With event season right around the corner, you know that it’s time to make decisions about your event marketing products. Custom printed tents are a staple for most large or outdoor events. But as you begin to look into custom tents, it soon becomes apparent that there are many options to choose from. No two brands are exactly the same, so it stands to reason that no two brands have the exact same event marketing needs. However, deciding exactly which tent canopy is right for your brand can feel overwhelming. In this guide, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of the three main types of custom tents: custom pop up tents, custom inflatable dome tents, and custom star shaped tents. For each, we’ll examine which brands they work best for, delving into the factors that matter most, including budget, event location, and frequency of use.

Custom Pop Up Tents

You’ve probably seen custom pop up tents at previous events you’ve attended. They are by far the most popular event tent choice, especially for festivals. Their popularity comes from both their affordable price point and their standardized sizes, which makes them easy to take to multiple types of events. Custom printed pop up tents are ideal for brands who attend community events like festivals and job fairs.

Benefits of Custom Pop Up Tents

There’s a reason that custom pop up tents appear over and over again at festivals and fairs. These square and rectangular tents allow multiple brands to work closely together, allowing brands to showcase themselves while simultaneously allowing event managers to create a comprehensive event flow. If you’re the type of brand who frequents local community events, custom pop up tents may be the right choice for you.

Price: Pop up tents are the most affordable of your marketing tent options, and are great for brands who are trying to do the most on the tightest budget.
Standardized Sizing: Most events put on in your community will expect you to arrive with 10x10 or 10x20 tents. These are the standard sizes you’ll find when you purchase custom pop-up tents, and local events are designed with pop-up tents in mind.
Everyone’s Doing It: Due to the popularity of custom printed pop up tents, your customers will be expecting to see this style of tent at events. Using a custom pop up tent allows you to meet your customers’ expectations of your brand.

Downsides to Custom Pop Up Tents

While custom pop up tents are great for local events with lots of brands, you can only do so much with their standardized appearance. If you’re hosting an event or attending a larger outdoor event, pop-up tents may not be the show-stopper you need to draw attention to your table.

Two Person Set-Up: Yanking or tugging on your tent frame can cause long-term damage, meaning that setting up and taking down your custom pop-up tent is a two person job.
Standardized Sizing: While standardized sizing is great for local events, if you’re trying to put on your own event or stand out at a trade show, being limited to standardized sizing can put you at a disadvantage.
Everyone’s Doing It: If you’re looking to stand out as a unique, modern brand, choosing the same style of tent as your competitors may not be to your advantage.

MVP Visuals Custom Printed Popup Tent

Choosing the Best Custom Pop Up Tent

Once you’ve decided that a pop up style tent is right for your brand, the next step is to research which pop up tent to buy. There are a number of factors to consider when choosing the best custom pop up tent for your brand. Reach out to the customer service representatives at the brands you’re considering for more information. Be sure to ask the following questions:

Frame Material: Your goal is to find a durable frame that will hold up over time.
Fabric Material: When investing in a custom pop up tent, you want to be sure the fabric will hold up in all weather conditions over a period of time.
Production Time: Every day your tent is in production is a day your tent isn’t attracting customers or making you money. Production time is especially important if you have upcoming events right around the corner.
Personalization Options: When using a standardized tent size, it’s especially important that you can personalize it to your brand so that you stand out in the crowd. Ask about how much--or how little--you’re able to personalize your pop up tent as well as the printing style the company uses.
Pricing Factors: No one wants to deal with hidden costs at the last minute. Ask about a company’s pricing factors up front so that there are no surprises down the road.

Custom Inflatable Dome Tents

At the intersection of affordability and showmanship come easy-to-use custom inflatable dome tents. The added cost of the inflatable dome tent comes with a show-stopping wow factor that will make your customers stop and take notice.

Benefits of Custom Inflatable Dome Tents

If you travel for events or often find yourself setting up for trade show tents by yourself, you’ll love the travel flexibility that comes with your purchase of an easy-to-use inflatable dome tent. Customized size and color options allow you to tailor these advertising tents to your brand’s needs.

Easy Set-Up: Custom inflatable tents come with air blowers that do most of the set-up work for you. One person is needed to guide the tent up and keep an eye on the inflation progress, but as far as custom tents go, set up for dome inflatables is relatively hands-off.
The Wow Factor: Custom inflatable domes have an undeniably eye-catching appearance and look especially unique against the standard pop-up tent.
Sizing Flexibility: Inflatable dome tents are available in both the standard 10x10 sizing and larger sizes, including 26x26, making them a versatile option depending on your brand’s needs.

Downsides to Custom Inflatable Dome Tents

While custom inflatable tents can be used rain or shine, the nature of set-up means that if your events usually take place in rainy regions or during harsh winter conditions, inflatable dome tents may not be the right choice for your brand.

Set Up is Best in Clear Weather: While most inflatable dome tents are made of water-resistant fabrics, because you need to use an electric blower to inflate your dome tent, it can be tricky to set this display up in the rain.
Must Be On the Grid: To set up your custom inflatable dome tents, you need to be able to plug in your air blower during inflation. While most event sites will be able to supply the electricity you need or will allow you to drive your vehicle up and use a car adapter during set-up, it’s worth noting that custom inflatable tents won’t work for events that take place completely off the grid.
Pricier Option: The added pizzazz and flexibility of inflatable dome tents does come at a steeper price point than your standard pop up tent.

MVP Visuals Custom Inflatable Dome Tent

Choosing the Best Custom Inflatable Dome Tent

Once you’ve decided on a custom inflatable dome tent for your brand, it’s time to do your research and choose the best tent for you. Some factors to consider when it comes to choosing the best custom inflatable dome tent include:

Air Design: Sealed air designs allow you to inflate your tent at the beginning of an event and then unplug, meaning you aren’t limited to staying within a certain distance of the nearest plug.
Inflatable Dome Fabric: The last thing you want during your event is for something to puncture, scratch, or rip your custom inflatable dome. Work with a company that uses a durable inflatable fabric, such as ripstop 600 Denier.
Personalization Options: The whole point of buying a custom inflatable tent is to draw attention at a trade show, so it’s important that the company you’re working with offers customization options that will allow you to do so.
Warranty: Because inflatable dome tents are an investment purchase, you want to be sure that you have a sale warranty in case something unexpected happens.

Custom Star Shaped Tents

MVP Visuals Custom Star Shape Tent

By far the biggest show stopper in the world of event tents is the massive star shaped tent. These tents are often used for outdoor events with lots of space to move around. Whether your brand is sponsoring a 5k or you’re putting on an event for your VIP customers, these uniquely shaped tents are built to catch the eye and draw customers to your area.

Benefits of Custom Star Shaped Tents

Giant star shaped tents are especially suited for large outdoor events, including fairs, races, and charity events. Some of the greatest benefits to these dazzling custom canopies include:

Large Event Possibilities: Custom star shaped tents can have a footprint as large as 72ft x 45ft, making these jaw-dropping event tents ideal for events that your brand is hosting or sponsoring.
Marketing from Every Angle: Star shaped tents don’t just advertise above eye level. The ability to print on the sidewalls of a tent, both on the inside and the outside of your star shaped tent, allows you to create the most effective marketing strategy for your brand.
Protection from the Elements: Because uniquely-shaped star tents dip lower on the sides than traditional pop up tents, they are well-suited to provide both shade from the heat and protection from rain. Water drawn to the tips of the star tent creates drier entrances to your tent on rainy days.

Downsides to Custom Star Shaped Tents

Although you can’t deny their eye-catching appeal, star shaped tents do come with a monetary investment and commitment level that may not suit newer brands, brands on tight budgets, or brands that attend relatively few events. The downsides to these shaped tents include:

Best Suited to the Outdoors: The unique shape of star shaped tents and their large footprint makes these tents best suited to outdoor events. If most of the events your brand attends occur in crowded gymnasiums or convention halls, this might not be the right tent for you.
Higher Price Point: Star-shaped tents are an investment piece for your brand, and are not suited for brands with especially tight budgets or who plan to attend only a few events.
Set Up Complications: Though setting up your star-shaped tent is not necessarily complicated, it does necessitate a few hands on deck. If you tend to fly solo at events, you may struggle to set these event tents up without putting strain on the tent frame.

Choosing the Best Custom Star Shaped Tent

Investing in a star shaped tent means investing in an attention-catching piece of marketing. To protect this investment, it’s critical that you do your research and buy from a trusted manufacturer. Be sure to ask about the following factors when purchasing your custom star tent:

Full Customization Options: The biggest draw to the custom star shaped tent is the ability to market to your customers from every angle both inside and outside the tent. When that’s your goal, you want to look for a manufacturer who is capable of printing in full color on the entire surface of your tent canopy.
Liquid Repellent and UV Resistant Canopy: Since start tents are best suited to outdoor events, you want to ensure that the canopy will hold up in all weather conditions.
Durable Fabric: When it comes to your star shaped tent, you’re looking for a durable canopy fabric that will withstand multiple events, including set-up and transportation.
Sturdy Frame: Your frame does a lot of work. You want a sturdy frame material with a warranty in case something happens at your event.

A Final Word on Finding the Best Custom Tent for Your Brand

Choosing the best custom canopy for your brand is an extremely personal decision. It’s important to consider standard practices in your industry while also being willing to push the envelope in order to deliver customized advertising your customers will remember. Ultimately, the goal is for your custom canopy tent to look amazing and stand the test of time. That’s why you should always be sure to research the company you’re ordering your tent for. Check their online reviews, considering things like their record of success, the quality of their items, and their warranties before making your final purchase decision.

At MVP Visuals, we’re proud to offer a wide range of high quality custom tents for any brand, paired with five-star customer service to offer you a smooth, personalized order experience. Visit our custom printed tent collection today!