After going far too long without in-person events, many are celebrating the return to outdoor gatherings, concerts, festivals and sports’ contests. Event planners are now enthusiastically organising all elements from booking venues and entertainment through to catering and security. And, when it comes to organising event access, there’s nothing better than the event wristband. But rather than going with a stock standard wristband option, why not consider designing the wristband to make it a collectable? Here are a few tips from the experts on wristband design.
1. You can be a bit of a font snob
You might not realise it on a conscious level, but the fonts used in marketing material elicit some form of emotion, one way or the other. It’s often a case of associating the font with a particular brand, advertising campaign or even show. You’re also going to want to steer clear of the common fonts – Times New Roman, Comic Sans and Helvetica come to mind – but rather consider the message the font conveys and the visibility of the font. You’ll also have to remember that the font, when printed on fabric or plastic, will appear differently to on a computer screen. That’s why you’ll have to print some samples ahead of time. While you might want to fit a lot on your little wristband space, using anything point 6 or smaller won’t be that legible.
2. Choose a good colour scheme
Remember that an event wristband is not just an event access pass, it’s a valuable marketing tool as well. That’s why you need to make it really eye-catching. If you’re choosing colours that match a particular brand, then you might be somewhat limited in your options. However, if you have a bit of freedom in this arena, then you must, must, must consider the colour contrasts. Blue text against a black background is a complete waste of time – as is yellow against an orange background. You simply can’t read what’s been printed on the wristband. Whereas blue font against a yellow background, or darks against lights, are much easier. Make sure you check a colour visibility chart before choosing your preferred colour scheme. It’s also important to note that a multi-coloured logo or text will get lost in a darker background.
3. Consider the colour profiles
Just as the font won’t appear quite the same printed as it did on the computer, the colour contrast will also alter somewhat when not on a computer screen. Printers usually print using cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK) ink whereas the image editor will use red green and blue (RGB) colour profiles. In addition, if your monitor isn’t properly calibrated, the perceived colour might shift even further. Your best bet? Always print a few before deciding.
4. Check the quality of images
Image quality is an absolute importance when printing on an event wristband. This means that the original photo or image needs to be at least 300 dpi – or 1000 MB – if you’re looking to print something that looks good. This means avoid using images you find on the web, because the images are generally around 72 dpi and there might be copywrite infringement concerns as well. Consider working with a professional graphic designer so that you have an original, eye-catching and quality image.
5. Don’t overdo it
An event wristband is an extremely useful access control and marketing tool, but it’s a small object. You need to remember this when you come in with your grand designs, fonts and colours. Too much on the event wristband and you might as well print nothing at all. It will be far too busy, overwhelming the senses so that what you’re trying to sell can’t be read anyway. Keep the event wristband design simple to make something truly effective.
6. Pick the right material
Event wristbands are available in a range of material types, depending on your event format and what your budget will allow. Plastic, Tyvek, silicone, vinyl and fabric are the dominant options, all of which are durable but completely different in appearance. Tyvek wristbands is a popular option for festivals as it’s cost-effective and great with more elaborate designs. Silicone is better with written fonts and logos than designs, while fabric comes out great with images, texts and logos.
7. Don’t delay
If you’re planning an event, then don’t leave the event wristband design until last. Make sure you have sufficient time for designing, printing some examples, manufacturing the wristbands and shipping them. Customised wristbands will take a bit longer than stock wristbands, so give the manufacturer enough time. IDC Band can assist you in everything from custom-designing your event wristbands through to manufacture and on-time delivery. Get your event wristbands done right buy wristbands online from the start with IDC Band!
