THE SCIENCE BEHIND HAWKER SIGNS

These boards chart Singapore's linguistic development and shifting preferences

- Cherie Lok

Stepping into a hawker centre can be overwhelming, to say the least. Often, you are met with an onslaught of sights, smells and sounds, tugging you in every direction.

How do stalls rise above the clutter to snag the attention of diners? The Sunday Times breaks down the anatomy of a sign, exploring how different generations of hawkers have stamped their identities on these rectangular boards in their own unique ways.

WHAT IS IN A SIGN?

Unlike restaurants, hawkers do not have multi-page menus that detail the stories behind their food, nor a dining room to immerse guests in their culinary vision. All the information about who they are and what they offer has to be communicated through the slim, rectangular lightbox perched above their stalls.

Most hawkers have the freedom to pick the colour and style of their sign, provided they adhere to the National Environment Agency's (NEA) guidelines, which advise on permissible sizes and locations.

There are also restrictions on language and images - no vulgar or offensive material, for instance, or images of political office holders on the main signboard, according to an application form one stallholder had to fill in.

These guidelines, NEA says, help “maintain some uniformity and prevent obstruction of public spaces or neighbouring stalls”.

That still leaves room for creative autonomy, so signage companies typically do not use a standard template, instead customising each design based on the client's specific needs.

“We start by understanding every customer’s preferences, products, services and target audience, and if there is any story behind its branding,” says Ms Anthea Tan, 33, key account director of Big Image Group, a company that makes signs.

This story is told in text, colour, font and photography. But the messages these elements convey resonate differently across generations.