Unique Name Badge Design Ideas

Coming up with unique name badge design ideas can be a challenge for graphic designers, since most name badges include the same basic information and have the same basic purpose - identification. Today's progressive organizations have tired of bland, non-branding black-and-white name badges with dimly lit photos, so it's up to you to boost employee morale with stunning name badge designs that make your clients proud. Draw on the following unique name badge design ideas for inspiration.

Get the big picture

One of the hottest ways to design exciting name badges is to ditch the cumbersome mugshots and have your photo take up most of the card. For employee name badges, depicting each staff member in action is a dynamic way to set your design apart and give each employee a distinct personality. For event and VIP passes, illustrations and photos can fill your entire background. Take strategic shots that allow viewers' eyes to visually focus on a central thematic image in one portion with an extended background that contrasts well against your text.

Go vertical

There is no rule that dictates your name badge text must be laid out horizontally. Try placing large identifying text, such as a name or a designated title, in large bold letters against a banner background vertically up the left or right side of your name badge design. Or, if the organization you're designing for promotes a culture of fun, play with the positioning of photos to make it appear as though each subject is hanging upside down or leaning in from the side.

Print a big colorful logo

If your name badges will not include a photo or if branding is of critical importance, you can design your badges with a large, colorful logo in the center, along the top or side, or as a background behind your text. When showcasing organization logos through name badges, it is important that the logo is easily recognized at a distance. And used in conjunction with other devices, such as the die cuts and foil stamps described below, a logo-oriented design can be every bit as appealing and powerful as a photo-based design.

Die cut and foil stamp

Perhaps the easiest way to craft unique name badges is to create a custom shape such as an animal, logo or event a cutout of the person's picture. Most name badges are rectangular, but who says yours can't be triangles, circles or stars? Differentiating yourself from the competition is the name of the game, and you can even mark staff members for certain departments or clearance levels with die-cut shapes. Another great way to make your name badges stand out is to employ foil stamps, which can be used as outlines for elegant flair or fills for boisterous pop. Both foil stamps and die cuts are incredibly easy to implement in custom formats, so you can rest assured that your name badge designs are indeed unique and one-of-a-kind.