Step and repeat banners are one of the simplest and most efficient ways to promote a business. Step and repeat banners are attached to a frame, and utilized as backdrops for photos with a repeating logo across. Step and repeat banners allow your event guests to have a red carpet experience while spreading your logo across various platforms for view.
Making the perfect step and repeat banner doesn’t have to be complicated; it just requires proper planning and design. If you’re considering a step and repeat banner for your next event, here’s some important considerations to ensure your customers look good in front of it.
Think About Tone and Theme
A step and repeat banner can be a fun photo opportunity for all your event guests. However, in order to draw in interactions, it needs to attract the clientele of the event.
When you’re designing your step and repeat banner, focus on the tone of the event you’re throwing. Make sure the design remains unique enough to draw customer attention but feels like a natural piece within the event. A more elegant look is more appropriate for a red carpet event, while a bright, colorful look may be better for a casual gathering.
Banner Size
When determining what size you should order your step and repeat banner, it’s important to evaluate the size of the event. While an 8’ height is standard for step and repeats, the width is determined by the number of people taking a photo at once.
The standard size for step and repeat banners is 8’ by 8’. This allows 3-4 individuals to comfortably take a picture together, with no one hanging off the side of the backdrop. For photos with 1-2 individuals, an 8’ by 4’ is more than appropriate. However, for shots with 4 or more, you may need an 8’ by 12’. Evaluate your needs, and purchase the banner that’s most appropriate.
Prioritize Banner Material and Printing Specs
Along with size, material and printing options are crucial to the perfect step and repeat. To ensure that your step and repeat banner looks its best, print your backdrop seamless as one continuous piece. A seam within the backdrop will create an ugly eyesore in the middle of your customer’s photo op.
Your choice in material can also affect the look of the banner. Vinyl step-and-repeat banners will create bold, bright colors, but those same colors may make for a distracting backdrop. On the other hand, with fabric step-and-repeat banners, your logo colours will appear more weathered. However, fabric materials will provide less opportunity for glare.
Speaking of glaring, always utilize a matte finish instead of a glossy finish. Glare from a camera flash can cause your logos to be illegible in the final image, and distract from models within the photo. In addition, utilize high quality materials, like those found in BannerBuzz banners, to ensure a proper print and clean design.
On-Brand Design
Speaking of design, the design of your step and repeat banner is crucial to its effectiveness. Traditionally, step and repeats are at their best when they’re acting as backdrops; simple or monochrome colors, clean designs, and whatever else is necessary to put the focus on the people in frame.
Nevertheless, your design should match the aesthetics and personality of your brand. For instance, if you run a business known for its vibrant colour schemes, then a simple black and white backdrop may not suit your needs best
This doesn’t mean your design shouldn’t be dynamic. With modern printing techniques, you can take advantage of various graphic design options rather than simply displaying a flat logo. Remember, your step and repeat banner will be associated with your brand. Keep your design philosophy clean and professional, while speaking to the brand image.
Don’t Make the Design or Colors Too Gaudy
While we’re discussing design, it’s always important to avoid colours that are either too gaudy, bright or have poor contrast with one another. Legibility and backdrop functionality are key to a successful step and repeat.
If your brand’s color scheme is bright or bold, try desaturating or muting the original colour scheme to a more muted set of hues. This will retain the original association while keeping your banner clean and elegant.
Logo Placement and Sizing
While you might want your customers to look good in front of the backdrop and ensure that the sponsors of your event should be recognised in some form as well, it is also important to have clean logo placement and size.
Make sure to limit the amount of logos used in the backdrop to a couple at most. Too many different logos can lead to a cluttered background. Likewise, when determining the logo size, go with a width of 9″ to 11″ for rectangular logos, and 5″ to 8.” for square/round/symmetrical logos. Evenly space out the logos, so they repeat across the banner like a checkerboard.
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