Is it a name tag, or a solid tool to promote a company’s corporate image?
Today’s name tags have much more to do with promoting companies and brands than names. Front center name badges are at customer eye level. This makes them hard to miss and a perfect vehicle for drawing attention to corporate logos and a company’s brand image.
And, these days, the 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 ID tags, embossed plastic ID tags, and full color plastic ID tags.
Then I will tell describe:
— the style characteristics of these popular badges
— the pros and cons (or “pros and cons”) associated with each
Which style is right for you?
Where ID cards used to be more or less functional, today’s ID cards have versatility built in.
metal name tags:
Quickly becoming a best seller, metal name tags are aluminum and have a brushed finish to mitigate the scratches they receive in everyday use. Available colors are gold, silver, bronze and white.
Aluminum metal name tags are a nice light weight that sit nicely on your clothing tag. Select metal name tags if sophisticated styling is of particular importance. (For example, in an office or corporate environment or in a fancy hotel). Design and name information is digitally printed on these name tags.
At the top…
— Sophisticated style, as I mentioned earlier. Metal name tags have a classy “look and feel”.
— Durability. Especially with a brushed finish to minimize scratches, metal dog tags last.
Down…
— Due to cost and mechanical limitations, metal name tags are only available in a rectangular shape. Custom shapes are not available.
Engraved Plastic Name Tags:
Don’t be intimidated by the word “plastic”; There is nothing inferior about these name badges. Available in a multitude of colors and shapes, Engraved Plastic ID Tags offer great flexibility to make a company logo and/or brand personality really stand out. Being engraved, these dog tags also add a touch of elegance.
How are embossed plastic ID cards made?
Basically, a plastic name tag is made of a material with a surface color and a center color for a two-color finish. They are etched through the surface color into the core to reveal the color of the letters, usually a contrasting color.
Some name tag manufacturers offer multi-color options, others do not. Name-tags.net accommodates multicolored logos by projecting logos on the surface. Since screening and embossing are two separate processes, this option is best used for larger orders to minimize costs.
At the top…
— A variety of custom colors and shapes are available.
— Some name tag companies (like us) offer the metal look with brushed gold and silver embossed plastic tags.
— If the name and logo are to be printed in the same color, embossed plastic name tags are an excellent choice. The details show very well.
Down…
— For those who need multi-color logos, small orders are somewhat cost inefficient. (Larger orders, as I mentioned, are more profitable.)
Full Color Name Tags:
Full color name tags are fairly new to the market, but are gaining market share in increasing numbers. Starting out as white plastic, these ID cards are digitally printed, which is a cost-effective method. A one color badge prints for the same cost as a 12 color version!
Small quantities of multi-colored ID cards are no problem, and reproducing one is a snap. For name tags with a colored background, the background color is flooded onto the name tag with the design created on top of it. Some companies even use images as the background of their ID cards.
At the top…
— Full color, these name tags are vibrant and bring a brand image to life.
— Any quantity of color (and it’s also cost-effective).
— These are usually made of unisub material, so they have a nice weight to them.
— They are easy to mold to size.
Down…
— Be careful with small text. Depending on the colors and design you use, it can blend too much with the background color.
In short, today there is great flexibility in selecting the material and style of ID cards. All at the service of promoting the right image for today’s companies.
Maybe “name tags” isn’t the right name for them. Company “Brand Badges”? Now, that’s more like him.
