Travel eastbound along I-794 in downtown Milwaukee and you’re sure to notice a mix of branding sprinkled among the city’s skyline. U.S. Bank, Quarles and Chase stand out atop the tallest office buildings just north of the elevated highway. Closer to eye level, the Milwaukee Public Market’s neon sign is hard to miss, especially at night.

Over the past couple years, there have been several new signs added to the corridor with a wave of companies relocating or expanding downtown.

Milwaukee Tool’s new office has become a landmark in the Westown neighborhood with its giant red wall and iconic logo facing I-794. Just a couple blocks east, fintech firm Fiserv installed multiple signs on the HUB640 building upon moving its corporate headquarters there early this year. Menomonee Falls-based Kohl’s Corp. opened a store location on the ground floor of the same building late last year, and its rooftop signage was ultimately affixed to a neighboring apartment building. Baird recently added its logo to the north and south sides of the U.S. Bank Center – and to Milwaukee’s convention hall, now known as the Baird Center. Other names now visible along I-794 include Regal Rexnord, Husch Blackwell, Old National Bank and Central Standard Craft Distillery.

Signage marking a company’s physical presence is usually just one piece of a larger strategy to market to both consumers and potential new employees – but it’s an increasingly important piece in today’s digital age.

For GRAEF, which moved its headquarters to The Avenue in 2019, placing its logo in a prominent spot – hoisted above the intersection of West Wisconsin Avenue and North King Drive – was crucial in strengthening its presence in the Milwaukee area. Its previous office location at the Honey Creek Corporate Center complex on the city’s far west side did not offer nearly that level of visibility.

“Our sign was on a placard that, unless you looked for it, you weren’t going to find it,” said Pat Kressin, vice president of GRAEF. “Here, it’s meant to be bright, it’s meant to be interesting, and I know it’s improved our branding within the business community in downtown Milwaukee.”

GRAEF’s sign can be programmed to display various colors to mark certain events or occasions, such as a Milwaukee Bucks playoff run or the recent Republican National Convention. Employees are encouraged to submit ideas for color themes based on causes they care about.

As a design-engineering firm with commercial clients across the nation, GRAEF has been involved in the installation of numerous signs, including, locally, Milwaukee Tool’s and the Bradley Symphony Center’s. In some instances, like the Milwaukee Art Museum, the building itself serves as the sign and name branding isn’t necessary.

“Signage can take a lot of different forms, and it’s really meant to be what is your brand and how does your sign go together,” said Kressin. “Ours is meant to be changing and part of the community because so much of the work we do is community based, that’s why we wanted ours to have the ability to change colors and support different types of groups.”