Almost everyone who has attended an event or seen them on TV would have noticed backdrops containing logos of one or more organizations. These are known in the advertising industry as step and repeat backgrounds or banners. The reason why they are extensively used is that it guarantees that all the sponsors will have their logos featured in the photographs taken by the press. According to Logo Pie, logos help to boost brand visibility and sales. However, sponsors will have every reason to complain if their logos are not clearly visible to the audience both live and in the media due to design mistakes. Some of the most common ones described to enable you to avoid them:
Not Getting the Banner Size Right
There is no universal size for event backdrops, which means that if you are thinking of designing one, you should first check the size required by the event organizers. For the backdrop to serve its primary function, it has to be big enough both on the sides and the height so that it can accommodate all the people standing in front of it and still ensure that the logos or names of the sponsors are clearly visible. If you cannot get an idea of the size required from the event organizers, you can at least ask them what the event is about and what is expected to happen in front of the banner. If you get an idea of the number of people in front of the backdrop, you can decide on the width. Typically, an eight-foot height is considered sufficient.
Not Getting the Logo Size Right
The logo is the main reason for designing a step and repeat banner, and getting the size of the logo wrong will defeat the purpose. If you make the logos too small, they will likely be hidden by the people standing in front and may not be visible in the photographs or the TV screen. However, making the logos too big will also mean that many of the logos of different sponsors may not be captured in the photo frame and also be covered by someone standing in front. Ideally, the logo size should be such that it is easily visible but small enough to ensure the entire logo is visible several times in the same frame. Also, keep in mind; intricate logos need to be bigger to be legible.
Not Allowing Enough Space in Between Logos
The spacing between logos is also important since cramming too many logos can make the banner look cluttered and the viewers will have a hard time making out the individual logos. However, if you space them out too much, there will likely be no logo near the faces of the persons standing in front of the banner.
Conclusion
Getting the design of a step and repeat backdrop is a matter of estimation of the size involved. You also need to figure out the distance from which most of the photos will be taken. The key task is to ensure that the logos are visible even when many people are standing in front of the banner.
