
As you likely know, our purpose at gawck is to help you capture people’s attention with large format printed products. We print and finish BIG STUFF so you and your message will get noticed. Of all the things we make, printed banners are probably the product that screams, “look at me” the loudest.
BANNER: A DEFINITION
At gawck, we define a banner to be a large format printed item made from a flexible material that is suspended or hung in order to be displayed. Banners can be made out of vinyl, fabric or reinforced paper. They can be attached to a fence, hung from a ceiling or secured to special poles and hardware. Indoors and out, banners are generally used for shorter periods of time, from a day to a year when used for marketing and communications. Fabric banners used for decorating might see long term use.
WHY AND WHEN DO BANNERS GET NOTICED?
Banners get noticed when used in a space that would normally be empty or a place that you wouldn’t expect them. Consider them a surprise! That, and the fact that they can be very large, ensure that your design and message get noticed.
WHAT DO WE LIKE BEST ABOUT BANNERS?
A lot of things we make at gawck are large, but one of the challenges for you is figuring out where to physically place these things. What we like about banners is that they help you solve the ‘real estate’ problem, that is, finding a spot for your large format graphics. A bumpy cinderblock wall might be difficult spot to attach a poster, but you can hang a banner against it to make use of the space. Banners are perfect for fences and railings because flexible banner material can conform and be attached in ways that rigid sign material cannot. Suspending banners from ceilings, whether flowing down vertically or across an area horizontally, allows you to create a surface out of thin air. Banners are versatile!
USES AND PLACEMENT
Banner placement allows you to get creative. Some of the more common spots are:
- Overhead, horizontally: form a gateway
- Overhead, suspended vertically: make use of high ceilings
- Suspended, stopping at the floor: create partitions and backgrounds
- On a fence or railing
- Handheld by two people
- Flat against a wall
- On a sidewalk pole
At gawck, we have the materials, hardware and finishing capabilities in-house to make all of the above possible.
BANNER MATERIALS
Vinyl (heavy duty): the material you typically think of when you hear the word banners. Used outdoors and in for all applications mentioned above. We have three different types of banner vinyl to best suit the placement and use.
Vinyl Mesh: a semi-transparent weave, originally developed for outdoor use to allow wind to flow through, now also being used indoors as a decorative way to create suspended backdrops and partitions.
Fabric: mid-weight fabrics are being used as a vinyl replacement, primarily indoors. Combined with our no-odour print technology, it is also a great solution to ensure a healthy indoor environment.
Paper (reinforced, semi-rigid): used as a vinyl substitute indoors, particularly for vertically suspended or wall hanging banners. It offers the same no-odour benefit as fabric and can even be used with grommets and hanging accessories.
BANNER HANGING ACCESSORIES
gawck has a variety of grommets, clamping rails, hooks, brackets, poles, ropes and more to make the use of your banner simple and effective.
BANNER FINISHING
gawck can put the finishing touches on your banner so it can be used properly in all of the previously mentioned applications.
- grommeting: (2 sizes and 3 colours)
- sewn hemming: to finish edges and add strength when needed
- sewn pole pockets: for adding hanging poles
- tape hems and pockets: for light duty, short term banner
Everything listed here is done in-house to give you the quick turnaround time you need and to maintain the quality that we all expect.
IT'S A BANNER BONANZA!
The versatility of banners and the capabilities at gawck make banners something to consider when thinking about big messaging and design. We’d love to hear from you, so contact us anytime for pricing, assistance regarding placement and materials or with any additional questions. Talk to you soon!
© Erick Vandergeest, gawck group inc.