40 www.signlink.co.uk Issue 250 - December 2023 / January 2024 NEON SIGNAGE filled with neon and/or argon gas, whereas LED signs are made from plastic and LED bulbs. The process of manufacture is also completely different. “We have nothing against LED signs and products, and both neon and LED can exist alongside each other to offer choice to the buyer, but we are against ‘neon signs’, ‘LED neon signs’, ‘LED neon lights’, or other derivatives being used to promote LED signs.” At the time of writing, Neon Creations has 94 individuals from the UK and further afield including the US and Australia in support of the letter which was sent to the Advertising Standards Authority on November 6th. Anyone wishing to support this letter can contact Catherine Spink at catherine@neoncreations.co.uk. Once this initial phase of campaigning is complete, the company will be extending this to a wider campaign to gain the support of the general population. On this debate, Linda Bracey agrees that the reference to LED signage as ‘neon’ is something that should be corrected by the Advertising Trading Standards due to the misrepresentation causing confusion amongst consumers. Whilst neon has its own benefits such as longevity, and Linda says she has neon signage in her home that is over 40 years old and is still going strong, LED also has its place. One example Linda gives is in a children's bedroom for safety reasons. "LED does have its place in certain situations but it will not outlast the tradition of neon bending that is now over 100 years old during which time the process of manufacture has hardly changed,” she says. This is something Ben Reynolds echoes having noticed two differences in consumer understanding of neon. The first is those in hospitality, events, retail, and visual merchandising who understand the difference between traditional glass neon and LED. However, where the company is seeing a real lack of understanding is within the general public. This is due to them being educated through Instagram and search engines where the term ‘neon’ is being used synonymously with LED flex. “The word ‘neon’ has taken on a meaning of its own whereby it’s used to describe any light or sign where custom-shaped lines light up in a choice of colour and design,” Reynolds says. Whilst Reynolds agrees that LED and glass neon both have a role and a future in signage and lighting, he says the sands have most definitively shifted. “Traditional glass neon is now viewed as higher end, and as such has found a home in the art world, whereas LED flex can be a lot cheaper with a shorter shelf life, and as such has found a home in the world of short-term events and exhibitions.” Despite being on Heritage Crafts’ Red List, neon, even after all these years, hasn’t lost its magic with the signage providing a creativity and uniqueness that just can’t be replicated. “There is something rather nostalgic about looking at a hand-bent glass neon sign,” Linda agrees, adding: “It almost has a life of its own. People love them and campaign hard to save them all over the world. Need I say more!” our buildings, monuments, and museum collections. Currently, the UK is one of only 12 countries not to have signed up. Campaigning against the misuse of the term neon for LED alternatives, with support from Heritage Crafts, is Bolton-based Neon Creations, founded by Tony and Catherine Spink. The company is running a campaign that has involved sending a letter asking the Advertising Standards Authority to set out standards that ensure that unless a neon sign is made in the traditional way, it cannot be advertised or described as a neon sign. The letter reads: “Whilst neon signs and LED signs are both types of illuminated signage, they are made from completely different materials and processes. Neon signs are made from glass tubes that are ▲ This Raymond Revue Bar sign is an example of a 1950s neon sign completely renovated by Electro Signs Neon is listed on the Heritage Crafts Association’s Red List of Endangered Crafts meaning that it runs the risk of dying out before the next generation Factoid
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