Tutorials and Product Advice - Influencing Identity

Vector Art: Meet Your New Best Friend!

Most of the products we offer require vector art to include your logo or custom graphic. But many people have never heard the term and don’t know what it means. A common misconception is that JPEG or PDF files can be vector files, but we’ll break it down so you can tell the difference.

JPEG vs. Vector

JPEG:

Most cameras save photos as JPEGs, but if you open a JPEG image and zoom in, you will see tiny squares of color called pixels. If you make the image bigger, the pixels get bigger until they are clearly visible to the naked eye. Images where the pixels are individually visible are referred to as pixelated.

Basic shapes and colors use these pixels, placed in a grid in thousands of different colors. The result when you zoom out is the complete image that you see. To make curves in your image, pixels on a grid create a jagged look.

Vector:

There is no grid of colored squares like in JPEGs. Instead, the online shapes making up the image are mathematically plotted by the computer program. Then, the program has been told what color (or colors) to fill that outline with. The image is very smooth and high quality. Vector artwork isn’t restricted to a grid to make curves in your image, so the curves are genuine and smooth.

Why do we require vector art?

The key here is the type of process being used to create the image. Laser engraving, hot stamping, and ribbon imprinting share a single fact: the process is 100% there or not there at all.

With laser engraving, for example, the laser burns the plastic or metal, removing the top layer in that spot to reveal a different-colored layer beneath. The laser has either burned, or it hasn’t; there are no half-burned areas.

Now, remember how those JPEGs are made up of squares of color? A curve on a black shape might appear smoother to our eyes by having some of the pixels towards the edges be shades of gray rather than full black. But the laser can’t do that. So those gray squares will be burnt just the same as the black, red, blue and all the other squares. And you end up with something that probably doesn’t look much like your logo.

But vector art can tell the laser exactly where the edges of your shape are so that the laser knows just how to get your image onto your product, filling in the outlines as it goes. The same is true for hot stamping and ribbon imprinting, which both use metal dies; either the color foil is stamped on in a spot or it is not.

How do you create vector art?

Two of the most popular programs are Adobe Illustrator and CorelDraw. Vector art files most commonly end in .eps or .ai, although there are some exceptions. We do have a few options for those customers who do not have vector artwork files of their graphics. And we also can take most images and create vector artwork for them for a small fee. (And you get to keep the file for future use!)

Information courtesy of Melanie Bunch, Graphic Artist. To learn more about name tags and our processes, review our Art Requirements.

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5 Tips for Planning a Conference

advice-conferences-name tags — photo credit: jurvetson via photopin cc

Planning an event or conference can be a daunting task, especially if you’re looking to host dozens of speakers and sponsors, on top of hundreds attendees. Whether your conference is big or small, the overall attendee experience needs to be good enough for them to want to come back next time.

After you’ve planned the theme of your conference, booked your speakers, found the perfect venue, and started marketing the conference on every medium you can, there are still a few more things you can do to make sure your conference will be successful:

Spend the time planning name tags. For conferences and events, name tags are rarely “one size fits all.” Differentiate between attendees, sponsors, VIP and speakers. You can do this with different colored adhesive name tags or paper inserts for badge holders on lanyards. By making groups of people distinguishable from others, people will feel like they’re part of a group. On top of that, they’ll more easily recognize their relationship with your event, and their relationship with other people attending the event, making it easier to network.

Provide a variety of refreshments. Keep in mind that not every guest will have the same dietary needs, and if you put extra consideration into your refreshments, your attendees will notice. Try to plan vegetarian, gluten-free lactose intolerant snacks and refreshments, because chances are you’ll have at least a handful of people who fall into those categories, and they will appreciate your thoughtfulness.

Make sure your venue is connected. Plug outlets and cell reception are absolute must-haves for conferences. We live in a digital age, and your attendees will likely be connected to the internet or on their phones for most of the event, so make sure they have somewhere to recharge. (Make sure they know where they can recharge, too.)

Hand out grab bags. This is a great way to bring in sponsors and to give something back to your attendees. Stuff those bags full of pens, notepads, brochures, venue maps, custom lanyards, and coupons for local restaurants. You can bring in sponsors by asking them to supply a grab bag goodie, and it gives them the opportunity to put their name on something every guest will see.

Allot some safe relaxation space. Designate an area in your venue for attendees to just sit and relax without having to network or be bombarded by anyone. Let your attendees balance work, networking and sanity on a comfy couch and a bottle of water. It doesn’t have to be much space, but let your attendees know it’s there.

Get some name tags for your conference today!

The Rules of Adhesive Name Tags at Conferences

name tags-adhesive name tags

For conferences, meetings and events, adhesive name tags are a must have. Not only do you eliminate the chance of misspelling attendees’ names (they will just write them), but they’re also inexpensive.

But even so, there’s proper etiquette for adhesive name tags in these situations. As an event or conference host, it’s your responsibility to make sure your attendees are wearing their name tags appropriately!

Dictate where you want your attendees to wear their name tag. When you hand the name tags to your attendees so they can write their names, simply say, “Please wear your name tag on the upper right side of your shirt,” or wherever you think is best. This creates uniformity at the event, and people won’t have to scan an entire person’s body to find their name tag.

Ask your attendees to write their name big (but not too big). Nothing is worse than awkward squinting in order to read a name!

Use black markers. Skip bold and vibrant colors, and make it simple with black ink. Make sure the tip of the marker isn’t too thick to ensure cleanliness. Black may seem boring, but at the end of the day it makes the name tags easy to read and professional looking.
If you see someone whose name tag has been crinkled or ripped throughout the day, replace it. Keep them fresh and clean, even if it means having to order extras!
Don’t let people bring their own name tags. For the sake of uniformity, it’s not proper etiquette for event attendees to wear name tags they brought from home. At conferences and events, name tags often serve as a equalizer for all the attendees, so letting someone be flashy might throw off the vibe of the entire day.

4 Products You Need to Increase Brand Awareness

Carrying out marketing and advertising campaigns can be an expensive, albeit effect way to increase brand recognition for your company, business or organization.

However, for smaller businesses, creating brand recognition is essential to increase sales and influence. And with small businesses comes a smaller marketing budget, so how can you inexpensively promote your brand?

Name tags: If you work in an environment where employees interact directly with clients or customers, then name tags are an essential tool for creating brand awareness. Name tags will give you a chance to put your logo as many places as possible, so your customers won’t be able to escape it. They will also set a standard for professionalism, and they can say a lot about the personality of your company. When you design your name tags, take into consideration what you want them to say about your company. Do you want to be recognized as clean and professional? Or fun and hip?

Lanyards: They’re inexpensive and highly customizable. If your work environment necessitates security or ID badges, give branded lanyards to your employees and they can wear them and keep their badges handy. If your employees leave work, they will likely be wearing their lanyards still, so people will be continually exposed to the brand. Lanyards are also a great promotional tool. You can resell them, give them to customers or clients, or hand them out to family and friends. As far as usability goes, lanyards can be convenient for holding keys, USBs, whistles, cameras or small MP3 players. So the more people who use your lanyards, the better chance you have of your brand reaching the masses.

Custom Signs: Presentation can make or break a brand, so having a carefully designed, high quality sign to represent your brand is can be pretty important. Like name tags, your company’s sign tells customers and clients about your values and personality. If you run a quirky cupcake shop, try adding some flare to your signs with a playful font and a colorful image. If you’re a prestigious marketing firm, try a bold font with clean and sharp features.

Personalized Name Plates: If your company, business or organization deals directly with clients or customers, then having name plates for all of your employees is essential. Have the name plates include a logo, the employee’s name, and their position within the company. For one, it will show that your company is invested in its employees, which will then incite respect from your clients. If you’re invested in your employees, you will likely be invested in your customers and clients, too. It also adds to the professionalism of your company. The little details count, and your customers and clients will notice, and spread the word about you.

Click any of the links above to get yours today!

8 Ways to Use Name Tags

Regardless of your work environment, name tags can be a valuable tool for branding, bonding and building relationships. Whether you’re blending smoothies, working in retail or working behind the scenes, wearing a name tag can have endless benefits.

Here are just a few:

Brand Recognition: If all employees wear name tags, your clients or customers are bound to see your company’s logo, and hopefully it will be imprinted in their mind. Even the simplest name tags are effective at creating a brand recognition among your clientele base, and the more places you can put your brand, the better.

Add Personality to Your Brand: Spice it up a little and add some color or shape to your name tags. Custom design a name tag to fit your company or organization’s personality, like making them in the shape of fish for a seafood restaurant. Or add a touch of color to make the name tags vibrant and unforgettable, especially if it matches the upbeat tempo of the work environment.

Increase Professionalism to Your Brand: By wearing sleek, clean and professional name tags, your employees will be able to bring your brand up another level. Name tags say a lot about what your company or organization is like, and if you’re want to be known for respectability and professionalism, the cleaner and more sophisticated the name tag, the better.

Employee Accountability: If a customer or client can see the name of the person helping them next to your company’s logo, your employee will likely feel more accountable for what they say and how they act. They wouldn’t want to get reported, would they?

Differentiate Departments: If there are multiple departments to your business or organization, then name tags can be a way to differentiate between those departments. Try color coding the name tags or ordering name tags in different shapes (rectangle, oval, etc.), but keep a uniform logo and font style.

Learning Names: Is a new employee feeling like the odd one out? Name tags can easily fix that dilemma. If everyone is wearing a name tag, learning names can be painless and effortless. Avoid the awkward, “What’s your name again?” conversation simply by equipping every employee with their own name tag.

For Visitors: Name tags make it easy to know visitors from employees, especially if you have a large staff. Employees will be more helpful if they can point out the visitors, and visitors will be more comfortable if they can see name tags of the employees helping them.

Increase Security: For work environments that demand higher security measures, ID badges are an easy way to make sure that identification is constantly visible. If someone isn’t wearing an ID badge, then they aren’t supposed to be there. And with ID badges, you can manipulate them to let employees through secure areas, or allow them to clock in and out.