deliver safety-related information such as warnings as well as non-safety-related information such as an upcoming lodging place. While much research has focused on the design of messaging safety-related information, little is known about the best practice in in-vehicle messaging of non-safety-related information. This study investigated the effects of information source and load on driver signage logo identification, glance behavior, and vehicle control among younger, middle-aged and older drivers. The logos were presented on: (1) an on-road sign panel, (2) an in-vehicle display, or (3) a combination of both, with half of the drives showing logo only, and the other half of the drives showing logo plus additional text. The general findings support the use of in-vehicle displays, especially when it is presented simultaneously with on-road signs. In-vehicle displays did not lead to a higher workload or more visual distraction, and simultaneous presentations resulted in slightly better speed control. The findings also showed minimal negative impacts on logo identification from increased information load. Older drivers performed less well in signage identification and vehicle control, and they made longer glances to logo information suggesting design considerations should be made to accommodate specific driver characteristics.

Driver Logo Sign Detection and Hazard Responses during Partially Automated Driving

This study investigates the presentation of service logo information under partially automated driving. Drivers completed simulated drives with partial automation during which they had to detect target logo signs and react to hazards by taking over vehicle control when needed. Driver performance was measured in terms of sign detection rate, crash rate, and hazard response time. A number of factors, including sign information source, sign information load, and driver age group, were investigated. In general, our findings support the delivery of service logo information via in-vehicle display under partially automated driving, especially when the in-vehicle display occurred simultaneously with the on-road signage. Under this presentation condition, drivers were most accurate in detecting target logo signs, and showed little impairment from processing sign information as a secondary task when negotiating a hazard. Implications of the findings and future directions were discussed.

Effect of Driver Age and Distance Guide Sign Format on Driver Attention Allocation and Performance

Although several studies have assessed the effect of business logo sign format on driver visual attention and performance, some concern has been expressed that findings may not be generalizable to other signage configurations. We conducted a driving simulation study to assess the effect of distance guide sign format on visual attention allocation, target detection accuracy, and driving performance considering driver demographics. Results revealed distance guide sign format, including random or distance-ordered presentation of destinations, to have no impact on driver visual attention, target identification, and vehicle control. However, elderly drivers had difficulty in identifying targets when destinations were presented in random order. In addition, elderly drivers exhibited conservative responses (i.e., reduced off-road visual attention and greater speed reductions) as compared to other age groups when exposed to distance guide signs. Findings support design guidance for on-road signage to account for driver demographics.

Driver performance and attention allocation in use of logo signs on freeway exit ramps

The objective of this research was to quantify the effects of driver age, ramp signage configuration, including number of panels, logo format and sign familiarity, on driver performance and attention allocation when exiting freeways. Sixty drivers participated in a simulator study and analysis of variance models were used to assess response effects of the controlled manipulations. Results revealed elderly drivers to demonstrate worse performance and conservative control strategies as compared to middle-aged and young drivers. Elderly drivers also exhibited lower off-road fixation frequency and shorter off-road glance durations compared to middle-aged and young drivers. In general, drivers adopted a more conservative strategy when exposed to nine-panel signs as compared to six-panel signs and were more accurate in target detection when searching six-panels vs. nine and with familiar vs. unfamiliar logos. These findings provide an applicable guide for agency design of freeway ramp signage accounting for driver demographics.

The role of driver age in performance and attention allocation effects of roadway sign count, format and familiarity

White-on-blue logo signs are used to inform drivers of food, gas, lodging, and attraction businesses at highway interchanges. In this study, 60 drivers were asked to look for food and attraction targets on logo signs while driving in a realistic freeway simulation. The objective of the study was to quantify effects of the number of sign panels (six vs. nine), logo familiarity (familiar vs. unfamiliar), logo format (text vs. pictorial), and driver age (young, middle, and elderly) on performance, attention allocation and target identification accuracy. Results revealed elderly drivers to exhibit worse performance in comparison to middle-age and young groups even though they adopted a more conservative driving strategy. There was no significant effect of the number of panels, logo familiarity, and logo format on driver performance or attention allocation. In target identification, drivers were more accurate with familiar or text-based panels appearing in six-panel signs.

Driver Accuracy in Identifying Food and Attraction Targets on Business Logo Signs: Impacts of Driver Age, Number of Panels, Logo Familiarity, and Logo Format

The standard business logo sign found along North Carolina highways contains six logos, in accordance with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. As the population grows, the demand for business is increasing. Shifting from six-panel business logo signs to nine-panel signs would afford more businesses the opportunity to advertise in areas of high demand. The effects that such a change may have on the driving population are analyzed. Factors such as a driver’s age and familiarity with logos and logo format are taken into consideration. A change in the format of business logo signs is proposed not only to move from six to nine panels but also to improve the effectiveness of existing business logo signs.

Effects of Guide and Logo Signs on Freeway Driving Behavior

In the United States, white-on-blue highway logo signs are typically used to notify drivers of food, gas, and lodging at an upcoming interchange, whereas green guide signs are used to notify drivers of the distance to upcoming cities and roadways. This study assessed driver performance and attention allocation during simulated interstate freeway driving when drivers were exposed to six-panel logo signs, nine-panel logo signs, and green guide signs. The results revealed that glance durations and fixation frequencies to green guide signs were significantly lower than they were for six-panel and nine-panel logo signs; however, no differences were found between six-panel and nine-panel logo signs. There were statistical differences between the independent variables for speed deviation and lane deviation, but the magnitudes of difference were not considered practically significant for driving safety. Overall, minor differences in sign processing time between logo signs and green guide signs did not translate into degradations in vehicle control.

Driver behavior in use of guide and logo signs under distraction and complex roadway conditions

White-on-blue logo signs on the sides of highways are typically used to notify drivers of food, gas, and lodging at an upcoming interchange. The current research assessed driver performance and attention allocation in a simulated freeway driving task when exposed to six-panel logo signs, nine-panel logo signs, mileage guide signs, and roadway work zones both with and without an in-car navigation device. The objective was to identify the impact of signage types on driver behavior under realistic driving conditions. Results revealed glance durations and fixation frequencies to guide signs to be significantly lower than with six-panel and nine-panel logo signs, but no differences were found between six-panel and nine-panel logo signs. There were also statistical differences among the independent variables for speed deviation and lane deviation, but magnitudes were not large enough to be considered practically significant in terms of driving safety. Overall, there were minor differences in sign processing time between logo signs and mileage guide signs, but such differences did not translate to degradations in vehicle control.

Business Logo Signing

Specific service signs provide motorists with business identification information along freeway approaches to interchanges. The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices limits the number of these signs along an interchange approach to four and the number of logo panels per sign to six, although there are continuing requests to increase the number of panels allowed per sign. The present research evaluated specific service signs with four, six, or nine panels per sign and with all logo-based panels or all text-based panels. Participants were asked to determine whether a particular business was present on a sign. Mean reaction times indicated that for nine-panel signs, younger drivers took approximately 2.2 s to determine correctly the presence of a business, while older drivers took approximately 2.9 s. In considering drivers of all ages, an increase from six to nine panels brings mean reaction times from 1.8 s to 2.5 s for text signs and from 1.9 s to 2.5 s for logo signs. In a second task, participants were given 2 s to view each sign before reporting the businesses present on the sign. Participants reported three to four businesses on average, regardless of the number of panels on the sign. Considering the generally accepted standard that eye glances away from the forward roadway for greater than 2 s are unsafe, the study concluded that the benefit of providing more service information is presumably not great enough to outweigh the risk of information overload and driver distraction.

Driver distraction and performance effects of highway logo sign design

Driver distraction and safety concerns have been identified for new highway logo sign configurations. This study assessed driver perception of logo signs and distraction under nine-panel, overflow-combination, or standard six-panel formats. A nine-panel sign has nine business panels within a single sign; a six-panel sign has six panels within a sign; an overflow-combination consists of a standard six-panel sign and a six-panel sign displaying two different services (e.g., food and gas). In this study, twenty-four participants searched for target food business logos while driving in a high-fidelity driving simulation under each signage condition. Gas and lodging signs were also displayed along the road in conventional six-panel formats. Dependent variables included signal detection, visual attention allocation, and vehicle control measures. Experiment results showed nine-panel signs drew greater visual attention and produced lower average speed than overflow-combination signs, and produced a lower speeding percentage compared to six-panel signs. However, there was no evidence the new configurations (nine-panel and overflow) caused substantive performance changes with safety implications. This study suggested the use of nine-panel and overflow-combination logo signs may be suitable for interchanges where there are more than six qualifying businesses in a category in terms of driver performance and safety.

브랜드 로고 기호의 의미작용과 커뮤니케이션 분석 체계의 제안과 활용:소셜 미디어 브랜드 로고를 중심으로

The first purpose of this paper is to design brand logo sign analysis frame, `SCoL`(Analysis frame of signification and communication for the brand logo). It has semiotic view and communication function. And the second is to prove propriety of the suggested frame by application to social media brand logos. The SCoL frame is based on 4 features of logo sigh to have analytic consistency. Also, it covers whole semiological process with index, icon, symbol as signification understanding and reach communication step with Jakobson`s theory. As the results, the findings are follow; The SCoL frame can be useful to get comprehensive semiotic understandings and communication functions about logo signs. The social media brands build their own meaning area with logo signs and they depend on different communication function.

Evaluation of Adding Distance Information to Freeway-Specific Service (Logo) Signs

Specific service (or logo) signs provide information on attractions, camping, lodging, food, and gas services on the mainline of limited-access highways in advance of the interchange that provides access to the services. At present, to ascertain the distance to a particular establishment, motorists depart from the mainline and read the distance on the logo signs on the ramps. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness or usefulness of adding distance information on mainline logo signs. A pilot study of adding distance information on mainline logo signs at three interchanges in Virginia was conducted. The Virginia Department of Transportation requested permission to experiment with these signs and the Federal Highway Administration granted the permission. The study examined legibility, motorist opinions, and crash history related to adding the distance information. The results of the study indicated that the legibility distance for the added information on the mainline logo signs was adeq...

Laboratory Test of Driver Responses to Nine-Panel Logo Signs

When the number of businesses providing a certain service at an interchange exceeds the number of logo panels allowed per sign—currently six—the highway agency faces a dilemma. The agency could refuse to add more logos; this decision could mean more billboards; spread logos from one type of service onto several signs, perhaps using a mixed-use sign; or increase the number of logos allowed per sign. Allowing nine logos per sign would resolve the dilemma at many interchanges. The project objective was to determine the difficulty drivers reading nine-panel signs might have compared with their reading six-panel and mixed-use signs. The authors conducted a slide-based experiment in which volunteers were first given the name of a brand for which to scan. A realistic logo sign image was then shown for a short and varying time, and the subjects were asked whether the brand was on the sign. Six-panel signs had about 8% more correct responses than nine-panel signs and 5% more than mixed-use signs. Another useful finding was that the logo position on a sign made just a small difference in correct response rate. It was not surprising that six-panel and mixed-use signs generally performed better than nine-panel signs. Because the margin of the difference was small, the study team concluded that nine-panel logo signs performed well. If the use of nine-panel signs means drivers will not have to read billboards or a greater quantity of six-panel signs, drivers are likely to be as safe with nine-panel signs.

Effects of Adding Dual-Logo Panels to Specific Service Signs

Currently, FHWA's Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways allows only one business logo to be placed on a logo panel. Dual-logo panels were proposed by business owners as a solution to the complaint that single locations operating two or more business brands are ignored and unduly restricted to limited highway signing. Business owners are concerned that separate logos do not convey to the public that two brands are available at the same location; they believe that dual logos provide a means of linking services that are combined under the same roof. However, the use of dual logos raises concerns related to category placement, dual-logo recognition and legibility, and information overload. This research effort addressed several of these issues through the use of a timed survey in which subjects were asked to indicate whether various business logos were present in a series of photographs that included both single- and dual-logo panels. The objective was to gain some understanding of whether the use of dual logos would reduce the effectiveness of the logo signs. The results of the survey indicate that dual logos have lower recognition levels at shorter response times, but that, in general, the difference in recognition levels between single and dual logos decreases as both exposure time and driver familiarity with the business increases. The research results did not indicate a need to prohibit the use of dual-logo panels.

The Semiotics of Logo

Logo is a computer language that has been located in a variety of classrooms, in a variety of experimental settings, and has been examined and interpreted from the perspective provided by a variety of discursive frames. Logo is also a sign, and Peirce's construction of iconic, indexical, and symbolic sign functions are used in this article to link Logo to one particular frame, labelled “progressive education” for the purposes of this article. It is argued that an explication of Logo's sign function contributes to the debate about Logo in so much as it allows discussants to either proceed within a common frame of language, presuppositions and constructions, or, if coming from different epistemological directions, allows discussants to challenge the language, presuppositions and constructions of opposing frames.