By signcraft
Posted on Sunday, April 12th, 2026
A little “shock value” goes a long way to boosting a sign’s effectiveness. There’s something that catches the viewer off guard. “What’s that bicycle—or flying lady or giant cupcake—doing up there?” Now you really have their attention.
Creative sign makers have long known the value of surprise to get the attention of viewers. Once you’ve drawn their eyes with something that catches them off guard, it’s easy to get them to read the sign’s message.
In “Signs that surprise the viewer” you’ll find 17 such signs that will spark your own creativity the next time a customer says they “want something a little different…”—like this sign for a bike shop by Rick and Megan Sacks, The Sign Shop, Mendocino, California. Check them all out!
Dan Sawatzky, Sawatzky’s Imagination Corporation, Chilliwack, BC, Canada
