When it comes to badge design, the adage, “It’s the little things that count,” rings true. Badges, though small in size, play a significant role in the overall aesthetics of an event. Their design, when executed with creativity and purpose, can make a bold statement and set the tone for the entire event.
At their core, badges serve a practical purpose. They serve as a means to convey essential information, facilitating networking and clear communication. While their design should be functional, it should also inject a sense of fun. Event managers should not underestimate the impact of badge design on their attendees.
Before we delve into the various badge design types available, let’s review a few key reasons why badge design matters and some interesting options for your consideration.
Why Does Badge Design Matter?
Yes, function trumps form when it comes to information communication, and there are practical considerations to consider, such as durability, especially for longer events or those involving physical or outdoor activities. However, in addition to these functional components, we advise event managers to integrate the following elements in their badge design:
Brand Identity
Whatever your badge design, it should represent your brand and reflect a clear identity that is recognizable by your attendees and other event stakeholders. This can be done by incorporating the right colors, fonts, graphics, and logos, just as you would with any other marketing collateral.
Attendee Designation
While the brand story should be crystal clear and offer a shared experience for all attendees, there should also be a visual distinction between the types of attendees. For instance, a speaker should have a different badge from an exhibitor or sponsor. It should also be clear who is an attendee versus a VIP guest. These differentiators help empower communication among event stakeholders and facilitate networking, as everyone has immediate access to visual cues that provide an indication of who they’re mingling with.
Keepsakes
Presenting attendees with creative badges makes a strong and memorable first impression. This is achieved through visually appealing designs and the incorporation of valuable items that are easily attached to a badge and lanyard. Think of a small flashlight, a stylus or pen, a bottle opener, or a branded keychain.
Safety and Security
With all the advances in security features, it’s now possible to add watermarks, barcodes, and holograms to prevent unauthorized entry into specific sessions or the event itself. In this day and age, your attendees will appreciate your effort to ensure everyone’s safety and security, and doing so in a unique and easily accessible way.
Popular Badge Design Types
When it comes to badge design, the only limitation is your imagination. While there’s always a place for the traditional, it’s also worthwhile to think bigger and push some boundaries. For instance, why stick with the expected rectangular badge when you can share the same information on an entirely different shape, whether a circle, hexagon, or diamond?
Keeping the value of badge design in mind, these are some popular badge design options, considering both material and messaging. Concerning materials, high quality should always be the goal, and popular options offer different benefits, such as the following:
- Plastic: Common in badge design for a reason, plastic event badges offer hard-to-beat benefits:
- Waterproof — ideal for outdoor events
- Printable on both sides with either high-gloss or soft-touch matte
- Options for raised foil or spot gloss UV to enhance the security of reproduction
- Plastic badges allow for total customization of your brand design, with size options.
- Polystock: Similar to plastic badges, polystock badges are:
- Waterproof
- Printed on both sides, options for high-gloss or soft-touch matte
- Durable and sturdy enough for multi-day use
- Resistant to rips or tears
- Polystock badges support full customization of your brand design with options for custom or standard sizes.
- Laminated: Another popular option, laminated badges, are designed with a paper or synthetic core, featuring glossy laminate on both sides and are:
- Durable enough to last for multi-day events
- Water-resistant and easy to wipe clean
- Laminated badges can implement full color for brand personalization and are available in customized or standard sizes.
- Eco-Friendly Materials: There’s no denying that carbon footprints are a talking point, particularly at events focused on sustainability, conservation, and other environmental concerns. If your brand or event purports to be green or environmentally conscious, you’ll want to invest in badges made from eco-friendly materials. These badges are made from recycled materials like reclaimed wood, bamboo, and recycled cardstock and are attached to eco-friendly lanyards. Eco-friendly badges are:
- More sustainable than standard plastic badges
- Waterproof, depending on the sustainable material chosen
- Like their counterparts, eco-friendly badges support full color on both sides for brand personalization and can be customized.
Innovative Badge Design
There’s no denying that event managers are already stretched thin when it comes to event priorities and responsibilities. Discover what fresh eyes can bring to your badge design and explore some of our favorite projects from our design portfolio for badge inspiration.
