Banners and Flags

Four Great Ideas for Creating Effective Promotional Banners and Flags

Banners and flags have been used for promotional purposes for centuries – the arrival of prominent guests in a town or city was announced by a flag or banner carrier showing off the family crest. Similarly, flags signified the beginning and end of battles, and they are still used today to indicate property or possession of land and to serve as signals. They are also very commonly used to provide an identity for a particular group such as a country, team or affiliation.

The reason that these are so effective is because they are highly visible. Since they are taller than most other promotional items and can move around in the wind, they instantly catch the eye and draw attention. This means that banners and flags are excellent to use for marketing or advertising purposes. Brand visibility forms a large part of any marketing strategy, and getting a brand noticed and increasing visibility with flags or banners can add value and be extremely cost-effective when they are compared to traditional advertising media. They create a striking visual impact and can be used almost anywhere, at functions, events and shows. They are crucial at trade shows and exhibitions to indicate the presence of a brand and to provide a visual cue of the brand identity.

When it comes to the effective design and use of banners and flags, there are three key factors to consider: colour, design and size. You have to get these three things right in order to make your banner advertising effective. Here are some tips on how to create banners that are more effective:

1. Appeal to emotion: Memorable banners and flags create a feeling or an emotion within us. The image has to be appealing to the rational self, while being pleasing to the eye. The concept also has to connect the person to the brand and create a particular feeling or perception of what the brand identity is all about. The person has to experience the design, not just see it.
2. Appeal to the target market: Your banner should appeal to the people it aims to attract. Sometimes this can be more difficult than you imagine because your target market does not only consist of one demographic. For instance, a child’s toy should be appealing both to the child and to the parent. It should make the child want to play with the toy, yet it should be intelligent enough to persuade a parent to buy it.
3. Use white space wisely: If you want a professional, clean feel, it is advisable to leave a lot of white space on the banner. This makes it readable and professional. Do not spoil the banner with too many colours and too much imagery – white spaces can be very effective as a backdrop for graphics and text.
4. Create a call to action: People want to interact with your product via their cellphones and you can create a call to action by including a QR code on the banner. This means that they can connect to your brand via technology.

If you want to find out more about creating effective banners and flags, speak to our professionals at Portable Shade today!