I have written often in the past several years about “environmental graphics,” also known as “experiential graphics,” which can best be thought of as the intersection of signage and décor, comprising such print applications as interior wall graphics, window graphics (both outdoor-facing as well as interior windows like conference rooms and offices), wayfinding, decorative accents like graphics applied to elevator doors, and, basically, graphics added to virtually any surface. This had been a fast-growing application area for signmakers and display graphics producers, as the wave of new construction over the past several years meant that there were many new office spaces awaiting décor.

Well, that, as they say, was then.

As I reported elsewhere (see “ISA Quarterly Economic Report Forecasts Long Road to Recovery”), new construction has slowed down since the pandemic—not everywhere, but in aggregate. At the same time, work-from-home remains a reality for employees who can make their home office work. As a result, the virus has spawned some big changes in the types of, and requirements for, environmental graphics. Some we have already started to see, and some may be on the rise.