Computer and Technology

What is balloon printing?

Balloon printing is quite simply the procedure of applying some kind of graphic onto the exterior of a balloon. Balloon printing companies have been around for a long while, 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.

Balloons can have multi-coloured patterns printed onto their surfaces, and this can be increased by using smart designs and making use of 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 article hopes to spotlight just a few of the possible uses of personalised, branded balloons.

Advantages

Balloons are fantastic because they are not an overly pricey thing to get hold of. Even the more fancy balloons do not have to cost the Earth, and when you compare and contrast prices with many of the alternatives you can easily see the financial benefits of printed balloons.

One of the most interesting things about using printed balloons at any kind of event is the great flexibility they offer. Modern balloon technology allows such a broad range of styles, sizes and colours that you can really let your imaginationrun wild and allow your imaginative side to take over.

This versatility gets even more significant when you start using balloons together to create balloon strings or sculptures. You can combine different coloured balloons to great effect and create bold patterns, or use different shapes and styles of balloons to create eye-catching exhibits.

Another fantastic benefit of using 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 want them to be! The other 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 could be used to spruce up even the most remote of locations.

You can find out much more information on the website for a custom printing company or wholesaler.

For social events

Getting a set of your own, personalised, printed balloons for a social event always adds an extra 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 occasion, such as a stag or hen party, you will discover that printed balloons can really make the night be noticeable.

Wedding parties

Wedding parties are the perfect occasion for usingprinted balloons to add charm to your location. 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.

During the wedding meal, photo-taking or any other formal announcements, you can use various smart balloons printed to complement your surroundings. Then when the partyreally starts you can use a selection of fun balloons having a personalised wedding message. Or how about balloons printed with either the bride or grooms photo to show which side of the family you are on?

Stag & hen nights

Stag and hen parties are always fun occasions, and more often than not they will involve some form of dressing up or adornment. So why not make use of printed balloons as a way of “jazzing up” your night and truly making your party stand out from the crowd. Here are just a few ideas.

L-plate balloons. One of the more recognisable elements of a hen party is the bride to be wearing driving L-plates on their outfit. It is a time honored touch that usually makes the lucky lady stand out from her group of hens. But there is no reason to restrict yourself to decorating outfits. Why not print an L-plate on a good sized 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 men out on stag nights will frequently have their pictures and nicknames used by their good friends printed onto a t-shirt or top. But again, why stop at the clothing? You can print faces, nicknames, or just about any other humorous facts onto personalised balloons and give them out to members of your stag group. You can even create a competition out of who manages to get their balloon safely through the night!

Decorating functions

Printed balloons at events don’t have to be hugely conspicuous or gaudy. Actually, you will discover that there are several ways that you can arrange printed balloons to create very elegant 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. You can most likely think of more than one occasion that you have witnessed this.

The fantastic flexibility that comes with employing balloons at events means that they can be both promotional and decorative. You might use a printed pattern on the balloons and then assemble 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.

If you are filling balloons on-site then helium gas cylinders will supply the required amount of gas to fill them.

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.

Exhibitions

Any person who has had a space at a corporate exhibition will know just how much competition there is for space and just how hard everyone tries to bring potential customers in their direction. If you utilise the standard methods of marketing to your exhibition display you will find that you need to spend plenty of time, and normally lots of money, to really stand out. But rather than just competing on the same playing field as your rivals, how about taking to the skies to get one over on them?

Advertising potential

If you are using helium filled balloons to help advertise your companythen 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 right amount of string linked to the balloon you will be setting your corporate identity in a space beyond the reach of regular advertising. If your rivals are not doing the same, you will have that space to yourself.

Just like printing your logo or corporate message onto carrier bags or other packaging, branding onto balloons offers a mobile marketing space that you don’t have to carry around yourself. Every single time you hand out a printed balloon to a customer at the exhibition, you are effectively giving out a promotional item for your firm that will be movingaround.

Another great advantage of using printed balloons as a corporate advertising tool is the price tag. No matter what state the economy may be in, companies are continually looking for the most cost-effective means to promote themselves, and printed balloons are undoubtedly one of these methods. For a relativelylow fee you can get hold of a good quantity of balloons, all printed with your bespoke message.

It is important to note that using a 100 percent balloon-based treatment as your marketing plan will not 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.

If you are in the Buckinghamshire area you might see products from B-Loony Chesham decorating parties and adorning members of a stag or hen group.

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 common type of balloon. They are the teardrop shaped balloons that are slightly rubbery in texture. They now come in a broad range of colour possibilities, and you can actually get balloons that are semi-transparent or have a metallic finish. All latex balloons can be printed on but it is well worth bearing in mind the base colouring of the balloon when developing a design.

Foil balloons are in fact made from mylar, and instead of being formed of one single piece of material they are more typically made by sealing two separate pieces together. This hemming process allows for a vast range of different designs, including stars and hearts.

The environmental impact

Balloons are a consumable item, and as such people are often worried about the effect they have upon 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 natural world.

Latex balloons are made of a substance called natural rubber latex (NRL) which is gathered from trees in tropical areas. The trees are merely 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 actually be used on the compost heap! Latex balloons will decay at different rates according to the circumstances they are left in, although testing has demonstrated that they will usually decompose entirely within 6 months. This is the same period of time as oak leaves need to decompose.

Get your own printed balloons

I hope this article will have pointed out a few of the scenarios that printed balloons are well matched to, and maybe you are already thinking of an upcoming occasion where balloons would make a great party piece. Whether it is an individual or work-based event, they are certainly worth thinking about.

If you want to find out more about obtaining your own customised printed balloons, there are many companies that are now providing balloon printing as a service. By searching on-line you will be able to find a balloon printing company that can help you out. Once you have seen how well balloons help to set off your party you will want to use them again and again!