Trade Show Backdrops

LESS IS MORE

Trade show banners have more impact if you keep them simple. Stand-up banners get peoples’ attention. Let your salespeople and marketing collateral educate them.

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Photography should be pleasing to the eye and complement your company. White space or negative space is not wasted space. I get it: you’re paying for real estate so why not use it all? White space or negative space can help create interest and direct the eye. Keep your design clean, simple, and easy to read. Just because there’s empty space, doesn’t mean you should fill it.

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SHORT, SIMPLE MESSAGING

Don’t make people think. Keep your messaging short and sweet, but still impactful. It will be easier to read from a distance, and also quicker to read for those walking by. Also, it’s a good idea to avoid small type. People will be looking at your banner from at least a few feet away and you want it to be as legible as possible.

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USE MULTIPLE BANNERS

Having more than one banner can help make a larger impact on your audience. It also gives you more space for content. Instead of trying to squeeze a ton of information on one banner, spread it out on two. Or if you really want to create an impact, cascade an eye-catching photo across three banners. Another way to utilize multiple banners shown in the example below is to create supporting banners with your branding. You don’t need every banner to be different.

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INFORMATION HIERARCHY

People read top to bottom, left to right. Keep your high-priority information at eye level and to the top of your banner. The bottom of your banner should be reserved for things like websites or phone numbers. You want people to finish reading the banner with some sort of takeaway. That said, if your website is your top priority then use it at the top of your banner.

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COLOUR AND CONTRAST

Create interest using color in your banner. Use photography that’s bright and colorful. Bonus points if it uses your brand’s color. If your brand is orange, use orange text or icons to compliment your logo. Make sure you have strong contrast with your design so it’s easy to see. For example: avoid using yellow on white.

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USE HIGH-QUALITY PHOTOGRAPHY

Use professional, high-resolution photos for your banner. Images pulled from websites cannot be used for print. They will look pixelated or blurry. The minimum resolution you’ll want to use is 100DPI. Because your banner is seen from a distance, your eye won’t be able to tell that it’s less than 300DPI. If you don’t have any photos or a budget for a photographer, download stock photography. You can use sites like iStock to search for photos.