Size and Shape Variety
Some of the best forms of effective advertising are the ones you see in the real world. Although online ads can hypothetically reach more people, seeing something eye catching in person can captivate an audience even more effectively. What makes advertising difficult however is that there’s a plethora of ways to go about it. Some people may use the words “flags” and “banners” interchangeably, but there is an important distinction between the two. A flag flies in the air, while a banner stays still usually tied to an object. Here is a dissection of each option’s benefits, and how to best use them for you.
Flags have a very noticeable leg up on vinyl banners when it comes to shape options. The standard flags provide the classic rectangle shape with 2×3, 3×5, 4×6, and 5×8 options. Feather flags have a long dynamic shape that flows with the wind, making them very attention grabbing. Starting at 5ft, then up to 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 15ft tall. There are a variety of alternative feather flag shapes, such as teardrops, shark fins, rectangle flags, and more.
However, banners do have the advantage with size options. As seen here on the vinyl banner section on our website, they range from 2-10ft both vertically and horizontally. With different prices proportional to each size. Meaning economically the banners are the most budget friendly, as well as the most accommodating to the space available. When it comes to this category, both options are equally viable depending on the situation.
Material
Feather Flag Nation flags come in 2 materials, economy, and premium. The economy material is only an option for standard flags. Although they are less durable and can’t be put on moving cars or poles over 10ft tall, they are able to print much more detailed designs.
Premium flags cannot be as detailed as the economy print but are more durable with their mixed polyester material and extra liner in the middle of the flag. The premium material is most used in professional settings due to their feel and consistently longer life span. While economy flags are used most in residential areas as decoration.
Vinyl banners rival premium flags when it comes to their material, where premium lack in detail, vinyl banners can have more vibrant colors due to their smoother synthetic texture. Premium flags have a soft polyester texture, and economy flags have a softer fabric-like texture.
Regardless of the material, our flags and banners have been known to last from 6-12 months if they are regularly spot cleaned and kept out of harsh weather. In fact, a few customers have noted them lasting for over a year. It all depends on how well you take care of them. In material, it is once again a tie between the premium flags and the vinyl banners, is they’re too different to really compare them in good faith.
Hardware
Pole kits are the most important part of the flags, as without it they can’t fly. Some may think you could order the flag from 1 seller and the pole kits from another, but there is no industry standard for how the poles are made. Even if they are labeled as the same size. FFN makes it much simpler, allowing you to buy the appropriate hardware with your flag on the same page when ordering. A benefit that vinyl banners have is that they don’t need dedicated hardware. All that would be required is string or another material to attach it to something else.
In the case of the retractable roll-up banners, the banner and the hardware are all in one, so all the set-up required would be deciding where to place it and rolling it up. Although, flags do offer tie-down clips, a cross base, weighted donuts, and travel bags. Allowing them to be much more secure and reliable. With transportation, vinyl banners are inherently easier because all that is required is folding them up, but the flags can be ordered with a travel bag to accommodate all its accessories. In that sense, the travel bag slightly makes up for the inconvenience of the poles. Regardless, in the case of sheer simplicity, the vinyl banners win out here.
Stock Options
For those who do not require an entirely custom flag, our selection of stock, pre-designed ready-to-ship flags may do the trick. Although the options for stock flags are diverse, the vinyl banner stock options are much narrower and more limited. As seen here, we primarily offer banners for chain businesses and franchises, as well as a few that focus on hiring, advertising for food delivery, or tax services. Additionally, the stock vinyl banners are printed as they are ordered, unlike our other stock flags which are already printed and ready to ship.
The last nail in the coffin for vinyl banners in this area is that we offer semi-custom feather flags. If there is a stock flag that you like the look of, and just need to change a few words or add a graphic, you can order a semi-custom flag. It is important to note though that as of the writing of this blog, this option is only available for feather flags. With that, the flags gain a victory in the stock section.
Flying Flags vs Solid Banners
This last section is a bit subjective but is important to discuss, weather the action of the flowing flag or the stationary but consistent banner is superior for advertising. At first the flag may seem inherently better because of its aggressive way of getting your attention, but this factor is heavily reliant on the wind or your ability to simulate it. The benefit of the banner is that the graphics and wording used on it won’t get distorted by movement, so you can safely put much more detailed information without it getting lost.
Verdict
The vinyl banner can be used both indoors and outdoors due to their more consistently reliable sturdiness, while a flag would work best for outdoors. The biggest draw of using a flag is their motion, but you are not able to take full advantage of that indoors. As mentioned in the previous sections, there are a lot of minor differences between the two, so it is heavily up to one’s personal situation on what is or isn’t a deal breaker. If there’s a specific question you would like to be addressed, For further description of each of our products, check it out on our website featherflagnation.com.
Feel free to email us at sales@featherflagnation.com or call us at (877)-900-5692.