6 Creative Tips for the Best Roller Banner Design

If you want to stand out and make sure you make an instant impact, a roller banner is an excellent choice. Roller banners stand out whether you’re at an exhibition and want to grab the attention of all those who pass by or you’re using it in a reception or office area.

You might be wondering what roller banners are. They are a popular and convenient type of advertising. They retract in and out of the stand- creating a big effect when on display. If you really want to maximize the effect, you’ll need to choose the design carefully too. Keeping the branding of your business in mind is vital. Here are 6 creative tips for designing the best possible roller banner, including deadly sins to avoid.

1 - Consider placement

When you’re creating your roller banner, you should have a general idea of where it’s likely to be used. Although in some cases it may be multi-functional, you could have a primary use in mind.

This may seem unimportant but how you’re planning on using your roller banner can influence the whole design and layout. For example:-

• If you were planning on using it at an exhibition where the bottom half would be obscured, perhaps by a table, you would need to take this into account.
• A roller banner being used in a reception area should be on display fully, meaning more information can be incorporated into the design.

Ideally, a roller banner wouldn’t be partially blocked or hidden. But if this is likely to be the case, it’s far better for your roller banner design to take practical considerations into account. This means not placing any essential information on the lower half of the roller banner stands.

2 - Less is more

You might have a lot of information you want to convey to the customer but a roller banner isn’t necessarily the right place. The idea of a roller banner is to grab the attention and create brand awareness, not to provide lots of detail.

With this in mind, consider very carefully the use of any text in your overall design. Writing will immediately detract from the design, lessening the visual impact. You might want to include some basic text or statement but steer clear of lots of text or long sentences. You can always prepare accompanying literature if you have essential facts that you want to communicate.

3 - Make it easy for the customer

In the west, people are accustomed to reading from top to bottom and from left to right. When presented with a design, this is how the eye will automatically run over the graphics.

If you opt for a more quirky layout, you won’t get your message across so quickly. This isn’t a problem for someone who stands and studies your banner, but for any casual passers-by, the opportunity will be lost.

Organise roller banners so they flow from top to bottom, reading from left to right and you’ll find it is far more effective.

4 - Quality matters

On a roller banner, the images will be one of the standout features, drawing attention to your brand.

Don’t be tempted to skimp on quality or use a low-resolution image because when it’s blown up to this size, any flaws will be instantly obvious. Aim for at least 300 dpi, ideally transferred straight from the camera.

High-quality images will reflect well on your business, conveying professionalism. Low-resolution images can create a shabby and amateur effect, characteristics that wouldn’t flatter any company!

5 - Colour is your friend

Don’t be afraid to be big and bold; even if you privately prefer a more subtle effect, now is not the time to hide in the shadows!

Colour can be your friend, creating striking designs with contrasting tones that will make you stand out from the crowd.

You’ll need to bear in mind your branding and corporate colours; where possible you should try and include these in your design. However, you’ll need to consider what will work well on your design. For example, yellow and white may be a subtle combination that works well with a small logo, but when blown up to a larger scale and they will merge together.

6 - Let them know who you are!

One of the primary aims of using a roller banner is to get the name and contact details of your company seen. Even though your banner may contain other details too, the call to action is important.

The top of the roll banner is where you’ll get the most attention. It’s a good idea to put your company logo and contact details here.

Design the banner with your call to action at the top and no matter where it stands. Make sure that the important information will be clearly visible to all.