When it comes to designing a product for a promotional campaign, the possibilities are virtually endless. From products that are closely related to your industry, and allude to a specific line of work, to unexpected items that call attention to your brand, with promo you can build a truly unique marketing campaign. With a great number of personalization options that include various imprint methods, colors, and locations, this gives you even more freedom to let your creative side loose. If you’re not sure where to begin - you’ve come to the right place! We’ve created this handy tip guide to help you maximize the efficacy of your campaign and make your logo shine.
Keep it Simple
One of the best ways to get the most out of your promotional products is to keep the imprints simple. Unless you are designing a full-color garment with a full front or back imprint, your custom message should only include basic info such as a logo, a tagline, and a phone number or website. Many of the smaller promo items have limited printing areas, making it difficult to fit a long message. But it is not just about the space limitations, imprint methods may also present challenges pertaining to loss of detail and inconsistent color depending on the contents of your message. We suggest testing a black-and-white or greyscale version of your logo to counteract the instances where space and color are limited.
Embrace Negative Space
Beyond having a simplified one-color, text version of your logo we also think that logo placement is key for the success of your campaign. Using negative space effectively can make your logo more visually interesting and improve clarity. This design technique aims at decluttering your imprint message allowing the logo to stand out without overwhelming the product’s surface. Choose high-visibility areas where people’s eyes are naturally drawn to, like the top of a notebook, the side of a bottle, or the front of a tote bag. Don’t saturate the area by filling every square inch with text as it can make your imprint look busy, and unattractive, thus defeating the purpose of your advertisement.
Create Contrast
Think about creating a contrast with your logo where the product is the backdrop for your message. Choose products that contrast with the imprint color in order to make your logo more visible. For example, if the product is a dark color, consider a lighter or more vibrant logo color and vice versa. This ensures your logo catches attention without blending in too much. Imprint methods like hot stamp, embroidery, or debossing provide another way to further create contrast by adding a texture to your imprint and making it not only more appealing for the eye but also to the touch. With debossing for example you can fill in the space with color, drawing more attention to your message.
When designing a promo product, make sure your logo’s color scheme, style, and message all align with your company’s overall branding guidelines. Consistent use of colors, fonts, and graphics across promotional items builds brand recognition and makes your products memorable. Always provide vector files of your logo for printing on products. Ask your graphic designer for the vector file formats (like .ai or .eps) to maintain sharpness and quality at any size, which is especially important when building promos with an array of different products for example: welcome kits, bundles, and gift baskets.
