Learn how custom outdoor signage from Signs By Tomorrow helped Texas' Brazos Bend State Park and a private cruise line transform their looks!

1. Case Study: Custom Outdoor Signage
Brazos Bend State Park: A “World-Class Sign for a World-Class Park”
The Challenge: Funding a World-Class Sign
Brazos Bend State Park, a 5,000-acre park on
the Upper Texas Coast, is just 40 miles from
downtown Houston and draws visitors from all
over the world, but its 27-year-old wooden
entrance sign was showing its age. With Texas
State Parks facing ongoing budget cuts, they
had to get creative about how to finance a new
custom entrance sign that would make a great
first impression.
Old Sign
New Sign

2. The Solution: Tapping the Local Business Community
Houston’s FOX affiliate recently profiled the crisis faced by Texas state parks. In the interview,
Bryan Frazier of Texas State Parks promotions and marketing said, “What we had was a $4.6
million hole in this year’s budget to fill and one for next year as well, so we were facing budget
situations where you know we had to look at all of our options to continue to do services that
the public demands and wants. That got us to where some businesses, businesses that share
our core mission, come to us and get involved.”
One of the businesses that stepped up to help was custom signage and graphics solutions
provider, Signs By Tomorrow of Houston South. Sign center owner Thor Holder had been
working with Texas Parks and Brazos Bend State Park for a number of years. He knew this
important park needed a more sophisticated custom entrance sign than they could get through
their usual methods, which include having local prison inmates make the custom signage.
To achieve a higher-end sign, Holder and his staff turned to a design that involved a
combination of hand carving and detailed painting. The end product had to look fantastic but
also meet the price point established by the park.
The Result: Tapping the Local Business Community
The final sign stands six feet tall and 15 feet wide and features a detailed three-dimensional
representation of an American alligator, one of the park’s main attractions.
Due to its width, the custom sign is comprised of multiple panels but features sealed seams and
a fiberglass overlay that allows for a seamless finish. The alligator cutout is covered with a
polyfill that seals it and converts it to a very rigid molded piece that then is painted.
“A world-class park needs a world-class sign. And with the
budgetary situation as it stands today, without Thor and Signs
By Tomorrow’s help, a local business, there no way we would
have a sign welcoming visitors from Houston and all over the
world.”
-Steve Killian, Brazos Bend State Park park manager

3. To capture the character of the American alligator, Holder actually spent hours studying
alligators up close and noting their texture and color for the most accurate reproduction.
The end result is striking signage design that makes a dramatic first impression and is
manufactured to hold up for many years. Best of all, Best of all, thanks to donations of both
time and materials from Signs By Tomorrow of Houston South, taxpayer dollars only had to pay
for half the value of the sign.
Tips When Installing Outdoor Signs or Graphics
 Make sure you have all needed permits.
 Because many signs require a flat surface, some site preparation may
be needed.
 Many custom outdoor signs can be illuminated using spotlights or LED
lighting.
 New high-density foam is much lighter than brick or stone, comes in
many textures and allows for much faster installation.

4. Carving a Path to Adventure: Custom Signage for a Private Island
Benefits of Custom
Outdoor Signs
 Transform signage
into works of art
 Achieve unique
branding and style
 Dual tone and rustic
look
 New materials do not
crack, warp or bow
 Lightweight for
savings on shipping
and installation
The Challenge: Withstanding the Elements
When a private cruise line needed custom signage that
could stand up to full sun, high winds and blowing sand
on its private Haitian island, it turned to Signs By
Tomorrow of Fort Lauderdale, FL for assistance.
The Solution: Custom Sign Design
Responding to the challenge, signage and graphics center
owner Lynn Elsasser and her team developed signs that
reinforced the look of each of the island’s themed
neighborhoods while holding up to the demanding
Dibond sign –
“Driftwood” design

5. weather conditions. Various types of custom graphics were needed, including:
 Driftwood-style signs showing the approximate walking time to each area on the island
 Treasure map-themed signs showing the location
of attractions within each neighborhood
 A tall sign (shown on the previous page) hand-
carved by native Haitians for which Signs By
Tomorrow produced directional arrows and icons
Using dibond materials printed on a flatbed and router
cut, Signs By Tomorrow was able to deliver themed signs
with a high-end, customized look designed to appeal to
island visitors that could withstand the elements.
The Result: Passing the Test
After providing a sample sign for testing in the extreme
weather conditions, the client ordered production of dozens of the custom Treasure Map Sign
signs to be used throughout the island.
A Breath of Fresh Air
Custom outdoor signage is a smart investment in making a great first impression. Today’s
materials are more versatile than ever, allowing you the opportunity to reinforce your brand
while developing a marketing tool that will stand the test of time.