If you're in search of a cheap, flexible, and effective way to advertise your business, printed balloons should be on your list of options. But before making a final commitment to any supplier, you have to know the choices you have available.
Types of Advertising Balloons
In most cases, latex rubber is used to make printed latex balloons for advertising, although some of them may come in Mylar. Either they are inflated with air or with helium, which allows them to float.
Latex balloons come in three common types - Standard (cheapest), Translucent, and Pearl (pearlized appearance).
Mylar balloons may be opaque, transparent, or in a shiny foil, and are often less economical than latex balloons. However, they are offered in a wider variety when it comes to shape and imprint capabilities, and may even be custom-ordered, depending on your requirements. Read http://www.mahalo.com/marketing/ for some great marketing tips.
Balloon Sizes
Latex balloons can be bought in standard 9 and 11-inch sizes, aside from bigger sizes up to 36 inches. Mylar balloons can be sized around 18 to 36 inches, depending on the shape.
Larger shapes and sizes, which can reach up to 6 feet or more, are usually not actually balloons. However, they are considered as inflatables as they can be reused as well as refilled (for example, a beach ball). Extremely large designs from balloonideas.com typically remain inflated with the use of a non-stop blower that is powered by an electric motor. Some of these inflatables can be very expensive - sometimes running into thousands of dollars. But this investment is often worth it because of the attention they naturally attract. Balloons in generic shapes and designs may also be rented.
Costs
Aside from the cost of the balloons themselves, you must also factor in the other expenses involved in the process of creating promotional balloons. These include the use or purchase of helium or air pumps, display or preparation accessories, and staff costs, among many others.
Pointers for Printing Advertising Balloons
Keep in mind that balloons get stretched when inflated, so the logo and text imprints will be distorted as an effect. To maintain readability, there are some things you can do. For instance, with the exception of Mylar balloons, avoid fine lines or detailed artwork, and just stick to simple, straightforward designs. With printed balloons being like mini billboards, you can apply the rules of this advertising medium as well. To maximize impact, keep your words few and your message focused on a single idea. And as in billboards, the greater the contrast between the balloon's color and the printing color, the more readable your text will be.
Using Printed Balloons Responsibly
Printed advertising balloons have proven to be very useful to many brands and marketing professionals. But with a small number of issues related to their use - helium depletion, non-biodegradability, and latex allergies- it is important that proper care is given, especially in terms of disposal.