Featured Project: Watchfire Signs Delivers Retro Signage to Wildwoods

Watchfire Signs, a provider of exterior and interior LED signs, was selected by The Greater Wildwood Tourism Improvement and Development Authority (GWTIDA) to manufacture a large digital sign for The Wildwoods Grand Gateway, a visitor experience that greets the tourist destination’s nine million annual visitors.

The Wildwoods Grand Gateway welcomes visitors to the New Jersey corridor with a “Doo Wop” nostalgia-themed sign in the shape of a surfboard and a second sign in the shape of a large wave holding up the digital sign. The Gateway also features an artistic mural on a new pump station wall, and dozens of large Wildwoods signature cement beach ball bollards strategically scattered around the sign and along the corridor.

The new gateway is immediately seen by visitors entering the barrier island in southern New Jersey and plays off the area’s famous mid-century modern architecture.

“We had a static billboard located in that area that we updated every two weeks to keep it current,” says Ben Rose, director of marketing and public relations for The Greater Wildwoods Tourism Authority. “With our Watchfire sign, we can change messages at any time to keep events current and to display public service information.”

The digital sign is used primarily to promote the events taking place throughout the island, inside the convention center, along the beach, and on the area’s three-mile boardwalk. It has also been helpful in communicating updated COVID-19 messages and will be used for public safety messages, such as hurricane evacuation instructions if needed.

Upon departure, the backs of the two signs bid farewell to visitors with more ’50s themed messages. The back of the sign says “See Ya Later Alligator,” followed by the surfboard sign’s message, “After A While Crocodile.”