Banners can make BIG impression

BOULDER – You see them everywhere — at trade shows, on buildings, even satellite rockets.

They are banners, and they provide vital company information, including the name, phone number, Web site address, logo and slogan.

Jason Ascher, owner of Mango Graphics in Boulder, said one of the firm’s most unusual jobs was a giant, 4-foot-by-10-foot adhesive company banner meant for a satellite rocket.

Talk about exposure.

Since banners are an easy way for customers to identify a company’s message, they should be easy to make, as well. It seems simple enough, but misconceptions complicate the process and can delay a banner’s completion.

The biggest headache for a design firm is receiving graphics in an unusable format.

Ascher said text files saved in software such as Microsoft Word or Power Point work just fine; however, graphics are a different matter.

“It seems to be the most misunderstood aspect,” lamented Jim Murphy of

Boulder’s Shamrock Sign and Decal. “Since everybody has a computer now, they think they’re an artist. I’ve turned away a lot of artwork that won’t work.”

When customers are told that their charge will increase if the printer provides the artwork, they often will try to bring in their own graphics. But Internet files, digital camera disks and word processing software files do not provide printers with the kind of resolution they need to produce a quality image.

It seems sensible that a graphic saved in a computer file would be more helpful than nothing, but actually the opposite is true. The wrong kind of software will not help printers

create a good image. While most text software packages are generous with transferring files, graphic arts “is not like the printing industry,´ said Dave Burke of Boulder Sign Co, the Boulder-based producer of the 40-foot-by-40-foot image of Ralphie at the University of Colorado Event Center.

Murphy said he runs into this kind of software misunderstanding several times each week. Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Printshop and Corel Draw are the favored software programs, along with any program that uses EPS files or TIFF files. Photo CDs also work. Graphics saved in these software programs and then e-mailed as attached files work very well, Murphy said. In fact, most of the graphics he receives are via e-mail.

Before creating an image on their own, customers should visit a designer to discuss their idea, suggested Greg Drake of Printline in Boulder. By speaking with a pro, the novice artist can start out using compatible software for better results. Hard copies are still useful, as they give printers an idea to work with and an image to scan.

When creating a graphic, Burke advises customers to think visually. “A company logo can say a lot more than words. People tend to put too much on a banner. Think of a business card.”

Paper and vinyl aren’t the only options for banner backgrounds. Canvas, satin and back-lit signs such as the food pictures on fast-food menus provide more texture and interest. “We can do full-color, photo-quality banners,” Ascher said. Mango Graphics printed the 4-foot-by-10-foot wall murals at FlatIron Crossing. “A lot of times, people assume we do only one or two colors. They don’t understand we can do a full-color banner for nearly the same price,” he said.

Cost is a consideration that customers should discuss ahead of time. A surprising number of customers simply walk into a print shop and ask for a banner price. But with all the options available, it’s nearly impossible to drop a quote. “We can do the most for their money, if they have in mind what they want to spend,” Drake said.

Prices vary. In Boulder at Printline, Boulder Sign Co. and Mango Graphics, prices for a 3-foot-by-10-foot banner range from $240 to $480 for canvas cloth (treated to be used outdoors); from $240 to $275 for the same size in vinyl; and $75 to $270 for the same size in paper.

Customers also should plan a reasonable timeline so that the order does not have to be rushed. Talking with the printer ahead of time eliminates most potential problems and can save money. “If you’re trying to do a whole package, talk to the sign people first,” Burke said. “Sign ink is more limited in color (than stationery ink).” By working with the sign group first, Burke said customers will be able “to get everything to match to our ink.”

The sign industry is catching up, however. In recent years, banner ink has improved its light resistance, making signs less prone to fading, Drake said. “Light fast” ink doesn’t break down as easily in the sun’s ultraviolet rays, enabling signs to last three to five years.

Vinyl banners also increase the life of a banner’s message. These signs are made by melting different colors of vinyl into the vinyl banner.

“The computer has made it so one to five short-run banners can be manufactured right off the computer automatically,” Murphy said. The computer has made low quantities more affordable by making them more convenient and cost-effective to produce. This is good news for tradeshow participants, outdoor advertisers and satellites everywhere.

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