What's In a Name Tag - Firstly Your Company's Brand Image
Is it a name tag or a strong tool to promote a company's corporate image?
Today's name tags have far more to do with promoting businesses and brands than they have to do with names. Front-and-center, name badges are at eye-level with customers. This makes them hard to miss and a perfect vehicle to call attention to corporate logos and a company's brand image.
And, these days options for custom name tags are wide-open with custom shapes, sizes, styles, colors, and materials to choose from. Some of the most popular types are Metal Name Tags, Plastic Engraved Name Tags, and Full Color Plastic Name Tags.
Below, I'll tell describe:
-- the style features of these popular name badges
-- the pros and cons (or "ins and outs") associated with each
Which style is right for you?
Where name badges used to be more or less functional, today's name tags have versatility built right in.
Metal Name Tags:
Fast becoming a top seller, metal name tags are aluminum and have a brushed finish to tone down any scratches the name badges receive in day-to-day use. Available colors are gold, silver, bronze, and white.
Aluminum metal name tags are a nice light weight that ride nicely on the lapel of clothing. Select metal name tags if sophisticated style is of particular importance. (For instance, in an office or corporate settings or in an elegant hotel.) Design and name information is digitally imprinted on these name tags.
On the upside...
-- Sophisticated style, as I mentioned above. Metal name tags have an elegant "look and feel."
-- Durability. Especially with a brushed finished to minimize scratches, metal name badges last.
On the downside...
-- Because of costs and mechanical limitations, metal name tags are only available in a rectangular shape. Custom shapes ares are not available.
Engraved Plastic Name Tags:
Don't be put off by the word "plastic"; there's nothing inferior about these name badges. Engraved plastic name tags are available in a multitude of colors and shapes--and offer great flexibility in making a company logo and/or a brand's personality really stand out. Being engraved, these name badges also provide a touch of elegance.
How are engraved plastic name badges made?
Basically a plastic name tag is made from a material with a surface color and a core color for a two-color finish. They're etched through the surface color into the core to reveal the lettering color--generally a contrasting color.
Some name tag makers offer multicolor options, some do not. Name-tags.net accommodates multicolor logos by screening logos onto the surface. Since screening and engraving are two separate processes, this option is best used for larger orders to minimize costs.
On the upside...
-- A variety of colors and custom shapes are available.
-- Some name tag companies (as we do) offer the look of metal with brushed gold and silver engraved plastic name tags.
-- If the name and logo are going to be printed in the same color, plastic engraved name tags are a terrific option. The details show through nicely.
On the downside...
-- For those who need multicolor logos, small orders are somewhat inefficient in cost. (Larger orders, as I mentioned, are more cost-efficient.)
Full Color Name Tags:
Full color name tags are fairly new to the market but are grabbing market share in increasing amounts. Starting out as white plastic, these name badges are digitally imprinted, which is cost-efficient method. A one-color badge prints for the same cost as a 12-color version!
Small quantities of name badges with multiple colors are not a problem and reproducing one is a breeze. For name tags with a color background, the background color is flooded over the name tag with the design created on top of it. Some companies even use pictures as the background to their name badges.
On the upside...
-- Full color make these name badges vibrant--and bring a brand's image to life.
-- Any amount of color (and it's cost-efficient, too).
-- Typically, these are made of as unisub material, so they're a nice weight.
-- They're easily custom-shaped.
On the downside...
-- Be careful with small text. Depending on the colors and the design you use, it can blend too much into the background color.
In sum, there is a great deal of flexibility in selecting the material and style for name badges these days. All in the service of promoting just the right image for today's businesses.
