There seems to be a craze of people looking for holographic custom stickers right now. The material has been around for many many years but the new digital technology used by many online sticker manufacturers is just catching up. At Websticker we actually discontinued printing/selling custom stickers on holographic material a number of years ago. Holographic material, in my opinion, is usually not a great option. Of course, there are always exceptions.
There are times with artistic type stickers that it can be effective with some custom artwork. There are also security labels and holographic labels to add some pizazz to products. There are many cool patterns and effects that on first glance would appear to add value to any sticker. But, for promotional stickers and branding (which we are focused on at Websticker) I say “NO”. Here’s why…
Visibility – This is the main reason that I wouldn’t recommend holographic material on a promotional sticker. The cluttered and changing background is just too busy to have a logo, message, or art stand out clearly. Effective sticker marketing needs to make an impression quickly and clearly. A holographic sticker is just not going to be able to be read or viewed properly, say, on the back of a car. If you were paying for a billboard on the highway would you add a crazy background so that the main marketing message or image simply wasn’t legible from a distance?
Durability – We found that inks didn’t adhere and hold up as long outdoors and in the elements. The stickers are more apt to fade. Yes, different styles of material can react differently and laminates can be added for added protection, but again why not represent your business or brand with the longest lasting clear impression possible? The durability of your stickers represents the durability of your brand.
Flexibility – A stiffer, non-flexible polyester type material is often used for holographic. More rigid means fewer applications. The stickers will not adhere as smoothly or as strongly to curved surfaces or flexible or rougher surfaces.
There are plenty of options to buy custom printed holographic stickers – Websticker just isn’t one of them. But, I would just be conscious of some of the drawbacks of holographic material when creating stickers for promotional outdoor uses. There are alternative materials and there are also many cool design options using four color process printing on white vinyl that can offer stronger branding and rack up more positive impressions. And, the costs are lower.
Let us know if you need any ideas or design help. And, if you are totally set on printing on a holographic material, we are also happy to offer some referrals on where we recommend you get them produced.
