What is balloon printing?
Balloon printing is quite simply the process of putting some type of graphic onto the surface of a balloon. Balloon printing businesses have been around for a long time, but contemporary printing techniques and new machinery are helping to increase the scope of what kind of balloons can be printed on, and what logos may be applied. Many companies and individuals are starting to realise the prospective benefits of balloon printing.
Balloons may have multi-coloured designs printed onto their surfaces, and this can be enhanced by using smart designs and utilising the colour of the balloon itself. It is also possible to print onto both sides of a balloon, so no matter where people are standing in relation to the balloon they should be able to see the printed images.
This post hopes to highlight just a few of the possible uses of personalised, branded balloons.
Advantages
Balloons are fantastic because they are not an overly expensive thing to get hold of. Even the more elaborate balloons do not have to cost the Earth, and when you compare prices with many of the alternatives you can easily see the financial benefits of printed balloons.
One of the more exciting things about using printed balloons at any kind of occasion is the great flexibility they offer. Today’s balloon technology allows such a wide range of shapes, sizes and shades that you can really let your imaginationrun wild and let your creative side to take over. There are some limitations, but most people are amazed at what can be achieved with simply just balloons.
This flexibility becomes even greater when you start using balloons collectively to create balloon strings or sculptures. You can intermix different coloured balloons to good effect and create bold designs, or use different shapes and sizes of balloons to create eye-catching displays.
Another great benefit of utilizing balloons is that they are incredibly lightweight. This makes them incredibly easy to move about and to sculpt into various sculptures. You won’t need to employ moving men or forklift trucks to get them to where you need them to be! Another great benefit is that if you are going to inflate them on location, many hundreds of balloons will fit into a handbag. This means they can be used to spruce up even the most remote of locations.
The next time you see a group of people holding custom printed balloons it’s well worth asking where they got them from for future reference.
For social events
Getting a set of your own, customised, printed balloons at a social gathering always adds an additional factor of fun and interest to whatever you are doing. Whether the event you are attending is a reasonably formal affair, such as a grand dinner party, or a quite informal celebration, such as a stag or hen party, you will find that printed balloons can really make the night be noticeable.
Wedding parties
Wedding parties are the ideal occasion for usingprinted balloons to add charm to your setting. They are both formal and informal events at the same time, with a sincere intent but also a focus on having fun and savoring the day. This is when the versatility of balloon printing comes into its own.
For the wedding meal, photo-taking or any other official announcements, you can use various smart balloons printed to match your surroundings. Then when the partyreally starts you can use a collection of fun balloons with a personalised wedding message.
Stag & hen nights
Stag and hen parties are usually fun occasions, and more often than not they will entail some form of dressing up or adornment. So why not use printed balloons as a way of “jazzing up” your evening and really making your party stand out from the masses.
L-plate balloons. One of the more recognisable aspects of a hen party is the bride to be donning driving L-plates on their outfit. It is a classic touch that always makes the lucky lady stand out from her party of hens. But there is no reason to restrict yourself to decorating outfits. Why not print an L-plate on a large balloon and attach it to the bride to be. Then everyone will easily know who to look out for during the rest of the night!
Nickname balloons. Groups of guys out on stag nights will often have their pictures and nicknames used by their good friends printed onto a t-shirt or top. But again, why stop at the outfits? You can print faces, nicknames, or just about any other funny facts onto personalised balloons and give them out to members of your stag party. You can even create a competition out of who manages to get their balloon safely through the night!
Decorating functions
Branded balloons at events do not have to be hugely conspicuous or gaudy. In fact, you will find that there are many ways that you can organise printed balloons to create very stylish effects. At many formal events, such as award ceremonies or grand birthday parties, balloons can turn out to be an interesting piece of furniture as opposed to an outlandish assertion.
The fantastic flexibility that comes with using balloons at events means that they can be both promotional and ornamental. You might use a printed pattern on the balloons and then gather lots of them together to give the sense of dynamic wallpaper! Alternatively you could use the surface area of the balloons to print your corporate branding or information you want to get across to your guests.
Latex balloons are actually an environmentally friendly item; click here to read more regarding their environmental impact.
For corporate events
Whilst many of us associate memories of balloons with birthday celebrations when we were youngsters, printed balloons can also be used in a more grownup environment. The use of printed balloons can actually be very beneficial in the business world. Whilst they are not an obvious option, there are innovative ways to use balloons for corporate purposes.
Exhibitions
Any person who has had a stand at a corporate exhibition will know just how very much competition there is for space and quite how hard everyone tries to bring potential customers in their direction. If you employ the standard methods of marketing to your exhibition show you will find that you need to spend plenty of time, and often lots of money, to truly stand out.
Advertising potential
If you are making use of helium filled balloons to help advertise your organisationthen you will be instantly at an advantage. As we all know, helium filled balloons are lighter than the air around them and will float upwards. With the appropriate amount of string attached to the balloon you will be setting your corporate identity in a space beyond the reach of regular advertising.
Just like printing your logo or company message onto carrier bags or other packaging, printing onto balloons provides a mobile marketing space that you don’t have to carry around yourself. Every time you give out a printed balloon to a visitor at the exhibition, you are effectually giving out a promotional item for your company that will be movingaround.
Yet another great benefit of using printed balloons as a corporate advertising application is the price. No matter what state the overall economy may be in, firms are continually looking for the most cost-effective means to promote themselves, and printed balloons are certainly one of these techniques. For a relativelylow price you can get hold of a good quantity of balloons, all printed with your customised message.
It is important to note that using a 100 percent balloon-based solution as your marketing plan won’t always bring the results you are seeking. It is a great deal better to use printed balloons as a single part of your advertising plan.
Beyond printing messages onto balloons, companies could find numerous balloon accessories that expand what could be achieved with balloons.
Balloon printing options
There are two main kinds of balloon that can be printed on; latex balloons and also foil balloons.
Latex balloons are the most typical type of balloon. They are the teardrop shaped balloons that are slightly rubbery in texture. They now come in a wide range of colour possibilities, and you can actually get balloons that are semi-transparent or have a metallic surface finish. All latex balloons can be printed on but it is worth bearing in mind the base colour of the balloon when creating a design.
Foil balloons are actually made from mylar, and rather than being formed of one single piece of material they are more commonly made by sealing two individual pieces together. This hemming process allows for a wide range of different designs, including stars and hearts.
The environmental impact
Balloons are a consumable product, and as such people are often worried about the effect they have on the environment. The good news is that balloons are in fact quite an environmentally friendly product and using them will not have a damaging effect on the planet. Many studies have been done that support this view.
Latex balloons are made of a substance called natural rubber latex (NRL) which is gathered from trees in tropical areas. The trees are simply tapped for their rubber rather than chopped down, and the cultivation of rubber tree plantations actually helps to stop rainforest deforestation.
They are also biodegradable and can even be used on the compost heap! Latex balloons will decay at different speeds depending on the circumstances they are left in, although testing has shown that they will usually decompose completely within 6 months. This is the same period of time as oak leaves need to decompose.
Get your own printed balloons
Hopefully this article will have pointed out a few of the scenarios that printed balloons are well matched to, and perhaps you are already thinking of an upcoming occasion where balloons would make a perfect party piece. Whether it is an individual or work-based function, they are certainly worth considering.
If you want to find out more about getting your own customised printed balloons, there are many companies that are now offering balloon printing as a service. By searching on-line you will be able to find a balloon printing company that could help you out.