A custom event banner can create a great first impression and generate buzz around an occasion. Banners are easy to produce, inexpensive and reusable. They’re visually appealing, easy to read and they catch the attention of passersby in our visually stimulating world.
SpeedPro is the pioneer of Great.Big.Graphics. Our bold and imaginative full-color banners help your business stand out from the crowd, while our high-quality materials and UV-resistant ink stand the test of time.
Are Banners Right For Your Next Event?
Because they’re recognized as a temporary form of signage, people tend to associate banners with an event or novelty. They tend to stop and take notice and see if the banner is promoting something of interest to them.
Banners are used to promote and liven up many types of events, such as:
Flash or seasonal sales
Retailers often use sale banners to advertise repeat events such as back-to-school or summer sales and once-off flash sales. Sale banners catch a shopper’s eye even in the visually chaotic backdrop of a store because they are prominent and usually printed in attention-grabbing graphics and colors.
Tradeshows
Often the brands and companies taking part in tradeshows have to travel to arrive, set up their booth, attract new clients and then dismantle the whole thing before moving on and repeating the entire process. Retractable banners and tabletop banners are lightweight, durable and easy to transport. They give your business a sense of credibility – letting people know who you are and what you do. They make a lasting impression on potential customers.
Pop up events
Creating a temporary space is as easy as unrolling a roll up banner or two. High-quality signage makes a temporary event where the press and public are invited more credible. Temporary banners allow you to create some buzz for your brand’s debut without costly overhead.
Festivals and Concerts
Hanging banners advertising upcoming festivals and concerts can be placed at strategic points along the road or sidewalk in the weeks and days leading up to the event. Large digitally-printed banners used as a backdrop visually enhance the stage and add to the atmosphere of the concert or festival. Worth noting is that at any event with a stage, at some point or another, all eyes will be drawn to that stage, so it’s a smart place for banners bearing logos or brand names for maximum exposure.
Birthdays
Milestone birthdays are often marked with a big party, and can be made extra special with a custom-printed birthday banner. These can range from simple yard signs to let people know where the fun is to larger step and repeat banners, which are popular with all age groups for taking photos and selfies.
Weddings
A customized wedding banner creates an elegant backdrop for guests and the happy couple. Our banner design team can create a beautiful scene for your wedding photos that perfectly matches your wedding’s theme and color scheme.
Anniversaries
Anniversaries come once a year, some of which are more important than others. Whether it’s your company celebrating 10 years in business with a sale and a big hanging banner over the storefront entrance, or your parents marking 50 years of marriage with a party and a pop-up party banner, there’s a banner for every anniversary celebration.
Museums and art galleries
Museums and galleries often have soaring entryways that are ideal for large, hanging banner advertising. Let patrons know about upcoming or limited exhibitions through boulevard banners and x-banners along the corridors inside.
Black tie events and galas
Step and repeat banners lend a sense of glamour and style to these events and encourage people to take pictures in front of the banner. You get instant (and free) advertising when they post on their social media.
Conferences
Using retractable banners or standing banners to guide attendees through large convention centers reduces the chance of people getting lost or missing a session. Use them as welcome signs, wayfinding and accessibility signs, and to introduce speakers outside of conference room doors.
Press Conferences
Sporting event organizers often hold press conferences using step and repeat banners as a backdrop. They give useful information about the sponsors or brands involved, while covering up a potentially messy background wherever the press conference is being held.
Graduations
Schools and universities use custom vinyl banners to create a sense of occasion around this yearly event. Big banners in school colors with congratulatory messaging connect friends and family, while standing banners can act as wayfinding signage in large venues that host graduations.
Types Of Event Banners
Banners are available in a variety of styles. SpeedPro can guide you to the right type of banner for your event, be it indoor or outdoor, private party or public expo.
Hanging Banners
These are what come to most people’s minds when they think of banners. They can be hung vertically or horizontally. They are most often found suspended from ceilings, between large posts or across walls.
Roll-up Banners
Also known as retractable banners, these self-supporting displays are ideal for traveling and can be set up in a matter of seconds. They are popular at trade shows and pop-up events.
Spring Banners
Also known as x-banners, these banners are comprised of printed vinyl stretched over an x-shaped banner stand. They are lightweight, easily collapsible and can be large enough to function as a backdrop at events and conferences.
Step and Repeat Banners
Also known as a press wall or media wall, step and repeat banners are made from high-quality material and feature a repeating motif, often a logo or company brand name. They can be mounted on various types of stands, such as x banner stands, retractable banner stands or telescopic stands.
Pole Banners
Also known as boulevard banners or street banners, pole banners are usually hung vertically from lamp posts or other poles. They are generally made of durable, weather-resistant vinyl and are double-sided so they can be read from either direction. While most people associate them with outdoor banners, boulevard banners are also popular in stadiums and airport concourses.
Mesh Banners
These banners are made from perforated vinyl, which allows wind, light and sound to pass through, making them perfect for outdoor events. They can appear almost transparent while still maintaining strong colors and graphics, although the overall effect can seem slightly muted due to the perforations in the material.
Vinyl (PVC) Banners
Polyvinyl Chloride, also known as PVC and often shortened to vinyl, is by far the most popular choice for most banners. It’s extremely durable and weather-resistant, so it’s the go-to choice for outdoor banners. Vinyl banners can have either a glossy or matte finish.
Fabric Banners
Fabric banners are lightweight and easy to store and transport. They are more suited to short-term indoor events as they are not as weather-resistant as vinyl. They are light-absorbing (don’t create a glare), which is a plus when it comes to indoor events in large, brightly-lit spaces. Fabric banners can also be backlit to create ambiance in low-light settings, like restaurants, bars, and theaters.
Indoor Versus Outdoor Banners
Outdoor Banners
Material: The best material for outdoor banners is heavy-duty vinyl due to its durability. It can hold up under harsh weather conditions without tearing, wearing or experiencing premature color fading.
Installation: The best installation choice for outdoor events are:
- hanging banners
- pole banners
- mesh banners
- Feather flags
These can be double or single-sided, securely fastened to withstand the elements and will last as long as needed.
Size: Speedpro can create outdoor banners in a range of sizes from as large as 10ft by 10ft to as small as 2ft by 2ft.
Indoor Banners
Material: Indoor banners can be made from either vinyl or fabric as they don’t need to hold up to the elements.
Installation: This is dependent on a few factors, such as the dimensions of the indoor space and the amount of foot traffic. Generally speaking, indoor banners are either suspended from the ceiling or walls or mounted on banner stands.
- hanging banners
- step and repeat banners
- x banners
- retractable banners
Size: Indoor banner sizes can be discussed with our graphic design team. Call us to book an appointment
Finishing Options
Taped Hem And Grommets – a taped hem is when 1” of the banner material is folded over on itself using strong double-sided tape along the entire perimeter of the banner. This results in a clean, finished look and extra strength around the edges to avoid tearing. Grommets are placed at regular intervals along the perimeter to reinforce banner strength and aid installation. Grommets are available in three different finishes: black, silver and brass.
Sewn Hems – SpeedPro uses strong nylon thread double-stitched along the perimeter of the banner.
Webbing – reserved for outside banners that have to stand up to high winds and long-term outdoor use, this nylon reinforcing material is sewn into the hem of the banner and grommets are added on top to add another layer of durability.
Pole Pockets – these are sewn into the top or bottom (or both) of a banner that’s to be suspended from a horizontal pole such as a light post or wall bracket. Sometimes they are needed for indoor stand poles as well.
Wind Slits – wind slits are semi-circle-shaped cuts made at regular intervals throughout the surface of a banner destined to be placed in an area of strong winds. They allow air to pass through and reduce the risk of damage in high winds.
Why Work With A Professional For Banners For Your Next Event
The reality is that people stop and take notice of banners. They’re meant to be temporary, so people expect them to have interesting, timely or useful information. Because they’re so versatile and affordable, the uses for event banners are virtually unlimited.
Get in touch with your local SpeedPro’s design team for a project consultation today to learn about using personalized banners for your next event!