The evolution of signage has reached a point of drastic change. The old style of sign, known as a reader board or marquee, is giving way to programmable digital sign boards that are more convenient, efficient, and attractive. In today’s fast paced life-style, LED displays are becoming dominant especially as technology decreases overall sign manufacturing cost and increases ease of use.

1. Changeable Reader Board Signs Vs. Outdoor Programmable LED Displays
The evolution of signage has reached a point of drastic change. The old style of sign,
known as a reader board or a marquee, is giving way to programmable digital sign
boards that are more convenient, efficient, and attractive. In today’s fast paced life-style
LED displays are becoming dominant, especially as technology decreases overall sign
manufacturing cost and increases ease of use.
A Brief History of Reader Board Signs or Marquees
The reader board or marquee sign originated in America in the early 20th century.
During that time, cars were growing in prevalence and importance. The fact that many of
the people who passed in front of a store or
theater were now in cars meant that building
owners and marketers needed a new strategy to
advertise what was on sale, who was starring in a
show, and other messages. Business owners
soon realized that the automobile was there to
stay and that they needed to make it easier for
these potential customers see their messages.
Thus the marquee was born . A theater could put the names of shows and movies out on
this type sign where it would jut out over the sidewalk and be close to the street. They
were also attractive as their lights drew a lot of attention. As time went by, businesses
knew they had hit a home run with marquees as they were easy to use and could
communicate information effectively. Consequently, these signs lost their tight
association with theaters as soon convenience stores, churches, motels and other
businesses all over the world began to use them.
Early Beginnings of LED signs
Outdoor LED display signs are a relatively new innovation in signage. Their closest
ancestor is the neon sign (which appeared several decades after the marquee). Neon
signs are certainly bright and eye-catching, but the gases inside are generally not safe to
handle directly. A neon sign is difficult and expensive to change and they are also

2. significantly less versatile than a marquee because they are
fixed in design. Outdoor LED video displays are the next step
in sign evolution. Inexpensive light emitting diodes (LEDs)
have changed all kinds of display technologies in the late
20th and early 21st centuries. It is now possible to modify
the display of these signs using a computer or smartphone.
Moreover, they can do more than just show letters and
numbers; they can display images which creative managers
and advertisers can exploit to their advantage. LED displays
combine the versatility of marquee signs with the glow of
neon. Outdoor electronic signs provide great value for their
cost when considering all they can accomplish for a business
owner.
The Pros and Cons of LED signs vs. Reader Board Signs
While reader board signs have been a prominent part of
the signage business for decades, they can no longer
match the power of outdoor LED displays. The one
advantage that marquees had over the neon signs was
that they were relatively easy to change. However, LED
displays are now even easier to manage than marquees.
With a modern display, it is simple to change the screen’s
message using a smartphone, tablet, or computer. This is
useful in a variety of situations. For example, if you need
to change the sign in bad weather, you can stay indoors
and simply use a computer. If you want to change it remotely, you can now pull out your
smartphone and change the message in seconds. To change a marquee, it is necessary
to get up on a ladder and change every single letter or number by hand or pole ( a
process that usually take a movie theater an hour depending on how many new movies
have been released). Furthermore, the hardware for LED display’s prices are competitive
or, in some instances, less expensive than marquee signs.

3. Ease of Use with an LED Sign
Creative use of an outdoor
programmable LED sign is quite easy
with modern displays. Network cloud
technology means that you can use
almost anything that can connects to
the internet to change a sign’s
message. The most modern displays
come with mobile apps for updating
content hourly, or daily using
advanced scheduling. There are a lot
of stores that require updating messages on a frequent basis. For example, the price of
gas changes every day. An owner of a gas station with a marquee sign needs to manually
change the price every day to keep them accurate. On the other hand, if they had an LED
display, it would be the work of a minute to obtain the latest prices and update them at
anytime. If necessary, the owner could set a schedule for content that will run during the
week at set times.
Conclusion
While the old style of the marquee sign still hold a lot of charm due to its connection to
show business and the early decades of the 20th century, the LED display type has more
advantages in terms of convenience and versatility. It might be worth using a marquee to
capture a certain old-school feel, but an LED display will be a much more convenient
option in all situations, hands down. This is particularly true for store owners who want
to display prices, sales, images, and video on their signs. In terms of electronic sign cost,
these signs are well worth the money. The price for LED outdoor signs has now become
affordable and inexpensive enough to make them a great value that will continue to
bring in business for years to come.