I.  The Post-COVID Rebound

1. The signage industry was one of the many businesses that suffered during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, with 75% of printing businesses reporting sales drops. With many companies temporarily closed and events canceled, there wasn’t much need for banners, posters, or other printed signage. ^[1]
2. Things started to turn around in late 2021 and into 2022. As stores and events came back, so did the need for signs. Growth remained modest, but the industry stabilized and posted a slight yet positive 0.3% increase in revenue by 2024. ^[2]
3. Early post-COVID demand was driven by safety and health messaging. You’d see floor stickers for distancing, signs for masks, and banners showing vital information about pandemic safety and vaccination. These simple tools helped many businesses operate while keeping people safe and informed. ^[2]
4. Once things felt normal, businesses returned to using signs for promotions, sales, and events. By 2023, the global sign market was worth around $40–41 billion and is expected to reach about $41.4 billion by 2028. ^[3]

II.  Signs and Banners During the Election Season

5. Election seasons often see an uptick in signs and banners demand. In the 2020 election, searches for “yard signs” increased by 36% compared to 2016, with campaign yard signs drawing much fanfare and attention. ^[4]
6. That strong interest continued into 2024 when the sign searches were still up by 23% compared to 2016. This steady demand shows signage remains a popular and trusted tool for getting messages out during elections.^[4]
7. Election campaign yard signs comprised about 57% of all unofficial merchandise sold for the major candidates during the 2024 U.S. elections. That includes signs supporters buy to display at home, on streets, and at local events. ^[5]
8. While signs and banners may only change voting results by a small amount at around 1–2 percentage points, they still play a huge role in building motivation, boosting campaign visibility, and keeping staff and volunteers excited. ^[6]
9. The Advertising Specialty Institute saw a major jump in yard sign interest and even named them the 2024 “Product of the Year.” Signs became one of the most-used promo tools between pandemic messages and political campaigns. ^[4]

III.  Retail Signs and Real Estate Banners Trending

10. Signs and banners have also bounced back in some industries. In 2024, 63% of home buyers visited a property after noticing a for-sale sign. ^[7]
11. 4% of homeowners in the US note that yard signs are their main source in purchasing their homes. ^[8]
12. Meanwhile, 12% of direct home sellers rely on yard signs to market their property for sale. ^[8]
13. Signs have also impacted shopping habits. About 8 in 10 Americans say signs influence them to walk into a store, and nearly 7 in 10 buy something because a sign grabbed their attention at the right moment. ^[9]
14. Similarly, around 60% wouldn’t trust or visit a business without signage, and 68% say signs reflect how good the company is. Bad signs, especially those with errors, can affect customer purchasing decisions. ^[10]

IV.  2025’s Promotional Signage Riding the Momentum

15. As stated, the signs and banners industry reached $15.9 billion in revenue in 2025. This growth came from a steady rise of 2.3% yearly over the past five years. ^[11]
16. The signage printing market isn’t slowing down either. It’s expected to grow to nearly $144 billion by 2029, with a yearly growth rate of 4.9%. That means even more businesses will continue to invest in signs to promote themselves. ^[12]
17. Demographics-wise, almost half of millennials and Gen-Z consumers (48% each) would recommend products advertised to them by signs and billboards. ^[13]
18. A similar trend persists in the older generation, with 34% of Gen X and 23% of baby boomers also relying on promotional signage for their product choices. ^[13]
19. Even with digital ads growing, printed signs like banners and posters still dominate. Statista reports that 66% of out-of-home (OOH) ad spending in the U.S. goes to traditional formats like vinyl billboards and printed posters. ^[14]
20. A great sign sticks with people. Over 75% of customers remember a business because of its signage, which helps build brand recognition and keeps the company top-of-mind for future purchases. ^[10]

V.  Digital Signage and the Future

21. The digital signage market is growing fast. In 2024, it was valued at around $28.8 billion. By 2030, it’s expected to reach nearly $46 billion, growing at an average rate of 8.1% every year starting in 2025. ^[15]
22. Digital displays are becoming more popular in stores and offices. About 60% of businesses that don’t currently use digital signage plans to add it in the next two years, showing how quickly this trend is catching on. ^[16]
23. Worldwide, digital out-of-home advertising (DOOH) will hit $74 billion by 2032. This includes digital billboards, interactive screens, and other high-tech displays in public and commercial areas. ^[17]
24. By 2025, digital signage accounted for 41% of all global out-of-home ad revenue. That means a big part of today’s ad money goes toward screens instead of traditional signs and banners. ^[18]
25. Even with digital growing fast, printed signs aren’t going away. Most businesses still rely on traditional signage as part of their strategy, often using professional printing services to keep their branding clear, high-quality, and visible.

Conclusion

The signs and banners industry gained momentum from multiple directions in 2025. The rebound, post-COVID, to the demand during election seasons shows how vital physical signage and banners remain for communication and promotion. 2025 also saw many improvements and digital tech integrations that aim to shape the future of visual media and promotions. Yet, physical, static signs still hold strong, proving they work well alongside digital banners. The numbers tell a clear story from printed banners to digital displays: physical, tangible signs and banners aren’t just surviving but thriving. For marketers, printers, and campaigners, the signs and banners will keep leading the way in upselling your brands, promoting your products, and making your message visible

Citations

1. https://keypointintelligence.com/keypoint-blogs/how-the-printing-industry-is-surviving-the-pandemic
2. https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/industry/sign-banner-shops/6550/
3. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1380902/global-value-printed-signage/#:~:text=The%20source%20forecast%20that%20the,73%20billion%20dollars%20in%202023
4. https://members.asicentral.com/news/strategy/december-2024/2024-asi-media-product-of-the-year-yard-signs/
5. https://www.omnisend.com/kamala-vs-trump/
6. https://thehill.com/homenews/nexstar_media_wire/4876783-do-campaign-yard-signs-even-make-a-difference/
7. https://agentfire.com/blog/the-power-of-real-estate-signage/
8. https://www.nar.realtor/research-and-statistics/quick-real-estate-statistics
9. https://newsroom.fedex.com/newsroom/global-english/fedex-office-survey-standout-signs-contribute-to-sales
10. https://www.michaelshortsigns.com.au/post/5-statistics-that-say-business-signage-actually-works
11. https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/industry/billboard-sign-manufacturing/902/
12. https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/sign-global-market-report
13. https://business.yougov.com/content/50754-how-different-generations-engage-with-ads
14. https://www.statista.com/statistics/473692/digital-share-ooh-ad-spend-usa/
15. https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/digital-signage-market
16. https://www.fugo.ai/blog/https-www-fugo-ai-blog-digital-signage-statistics/
17. https://straitsresearch.com/press-release/global-digital-out-of-home-advertising-market-size
18. https://www.statista.com/statistics/272948/global-out-of-home-advertising-expenditure/