Directional signs, whether used in marketing or retail contexts, are informational tools designed to guide customers to a specific point of sale or within a store to access a particular area. Their purpose is to direct visitors to the products they are looking for once they are inside the store. The most common type of these signs is the directional sign. They play a crucial role in the shopping experience, especially in large stores where customers may not be familiar with the store layout.

In the field of outdoor advertising, directional signs are advertising displays sold by the space and indicate the direction to follow to reach a specific point of sale. Large retail chains often own fleets of several thousand of these signs, acquired for periods ranging from one to several years. The advertisements on these signs are rarely changed, making them long-term communication tools.

A striking example of the event-based use of a directional sign is that of a mocking advertising campaign.