Whether it’s vinyl stickers for your car bumper or just a simple paper sticker for a name tag. There is a lot to consider when looking at all the options. Often it can get confusing especially when ordering online and sometimes the finished product isn’t quite what you envisioned in the first place. Hopefully, this article managers to bring to light all the “need to know” when it comes to the sticker game.
Stickers come in many types with several different mediums, surfaces, and finishes which creates many permutations of the simple sticker. The different stickers also have a need for different methods of application. Often people, companies, and charities will use these methods to portray their brand in a certain way. This is where the design element of these stickers becomes an important piece of the puzzle. The design process is often the beginning of the timeline for stickers and is therefore crucial to understand.
Firstly, you need to consider is which sticker medium or type you want to select. Proper type is essential when trying to get the most out of your stickers. Stickers are commonly printed on either paper or vinyl. Knowing the differences between these two will help ensure you get the results you desire.
These are the most straightforward to achieve and the most cost-efficient stickers. Paper labels are perfect for labeling plastic sleeves, glass jars or food packages and many more instances. The only issue when considering these labels is that they are not water- or weatherproof and should be considered for indoor use only. The labels are quick to fade and tear, so short term use is optimal for these stickers
If you need water-resistant stickers, look for matte label paper and make sure that pigment ink is being used on a pigment ink printer and not a dye-ink printer. Pigment ink is widely known for its archival properties. Other weatherproof options are vinyl stickers or decals.
You may believe that vinyl stickers and vinyl decals are pretty much the same thing. Well, that’s probably because they are. Yet there are some differences, and it is important to know them when deciding whether to purchase between the two. Which surface you are sticking on, and the purpose of sticking are also key factors to consider.
It mostly depends on the final product. To put it simply, if you’re looking for a simple monotone (one colour) design, then a decal is what you want. However, if you’re wanting something that is detailed and with a selection of colours, then it’s a vinyl sticker.
Allow our list below to elaborate on the differences which should clarify any confusion.
Essentially, the difference between vinyl stickers and decals lies in vinyl printing and cutting methods. Your choice of decal or sticker depends largely on the intricacy and colour tones of the design. While we may not have plotters and professional vinyl weeders at all our stores to produce vinyl decals, we do have vinyl sheets and printers that are capable of materialising any vinyl sticker design.
In cases where the design is too intricate, although monochromatic, a vinyl decal is not the correct choice when choosing between the two. We produce them as stickers that are printed onto transparent vinyl. The result is a product that looks a lot like a decal but has all the properties of a vinyl sticker.
Often you will hear the term die-cut stickers. This process or cut is implemented once the stickers have been printed, and the same machine cuts contours out of the machine. This process is similar to the decal process, but the difference is that it cuts all the way through the sheet which the stickers lie on. This creates a die-cut sticker that can be taken out of the roll of vinyl. (This is perfect for stickers that will be given out in singular portions.
Waterproof stickers are the best choice on farm and construction machinery, delivery vans, trucks, trailers, and other vehicles. Therefore a vinyl sticker or decal should be the appropriate choice in the matter, as they are waterproof and weatherproof.
An obvious choice, Vinyl. Stickers for boats and marine equipment should be waterproof. This goes for the interior of the boat as well. Even if the stickers aren’t immersed, they are often exposed to air which is thick with mist or water precipitation.
Food packaging for refrigeration, vinyls are the way to go. Condensation is common in food packaging. Regular stickers will lose quality in very damp areas, which could lead to the possibility of your products being unfit to sell. A small difference in choice of stickers could lead you to a big save in packaging costs.
CMYK is the most commonly used form of colour combination for home printing or digital printing. This process involves layering color ink in dots, which will lead to a recreation of the digital version. CMYK colour matching will give you good, close and accurate result for a reasonable price. A second option for vinyl stickers is the implementation of Pantone color. Pantone is a superior option for total color correctness and consistency, especially for stickers that involve a large area of solid color. Yet these are harder to achieve and would increase the price compared to the use of CYMK values for colours.
Lighter color values don’t always work well with the CMYK process. In many instances, colors on the lightest 10 percent of the spectrum don’t translate at all. All this means is that your sticker’s subtle yellow or pink coloring can look white to the casual observer — a look that can wash out your design. Similarly, designs that incorporate a lot of blacks will vary in effect depending on what color balances in the design make up the black tone.In other words, the colors on your screen that combine to create your black tone will determine which black and color ink ratios are on the page.
Although a detailed design always holds merit, when coming to stickers sometimes (or mostly) a simple design will work better in terms of colour and end result. Super detailed versions will often lead to costly outcomes that do not always work out. The cut will be difficult to achieve as well as the stickering process. Normally bold and simple stickers are visually more effective (normally) and much better in terms of cost.
Promotional stickers are just physical versions of how people interact over social media. People were ‘liking’, posting, pinning, tagging and starting conversations with stickers long before the Internet. Designed and distributed properly they continually generate low-cost exposure, impressions, and word of mouth marketing, much like how visual elements work on social media.
Online marketing is highly effective yet it is difficult to achieve due to the vast competition currently. Ad blindness is becoming a thing, therefore it is important to create brand exposure in different, non-digital forms of avenue.
Promotional logo stickers is that they help you stand out from the crowd. Your logo appearing in different and unusual places (car bumpers and laptop covers) will have little competition as well as a unique way of exposing your brand.
Quality stickers have a higher perceived value than other promotional mediums (business cards, brochures, flyers, etc.). They are viewed more as a gift than “advertising”. People enjoy collecting stickers and sticking them on their own materials. People feel like they customising what they have, whether it be their laptop, car bumper or even wall – people enjoy applying their own personal touch to make their “things different” compared to everyone else.
Place and Promote Promotional stickers, of course, are not always a gift product. They are also an inexpensive way to brand products, packaging, signage and service equipment. You can’t always rely on others to become advocates sharing your message and product, but you can do it yourself in a tasteful and effective manner wherever possible.
Because of the succinct nature of a promotional sticker, the process of development and design can help clarify and focus other marketing efforts (logo, website, advertisements, business cards, headlines, press releases, etc.). The same core questions need to be asked and analyzed:
In addition to branding and exposure-enhancing campaigns, stickers can be leveraged in other ways to enhance and strengthen promotional programs. Opinions and discussions can be promoted online in social media to reach fans and consumers. Stickers can strengthen communities and awareness of a message. Cooperative campaigns with others can reduce costs and increase distribution and impressions. Successful or interesting sticker campaigns can generate excellent PR.
Promotional stickers can also become effective objects themselves if they are done correctly. A brand name, slogan or image can become a product that’s sticky. If you have retail options, a specific approach to a particular market, or fans and supporters, you could build a sticker with a perceived value sufficient to warrant people willing to show it off and pay for the privilege. Just make sure that the sticker suits the individual needs and preferences of the consumer, not just your own needs for marketing/branding.
To sum up, advertising is about relationships; connecting to people who will benefit and are willing to support you what makes you unique and important. Stickers can be used to reinforce the connection in several ways and promote the spread of the term. That’s sticker marketing–using one of the lowest-cost, maximum exposure marketing tools available to communicate and reinforce. But note that sticker marketing, like any form of marketing or advertisement, requires proper planning, design, and execution to optimize its effectiveness.
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What’s a decal? Are they considered stickers? Is there a noticeable difference between vinyl stickers and cut vinyl decals?
The fact is that not all stickers are decals. However, all vinyl decals are stickers. A sticker is defined as “an adhesive label or notice, generally printed or illustrated.” So, logically a sticker can be any material that uses label adhesive to be sticky on one side and can be adhered to something else. So, non vinyl stickers come in many flavors.
The easiest way to compare and define which is which in the world of decals and stickers is to look at a few key components. You will mainly look at the design and the machinery used to create the end product. Read on as we explore the differences between stickers and decals and answer the question: how do decals work.
Vinyl Stickers Are Not Always Decals, but Vinyl Decals Are All Stickers
Stickers, as previously stated, are defined as “adhesive labels or notices.” This is because they require an adhesive backing to allow them to affix to surfaces. Notice, the definition doesn’t mention that it has to be glue. Some vinyl decals stay on just with static electricity!
There are many different types of stickers, from specially prepared paper stickers and paper labels to bumper stickers to vinyl cutout stickers, full hood decals, car window decals, and more. For example, some businesses use stickers to mark a customer’s car for service or remind a homeowner to change out their furnace filter. High-quality vinyl stickers are great for small to medium flat surfaces, whether it’s a self adhesive label or one that sticks by other means.
What Are Vinyl Stickers
Vinyl stickers are cut vinyl with an adhesive and a design printed on the front in ink. Custom stickers may or may not also have shapes cut from them. Still, the critical component when differentiating a vinyl sticker from a vinyl decal is that a sticker design is printed on vinyl with a sturdy paper backing.
Vector design files are sent to a printer that does digital printing on vinyl. The printer can print in color on any color vinyl background you’d like including a transparent background. This makes vinyl or die-cut stickers a prime choice for a durable sticker with multiple colors and intricate designs.
Custom vinyl stickers are the best choice for any regular sticker, from band stickers and promotional stickers to durable shipping labels and all types of other stickers. They will affix to almost any smooth surface.
What Is a Vinyl Decal?
If you find yourself wondering, “what does decal mean?” A vinyl decal has all the properties of a vinyl sticker, but a key component of vinyl decals is that they are die cut using a very special machine. Instead of printing the design onto decal stickers with ink, this machine cuts tiny lines throughout the design before the vinyl transfer decal moves onto the next step: weeding.
Weeding is the part of the decal-making process in which people go in by hand and remove the excess vinyl material from the sticker. This will leave the sticker with negative space making up the design.
Vinyl cut decals can be made with special repositionable vinyl, but they can also have a permanent adhesive on the back. They have three layers:
Vinyl decals can also be created with colored vinyl. Still, they are rarely more than one solid color because of how difficult it would be to get things like vehicle graphics to line up if you had to match up numerous layers of vinyl.
A vinyl transfer decal that makes use of label adhesives to stick is the best option of decorative sticker for things like wall stickers, wall decals, and outdoor use like car vinyls and decals. Like regular vinyl stickers, vinyl decals are also best used on a smooth surface.
Both Vinyl Decals and Vinyl Stickers Can Be Used on Most SurfacesBoth types of stickers work well on most surfaces as long as they’re smooth. Either type will work for your needs depending on your design and what material you want! However, decals tend to be better for larger surfaces and long-term outdoor use, as these waterproof stickers often have a UV-protective laminate to save them from the elements. Over time, a printed vinyl sticker will fade with sun exposure.
If you require a vinyl self adhesive labels, a sticker, or a decal, Fusion Marketing can provide you options! We have the best prices and fast turn-around times on all of our products from autocollant vinyl stickers for trucks and car decals to vinyl stickers for marketing! In addition, our team has years of experience designing stickers that will meet your needs. Want to learn more about how we’ll be able to create the perfect design for you? Contact us today!