Marketing Techniques using Paper Wristbands

Why use wristbands for marketing?

We have all been there: queuing for a club or bar and noticing someone's neon wristband. They hold a lot of power in a queue, and they make a surprisingly good marketing tool.

Our Tyvek paper wristbands fasten with an adhesive seal, so they stay on the wrist far better than a stamp that fades. The techniques below work especially well in the late-night industry, but also at festivals, charity events and more.

Offers! Get them through the door

Over the years we have printed a huge number of wristbands to promote drinks offers. They are a cost-effective way to launch a new drink or get people to a happy hour.

They also organise crowds efficiently: one glance at a wrist and bar staff know who is part of the promotion, without the shouting and confusion of checking stamps or event tickets.

Put your logo next to the offer and the wristbands promote you too, as people wonder where everyone is heading.

Flyers. Stay with us here...

This one sounds odd, but there is a method behind it. Paper wristbands are printed on sheets of 5, so why not use the whole sheet as a flyer? Put your event information across the sheet and let people tear off the last wristband to wear on the night.

You get a flyer and a wristband in one, and a whole sheet of wristbands handed out as a flyer is sure to get people stopping to ask about it.

Standard paper wristbands are printed in black ink on the colour of your choice, but you can also get paper wristbands in full colour, printed all over like a flyer, with the tear-off offer built in.

V.I.P - Make them feel special

VIP wristbands set people apart. VIPs usually pay more, and they want people to know they are special.

In the late-night industry that is worth playing on from the moment they arrive (skipping the queue, of course). A gold or silver wristband with the venue name and a bold VIP makes guests feel looked after.

Hire a designer for print to create a wristband with a gold texture, which looks classy and adds depth to what would otherwise be a flat design.

Branding - Get them being social

Paper wristbands are a great way to get your brand seen at events of any size. Add a hashtag and encourage people to take selfies wearing them: once they post and tag it, you have created a buzz on social media.

They work for every kind of event, from club nights and festivals to charities and exhibitions.

Charity - Give back

Paper wristbands are perfect for raising awareness. Many charities are associated with a colour, and with a wide choice of wristband colours you can match your cause, so people connect the wristband with it without reading the message.

They can raise money too: sell wristbands as entry to an event and fill a room with people wearing the same colour, together.

Get people involved by printing your logo and leaving a blank space where guests can write their own message for the cause, which creates a real sense of ownership.

The origin of wristband marketing

No look at wristband marketing would be complete without the wristband that made it famous. It was not a paper wristband but a silicone one: the yellow Livestrong wristband, created by Lance Armstrong and Nike to support the Livestrong Foundation's work with cancer patients.

The bright yellow band, with Livestrong debossed into it, became a fashion statement as much as an awareness statement, and showed how much a simple, low-cost wristband could achieve.

Our team is always happy to help if you have an idea you would like to bring to life. Not every idea has to be expensive or complicated to make a difference.