Traditions of neon advertising in Hong Kong and the USA

The subject of this research is the traditions of neon advertising in Hong Kong and the USA, examined as two key and simultaneously contrasting phenomena of global visual culture. The analysis encompasses the historical development of neon advertising from the 1920s to the present, as well as its aesthetic, semiotic, and spatial-urban characteristics. Special attention is paid to comparing the principles of form-making, artistic expressiveness, information structuring, and the interaction of neon objects with the architectural environment. Within the framework of the research, the study investigates how the American tradition, focused on creating large-scale, visually autonomous objects, contrasts with the Hong Kong model, characterized by high density, vertical multi-layering, and a rich polychromatic environment. The subject of the research also includes an analysis of the reasons for the contemporary crisis of neon advertising and the factors influencing its transformation in the context of technological and urban planning changes. The research is based on an interdisciplinary methodology that combines cultural, urban, semiotic, and art studies analyses to compare the historical, aesthetic, and spatial characteristics of neon advertising in Hong Kong and the USA. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the comprehensive comparative analysis of the two largest global centers of neon culture—Hong Kong and the USA—through the lens of their historical trajectories, artistic principles, and semiotic systems. For the first time, not only the visual and compositional features of neon signs are compared, but also their interaction with architecture, their role in shaping urban identity, and their degree of influence on the cultural perception of the urban environment. The findings of the research show that the American tradition has evolved towards creating monumental, autonomous visual objects, while the Hong Kong model relied on a dense vertical structure and a multiplicity of visual signals. It is established that both traditions are experiencing a contemporary crisis due to the technological replacement of neon by LED systems, economic constraints, and changes in urban planning standards. The work emphasizes the importance of preserving neon heritage as a valuable cultural phenomenon and the necessity of developing strategies for its protection and rethinking in modern conditions.

neon advertizing, Urban visual culture, Hong Kong, USA, Urban semiotics, calligraphy, Commercial aesthetics, cultural heritage, Light design, traditions