Custom printed buttons are an affordable way to spread your message, promote your latest project or show support for a political cause. Over the last century, there have been millions of custom pin-back buttons designed and worn, but not all have lasted the test of time. If you put thought into the design of your custom pin-back buttons, people will pay for them and wear them for years! Here are a few tips for designing buttons that stand out from the crowd.
Memorable Custom Buttons Political Campaigns
Many politicians have used custom pin-back buttons to spread their message and get votes, what makes a political campaign button stand out?
In 2008, Barack Obama’s iconic sunrise logo made the perfect political campaign button. The red, white and blue logo evokes Obama’s name and image as a harbinger of change. The Obama campaign was famously strong with social media, using A/B testing and merchandising to take the fundraising edge in two elections.
The ‘I Like Ike’ custom printed pinback button was iconic as well. Dwight Eisenhower won the election with Walt Disney making his animated campaign ads and Irving Berlin writing his campaign song, but this pin is perhaps the most memorable artifact of that campaign.
Designing an awesome campaign pinback button:
The trick is to design a button people would like to wear! Forget all the details of which race, who the running mate is and when to go vote. A simple campaign button can catch the public imagination and help your candidate win your election!
Making Memorable Pinback Buttons for Band Merch
Just like a political campaign button, a great pinback button for your band should be iconic and attractive on it’s own.
Some of the best band merch buttons are super simple, just the icon or logo of your band will be larger and more memorable than a detailed photo or a tour-specific button.
Of course, standing out means breaking the rules! These highly detailed buttons aren’t simple, but they have a retro appeal in all their detail.
Should I design a simple button or a photo button for my band?
It depends on your audience! Consider the fashion and aesthetic of your band’s brand and what kind of people show up to your concerts. Ideally you’ll design a button that people will buy or take for free and wear.
At Artik, we’ve printed many thousands of customized buttons for Canadians and in our experience, the best pins are the ones with a unique aesthetic, contrasting colours and a target audience.
Designing Custom Buttons for Your Fundraiser
Whether you’re running a charity event or a Kickstarter to launch your new project, custom printed buttons can be a great way to attract attention and raise some money.
Custom buttons for charity events:
If you’re raising money to fight a disease or raising awareness for an important issue, custom printed pinback buttons can be a great way for charities to reach their goals.
Custom printed buttons can be used to identify VOLUNTEERS at your charity event, they can be sold for minimum donations or even given out for free to raise awareness for your organization. Design your button with a large clear slogan that can be easily remembered. If your custom printed buttons will be worn by volunteers or staff, add a simple call to action. “Ask Me About MS Research” can help passersby start a conversation with your team and attract new donors.
Custom printing buttons for online fundraisers:
We’ve already written an awesome post about how to promote your Kickstarter with custom lapel pins. Well buttons work well too! Buttons have a lower perceived value than lapel pins, but they’re much cheaper to produce and distribute.
Check out this POW POW button made for this awesome Kickstarter page. By giving out custom printed pins for their Montreal comics company, Pow Pow was able to raise $24,000 to translate their comics to English and meet a ton of new fans and customers!
Key Takeaways
When you’re designing custom buttons for your project – be it a band, charity or brand, putting extra effort into the pin design will pay off. You’ll start seeing people wearing your pins around the city and raising more money at events and concerts.
The key to designing your custom printed button is to embrace your brand and your audience. Design a pin that is simple and memorable or complex and subtle, but do it for your audience. When your customized pinback buttons arrive from Artik, you’ll be happy to see your design worn on denim, backpacks and coats.
Give them out! Share your buttons with the world through contests, fundraisers, gifts and bundles. For a low-cost, you’ll gain longterm fans and representatives of your brand 🙂