In recent years the forecourt flag, feather flag, sail flag, teardrop flag, blade flag and others have become a very popular way of advertising your branding and attracting attention. Like with anything else, you have to choose wisely with your flag to ensure that it catches people’s eyes and promotes the right positive message.

For the most part you will see digitally printed flags with graphics on just the front side, with the image on the back seen in reverse. To create a flag with the image viewed the right way round on both sides, the only solution is to print two flags and sew them back-to-back with a blackout film in the middle to prevent show through. As you would expect, double-sided prints are therefore more expensive than single-sided, and are also slightly heavier, which may affect flight.

There are a number of different designs to choose from, all with fairly self-explanatory names; the thing they have in common is a frame that ensures your flag can fly even with no wind. Deciding on which style of flag to go with comes down to personal choice, with budget also a consideration. Sometimes you will also find one shape is a better fit for your branding. On the whole, teardrop flags are the most popular choice.

The size of flag depends on how you intend to use it, and where it is being placed. Tall flags are ideal for attracting people to your stand at an outdoor event. Your message can literally be seen above the crowds. If you want to promote your business, or welcome people into you café then smaller flags might be a better choice. For indoor use it depends on the height of the ceiling and it is also worth checking with exhibition halls to see if there are any height restrictions in place before choosing which flag to go for.

Most flags will be digitally printed, which means that even buying one becomes affordable. There are often discounts for quantity purchases, so it might be an option to order a few extra which not only reduces your unit cost, but it allows you to rotate flags and keep them flying when one is being cleaned.

For very long runs of flags, screen printing is often used, which gives the same high quality print but is more economical. With digital printing the number of colours makes no difference to the cost, although it does with screen printing, which is why it is only cost effective for long runs.

There are a number of bases to choose from for holding your flag stable. In soft ground a spike is the most popular choice. If the ground is hard then a water base is the best choice. Indoors the water base can be used or the folding X base is a good option where portability is important. For car forecourts, boot fairs or outdoor events the car foot base or a drive-on base is a great option.