Enamel pins or badges are a great way to promote your brand. These durable little items are affordable, but high value and can be the key ingredient in your upcoming campaigns. For example, a well-designed enamel badge can help you build brand awareness by turning recipients into walking brand ambassadors. Enamel badges have also become very popular accessories. Perhaps you’ve seen this yourself – people use badges and pins to adorn their backpacks, jackets, hats and more. Some people even collect them, so be sure to make yours stand out!
This post will share some tips for designing enamel badges that your customers will love. Think of design as four creative components: size, colour, shape and selling. With this approach, and our expert help, it’s easy to create perfect badges that really pack a punch!
Badges of all Sizes to Fit Your Important Message
To some extent, the size of your enamel pin or badge will be determined by your content. Do you have a longer message to include? Or perhaps you want to feature helpful information, like your company’s website or social media handle? More content means you should consider a bigger badge. Also keep your fonts in mind. The typeface you select may also dictate how small or large your badge will need to be.
Be sure to pick a size that makes sense for your recipients. One suggestion is to envision how your customers will likely use or wear your pin. Is it meant to be a lapel pin? A small size is best. As a quick reference point, many lapel pin badges range in size from about 25 mm to 40 mm, but both larger and smaller sizes are also available. Or do you want to create a technology-related badge that people will pin to a laptop or computer bag? In this case, you might consider going with a larger size.
Colour Matching to Ensure Brand Consistency
Brand consistency is very important. You likely have a marketing team, designer or creative agency that helps you create a brand identity and adhere to it across numerous channels like your website, printed assets or advertisements. Promotional merchandise should stay true to your brand style and standards, too!
This begins with colour. When starting with your design, make sure to clearly indicate the areas you want to be filled with enamel and what colour should be used. One recommendation is to have your pantone colour values on hand to be sure exact matching. The outcome is that your enamel badges will be true extensions of your important brand!
In addition to pantone-matching, you should also consider what type of finish you’d like to include. Using glitter effect, translucent or pearlised finishes can help add a special edge.
No Shortage of Shapes
Today, enamel badges can be made in any shape you can think up. At Rocket Badge, all of the enamel badges we create are bespoke and cut to shape, so the possibilities are endless!
However, please don’t let this be daunting. One recommended approach is to consider a shape that fits the needs of your recipients. For example, a simple geometric shape like a circle or rounded rectangle might be best for standard, practical items like company or name badges. Or you might consider a custom shape to fit your logo, similar to this unique enamel badge we created for a café
When you think about size and shape, also be sure that your design is properly weighted and balanced. Our designers can help you with this, too.
Be Retail Ready
Designing a badge is just half the fun! Once you’re done, how will you get your pins or badges into the hands of your customers? Many brands sell these badges in retail outlets or at point of sale opportunities, like a checkout counter. Consider adding a custom presentation box or card backer as a touch of luxury to make your badges more attractive to shoppers. This is also a great opportunity for additional messaging or information that doesn’t fit on your badge design.
Another tip is to always keep quality in mind, especially if you plan to sell your badges. Consider using top-line materials, like copper-stamped premium quality badges – the fine craftsmanship and stunning hand-polished finish will last a lifetime.
No artwork? Short on time or ideas? No brand style guide? Not a problem! Our expert designers and artworkers are here to listen and to offer suggestions, and we always offer free consultations. This year, consider creating the perfect enamel pin or badge to showcase your brand. While they’re small in stature, a well-designed badge can make a big splash for your upcoming campaigns.
