Neon is Fading, But the Look Never Will

The History of Neon

Neon signs became a staple of American signage at some point in the 20s when fluorescent coating became available in glass manufacturing, allowing sign manufacturers to create neon signs that appeared to shine in a multitude of colors.

Over time, certain cities became well-known for their neon-lit main drags including Ocean Drive in Miami, Times Square in New York, Beale Street in Memphis, and the Vegas strip.

Neon signage became synonymous with fun and good times. Often businesses would do everything they could to out-do one another with their elaborate neon lighting displays.

Soon, though, issues with the signage began to arise.

Safety and Regulatory Issues

Because of the sometimes complex wiring of neon signs, many were not installed properly. This would cause fire hazards.

Additionally, neon signs require a particularly high voltage to operate, which was expensive to maintain as well as dangerous if someone were to become accidentally electrocuted by the signage.

Cities began creating regulations to govern the use and manufacturing of neon sign. This led to a lot of businesses choosing to replace their signage rather than invest in the needed changes to adhere to the sometimes stiff policies.

LED Jumps In

With the invention and rising popularity of LED, many are going back to the look of the old neon signage, but using the much safer and less expensive LED setup instead. This creates the authentic look and feel of neon without the risk or expense.

An additional perk of going with LED over neon is that LED lighting can be dimmed, which is an improvement over neon which sometimes burned too bright without a means to remedy.

Ready for a Fun New Look?

Here at Persona, we love to complete custom lighting and signage projects for our customers. If you are interested in the feel of neon lighting, give us a call. We have many LED options that will give you exactly what you want while still keeping safety and expense in mind.