Something has changed in the way Dubai business owners think about event exhibitions over the last couple of years.
It was once straightforward. Displays were used to draw customers to a booth and to communicate information about the brand to those who walked by. This was the whole purpose.
There's another job that's running concurrently. Every photo taken during the event, whether it's product photographs, team photos, client meeting speeches, or awards, is shared on LinkedIn, Instagram, and corporate websites within a matter of hours. The backdrop that appears in each of these photos is looked at by many thousands of people who weren't even at the event.
A fabric backdrop that appears professional and on-brand when you see it is also professional and on-brand in every video or photo that is taken on it. Displays that look great in an exhibition space, but take poor photos reflective vinyl that creates the appearance of glare, uneven tension that creates wrinkles, and visible frame edges that block the image can damage the image every time the content gets shared.
This is the reason why fabric displays have become the most popular option for media walls, backdrops with branding, as well as photographic setups for events in Dubai. It's also why the material and design choices you make for the display can affect how your brand appears not only on the day of the event but also in all pieces of content that are produced following that day.
The Media Wall, Dubai's Fastest Growing Event Branding Format
Visit any product launch or corporate awards ceremony press conference, or VIP event in Dubai over the last three years, and you'll notice an element that is present in nearly every event one thing: a wall of media.
Media walls are a designed backdrop made of a fabric pop-up that is specifically positioned to be used for photography. It is typically at the entrances to events, reception areas, or at presentation areas, with the understanding that people will be standing on it in order to take pictures. The style is typically repeated patterns of logos, a powerful brand image, or a mixture of both, designed to maximize visibility at different zoom levels as well as from different distances.
The reasoning is simple. Each person who takes a photo on the media wall is a brand ambassador on their social media accounts. Every photo taken at the event has the brand's logo in the background. Every LinkedIn post by an attendee commenting "great event last night" showcases the brand behind them.
A media wall can be an element of branding for events as well as a distribution method for content. Because it's a fabric, it is cleanly photographed without glare. No visible seams when properly tensioned; there are no hot spots caused by outside lighting sources.
Why Fabric Specifically, The Photography Case
Fabric's advantages in photography over other display materials aren't only an added benefit. They are built into the fabric's physical characteristics.
No reflections or glare. Vinyl and PVC banners have a smooth surface that reflects light, usually noticeable under the lights of LEDs and halogens that are common in hotel ballrooms and event venues. Fabric absorbs light, rather than reflecting it, resulting in an even, clean surface for photographs, regardless of the lighting system. This is the major advantage of photography and the reason that media walls employ fabric more than other materials.
Consistent colour across all surfaces. A good dye-sublimated display will produce even saturation from edge to end that is consistent in photos. Vinyl printed on the surface can cause subtle color variations across large sizes, which is not visible on the outside, but shows as inconsistent in close-up photographs.
There is no visible texture when you are at a camera distance. Fabric backdrops shot from an ordinary photographing distance between two and four meters appear to be a seamless, continuous graphic surface. There's no dot pattern printed or surface texture or texture that could be a distraction to the subject that is in the background.
The resistance to wrinkles increases after repeated use. Fabric backdrops that have been used at 12 events must look exactly identical in photos as they did in the first one. High-quality stretch tension fabric accomplishes this. Displays made of vinyl that were folded to transport show continuous crease lines, which are evident in both the display and in photos.
Display Care That Actually Matters for Longevity
The companies that get the most events from one display have a common practice that is to store and transport the display in a safe manner between events.
The graphic on the fabric. After every event, make sure to fold the fabric in the natural fold lines instead of squeezing it randomly into the bag. A majority of good display fabrics will return to their full elasticity after being folded neatly, whereas randomly compressed fabrics can leave stress marks in places of repeatedly uncoordinated compression.
The frame is made of aluminium. Wipe the frame sections clean at the end of each session and examine the connectors prior to reassembling. Connectors that have been bent or damaged may influence how the fabric sits on the display's surface, which can affect how it is photographed.
The case for carrying. Make use of it. Displays made of fabric pop-up displays that are transported without their case of transport covered in other materials, or compressed beneath other objects, get to the event with a risk of damage that can affect the appearance of the display as well as its performance in photography.
If properly stored and transported, an excellent cloth display unit made by Deluxe Printing can serve your company for five years of frequent events without displaying any visible signs of degradation.
Designing for Both the Room and the Camera
A backdrop made of a fabric pop-up stand that appears strong in an exhibition space and also strong in photographs is a matter of thinking about both types of audiences in the same way in the design process.
Logo legibility across multiple sizes. In the space, your logo must be read clearly between ten and 15 meters. In photos, it has to be clear at the zoom levels that event photographers normally utilize, which range from a full-length image that shows the entire backdrop, to an image that only shows one portion. Logos that are designed to work on the same scale may disappear or be unable to be read when they are displayed at a different scale. Include both in the brief from the start.
The contrast is high between the brand's elements and the background. Design elements that are low-contrast and appear soft and elegant in person usually fail to convey their true beauty in photos, especially when the subject is sitting against the backdrop, which reduces the amount of contrast available. The greater contrast between background and branding elements yields better results in photography.
The pattern repeats for walls of media. A single graphic of large size placed on a backdrop appears unnatural when someone is standing on the other side of it; the design layout is distorted. The repeated tiles of brand or logo elements ensure that the backdrop appears as if it is a complete and intentional design regardless of the position of the subject and the way in which the photographer frames the image.
High resolution is required for large format. Fabric backdrops are usually between 2 and 5 metres wide. Design files must be set up with the proper size and resolution- usually 100-150 DPI for the actual print size for fabric to prevent visible pixelation when taking close-up photography.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why is fabric superior to vinyl for backdrops with branding as well as media walls in Dubai? Fabric backdrops do not reflect light like vinyl does, which results in clear, smooth, glare-free outcomes in photos of events, regardless of lighting arrangement. Fabric is also able to maintain even the saturation of colours across large areas and blocks the fold lines that vinyl creates after repeated use and transport, thus making it the most suitable backdrop for media walls as well as themed backdrops for events across Dubai.
- What is a wall of media and what is its purpose as a tool for branding? Media walls are printed fabric backdrops that are placed at an event that is specifically designed for photography. It typically has the same logo pattern, or a prominent visual of the brand. Everyone who takes a photo on the wall is able to carry the logo onto their social media accounts when the image is shared on social media and can be used as an element of branding for the event and an effective method of distribution of content.
- Can the same fabric backdrop be used for media wall and display purposes? Yes, provided that you take the appropriate design considerations. A backdrop that is designed to function as a media wall usually utilizes a repeating pattern that is able to work at various angles and zoom levels, as an exhibition backdrop typically features one large-format design. The design team at Deluxe Printing can help you create a multi-purpose design that can serve both functions efficiently.
- How fast do you think it will take Deluxe Printing to produce a fabric background in Dubai? Standard backdrops made of fabric for Deluxe Printing in Dubai typically take between 3-5 working days. Contact us with your date for your event, and we'll advise you on the most efficient timeframe to suit your particular event dimensions and layout.
- Does Deluxe Printing deliver fabric backdrops across Dubai and the UAE? Yes, it is available across all Dubai areas as well as other UAE Emirates, with the design consultation and scaled-down prototypes supplied prior to production to ensure that the display is effective both in person and on camera.
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