Engaging street signage linking to consulations

I was really impressed by the signage for the recent Emma Cons Gardens consultation (just across the Borough Border, but relevant to lots of Southwark residents).  Instead of the usual dreary A4 bit of paper cable-tied to a lampost, they created really nice looking signs inviting anyone passing through the area to comment online.  This included colourful paving slabs with links and QR codes.

I'd love to see similar things replicated in Southwark, especially when a consulation pertains to a very specific geographical location (eg renovating a public square or park)

Why the contribution is important

When transforming a physical space, there's no better way to get a feel for it than being physically there.  Online forms can include pictures or even videos, but it's just not the same.  So by capturing people's attention when they're already in the space, they can take the oppurtinity to better absorb what it's really like.

Also, durable signage like this can stay up through different times of day & night and in different weather.  So you really get feedback about how it's used in a range of circumstances, rather than skewing the results towards a sunny Saturday afternoon when someone with a clipboard would normally go out and survey people in person.

by Luke on December 11, 2021 at 01:36PM

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Comments

  • Posted by Jonathan_SouthwarkAdmin December 13, 2021 at 08:35

    Thanks for this. There are a lot of factors involved in deciding what kinds of communications tools we use for any particular project - different approaches work well for different projects and different audiences, and of course budget is a factor. Often for our more localised consultations we use direct mail to people's doors. For borough-wide projects we use social media and Southwark Life. https://www.southwark.gov.uk/[…]/southwark-life

    Lately we have used lamppost sleeves for a number of our Highways consultations, which sound like the sort of thing you are thinking of.

  • Posted by Chris24Norris December 13, 2021 at 10:05

    QR codes are becoming used widely these days (e.g. in restaurants). They can be a great way of learning more about the local area

  • Posted by Jonathan_SouthwarkAdmin December 13, 2021 at 10:27

    Great point Chris - we have used QR codes on our street advertising. We've also used these people a couple of times - https://www.hellolamppost.co.uk/ - which takes things even further. The tricky part is getting people to interact in the first place sometimes.
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