Event organizers usually require ways to identify attendees, staff, or other folks at their events. Badges for these events often include information such as the person’s name, a headshot or photo, and a colorful text banner to quickly determine whether they are an attendee, staff member, VIP, speaker, etc. Badges for events also usually contain an event schedule or other relevant gathering information on the back of the badge. If you are attending an event, you may receive a badge. A great way to make your event stand out is to have a custom badge for your next gathering.

Bag Tags, Inc. has been a provider of custom badge solutions for over 25 years. At so many events, it is not uncommon to receive a sad, generic name badge that will get thrown away as soon as the event concludes. So this is what makes us stand out from the rest. Our priority is to create a functional, wearable piece of art. Our fully customized event badges can be as expressive as you want. We offer full-color, digital printing, and full custom attachment options. By placing creativity at the forefront of our company, we can ensure that your once-boring name badge will be something you want to hold on to for years to come.

What Are The Benefits of Personalized Badges for Events?

Increased Event Security

The most important thing to consider when purchasing badges for events is security. We can add many simple features to badges that will dramatically increase the security of your event.

Variable Information

Variable text information is the easiest way to start. This text can include attendees’ names, job titles, organizations/companies they belong to, and more. This feature is beneficial in quite a few ways. Custom printing an individual’s name makes attendees feel seen and cared for. At the same time, having names on the badges easily identifies them. On a positive note, this is great for socializing and networking and avoiding the common awkward moment where you forget the person’s name you met 12 seconds ago. A custom-printed name badge is also a great way to easily ensure the registration of the person picking up the badge for the event.

Variable Photos

Names, unfortunately, can only get you so far. What stops me from handing my badge to someone else to gain access to an event or area they should not be in? Well, that is where variable photos come into play. Print individual headshots or photos unique to the name on the badge. Like your driver’s license or other IDs, variable photos are a simple way to ensure the person wearing the badge is the person that is supposed to be at the event. A personalized photo is also a great way to add another level of professionalism to your badges.

Barcodes and QR Codes

Now, we take it a step further than text and photos. Barcodes and QR codes are compelling tools to control event and area access. Many event organizers set systems at event venues that allow for the scanning of codes. Used as a sign-in feature or to track attendees’ check-ins from one area to the next—event coordinators to know exactly where people are and when they were there. Barcodes are also an easy measure to take to deter counterfeiting. While it may be easier to replicate the design of an event badge, it is extremely difficult to create a unique barcode that works with the unique scanning system at event venues.

Another advantage of barcoding, specifically QR codes, is that they can link to limitless information. A QR code can hold an individual’s contact info as a digital business card. They can also link to any website, allowing guests to view relevant event information such as schedules, registration links, etc. An added benefit to QR codes is that any smartphone can easily scan them. This can potentially reduce the headache for event organizers. It is usually easier to work with a cell phone than with venue specific scanning hardware. I have even seen some unique applications of QR codes where participants were encouraged to scan the QR code which then led them to an instantaneous raffle drawing. QR codes are an easy to use and extremely versatile tool that seems to be gaining more and more popularity across many industries and applications.

Access Banners and Access Zones

Access banners are an effortless and attractive way to make identification easy from a distance. On the vast majority of  event credentials, you will see a large, bold, brightly colored banner at the bottom with a designation such as Attendee, Speaker, VIP, etc. These allow staff members to identify individuals from farther away quickly. This feature is often used as the bare minimum for security purposes. This feature is usually offered as a standard part of the design, so there will likely be no additional cost for this feature. If the budget is a bit tighter, this is the way to go. If you do choose to add variable text, photos or barcoding to your credentials, it’s still a good idea to use the access banner in tandem. An attendee can be quickly identified without the hassle of pulling out a phone or scanner to validate the event badge. 

Access zones are a fairly popular feature with larger events. These are basically the same as variable text. Event organizers usually have zones or areas of the event venue designated by numbers or letters. With variable data printing, each individual badge can be customized with each attendees’ access zones. For example, Stacy may have zones “A” “D” and “F” on their credential. Event security can quickly see that the zone letters match up to where Stacy currently is. Variable data printing, or VDP as it’s commonly known, is a powerful and versatile tool. There are nearly limitless combinations of simple ways to add security to any type of event.

Distinct Materials and Design

Bag Tags, Inc. manufactures their badges for events on a couple of different materials. Primarily, our badges are printed on a waterproof synthetic substrate. After printing we then use a double-sided lamination procedure. Between the substrate and the two layers of laminate film, the final product is about 30mil thick. This is very similar to the look and feel of a credit card. Not only does this make the badge extremely durable and waterproof, but it also makes it difficult to duplicate. Bag Tags, Inc. originated in the swimming market so it was crucial to make an extremely durable and waterproof product. This naturally became a desirable feature for many athletic events, seeing as how the weather can be very unpredictable. Our badges are some of the more robust options I have seen available. An added bonus is that our state-of-the art digital press and premium materials make our credentials difficult to counterfeit. 

Our laminated credentials our great in terms of longevity. However, Bag Tags, Inc. is also committed to exploring more sustainable options. We have recently started manufacturing fully-recyclable credentials that are made from a thick paper-based stock. The stock itself is also made of post-consumer material. These are a great option for indoor events, or for those that are looking to lessen their environmental impact. We are also exploring plant based films for lamination. The biggest draw of our traditionally laminated tags is that they are waterproof. We will hopefully have a plant-based, recyclable solution very soon! We are excited to do what we can to help make the world a little bit greener.

Bag Tags, inc. also has a staff of in-house designers. Every order is assigned to a member of our design team. Our designers will walk you through every step of the process from start to finish. Having functional badges for events is one thing, but at Bag Tags, Inc. we always pride ourselves on creating beautiful, functional pieces of art. After all, if you have to wear something around your neck all day, we want to be sure that it is something eye-catching that the wearer can be proud of. As an added benefit, a unique design inherently creates a badge that is more difficult to counterfeit. Creating a beautiful and elaborate layout adds security to your event! Let your imagination run wild with our design team and make your event badges beautiful!

Better Attendee Experience

Personalized badges for events can elevate the event experience for attendees and organizers alike. Having everybody’s name on the front of the badge is great to avoid that awkward interaction where you can’t remember somebody’s name and allow for seamless, stress-free networking and social interaction. You may include other information, such as an individual’s preferred pronouns or company affiliation, and create an environment of inclusivity where attendees and staff feel seen, recognized, and valued. Personalized badges can also act as a great keepsakes. It is a tangible, beautiful, and simple reminder of the event and the connections made. By strengthening an emotional relationship with an event, the likelihood of future participation goes way up.

Enhanced Branding and Marketing

Consider custom-printed badges for events as a blank canvas. There is no limit. Organizations can use their own colors, logos, and other brand mark material to create a badge that is truly unique to their culture and vision. 

– Use logos as a piece of variable information. Each attendee can carry their organization’s logo to enhance their experience further.

– Another common way to use logos is to showcase sponsors. Let’s face it. Putting on an event is costly! Sponsors would love to have their brand mark on each participant’s badge to further networking and marketing efforts.

– The benefits of increased brand exposure and recognition- The more your brand is out there, the better! Think of a custom badge as a tiny advertisement for your brand worn by hundreds or even thousands of attendees!

– Bag Tags, Inc. can print it if you can think it up. There is virtually no limit to logos, colors, or designs we can not do with our fully digital printing process. We can make your brand vision come to life using state-of-the-art print technology.

Efficient Check-In and Attendance Management

– Personalized badges can streamline the event check-in process.

– Common with barcoding, where attendees can scan in and out of events, sessions, or other predetermined areas. 

– Use these metrics in many ways. Which sessions did people attend the most? How many attendees showed up? Quickly answer all these questions through the review of event data.

Cost-Effective

Personalized badges can be a very cost-effective tool. Fill a badge with information, imagery, and barcoding at a minimum cost per individual. Commonly, the more pieces ordered, the less they cost. The credential can be as powerful a tool as an event organizer wants to make it! Event badges are a great low-cost tool to accomplish many things. Enhance security, make networking easier, and provide staff and attendees with a cost-effective keepsake. 

We went over a lot of things! Badges for your event can:

• Drastically increase security through the use of
  • Variable Text
  • Variable photos or headshots
  • Variable access zones
  • Distinct design features such as access banners
  • Variable Barcodes and QR codes
• Be functional AND beautiful
  • State-of-the-art digital printing
  • Include logos, fonts and any other brand material to make it your own.
  • Full in-house design team support